User reviews

Atmospheric, rather violent and shocking television-movie from 1975 didn't ignite a great deal of controversy upon its original airing, yet it is still quite potent and scary today (arguably, if made today, it would have to be a cable movie with a strict rating). Elizabeth Montgomery is chilling as Lizzie Borden, an unmarried 32-year old in 1890s Massachusetts, still living at home with her father, sister and stepmother, who wishes she could sleep with one eye open after claiming their house was broken into; soon afterward, her father and stepmother are axed to death in the residence, on an afternoon when only Lizzie and the family maid were present. The courtroom theatrics (including the examination of a too-clean skull) are underwhelming, yet Montgomery is riveting nonetheless, particularly in the well-staged final moments after the verdict is read. Memorably, straightforwardly played out, without a hint of camp.

Anyone who has an interest in the Lizzie Borden case will find this movie worth their while. The performances are all above average and the film does a good job of recreating late-19th century New England. The film focuses both on the murders of Lizzie's parents and her trial that followed. An interesting and highly plausible explanation for how the murders were committed (and by whom) is given towards the end of the film in a very effective and well directed sequence involving flashbacks, sound effects, and masterful editing.

The film also explores the complex relationships within the Borden household, and except for providing its own "solution" to the murders (the crime technically, to this day remains unsolved) sticks very close to the facts, as they're known.

A few scenes seem a little unnecessarily ghoulish. One in particular involves Lizzie as a little girl walking in on her father at work in the cellar (he once worked as an undertaker) embalming a corpse, another where he takes an axe to her pet pigeons. Although these scenes in themselves don't take anything away from the film, they take it further into a sensationalistic area than it needs to go. The mood of the film overall is creepy enough as it is.

Ultimately, the good subject material and high level of acting are what make this an above average film. As well, there's enough of an emphasis put on building suspense and telling a good mystery, rather than simply trying to extract a visceral response from the viewer.

I remember the controversy when the film aired originally, but it wasn't until years later that I saw it. When I did see it, I was amazed by the high quality of it. This movie is much better than the majority of theatrical releases being made today. Elizabeth Montgomery gives a wonderful performance, and the script is intelligent, rich with subtext, and explores many themes (feminism, incest, murder trials as media events) which are still relevant.

The 1970s were a great time for made-for-TV movies, and this film is a shining example of that excellence. Today's filmmakers could learn a lot from this terrific production.

Who doesn't remember watching the world premiere of this made- for-television-movie on ABC back in 1975. This film stars the great Elizabeth Montgomery (who should have won an Emmy) as Lizzie Borden, accused of killing her father (and step-mother) with an axe. Liz, gives a powerful, understated, performance. What makes this film great is the way Montgomery can portray Lizzie in that subtle, cool way that is very effective. All the supporting cast including "Soap" star Katherine Helmond, are terrific (look for Gloria Stuart in a very brief appearance as a store customer watching "Lizzie" purchase an axe). This is a classic film. Get this on video, people!!

I was interested to read the comments of US reviewers of this title, praising its period accuracy and attention to detail. In the UK we tend to take these 'costume dramas' for granted. Considering it was made in the mid-70's, however, the film still looks good and some of the principals look strikingly like their real-life counterparts (especially Ed Flanders as Hosea Knowlton). Only Lizzie's uncle John V Morse, who stayed in the Borden home on the night before the murders, is missing.

As you can probably tell by now I have quite an interest in the Borden case. I saw 'Legend of Lizzie Borden' when it was first broadcast and after 30 years I still think it offers as fair a reconstruction of the crimes and the trial as you can expect in 90 minutes.

The jarring notes are hints of Andrew being some sort of mild necrophiliac and having an incestuous or near-incestuous relationship with Lizzie. I don't believe there is any real evidence for either of these allegations. Much is made of the fact that Andrew wore a ring Lizzie had given him as a schoolgirl. In fact, at the trial, the undertaker Mr Winward could not remember if there was a ring on Andrew's body or not. This was rather embarrassing for the defence but didn't stop George Robinson making a big point of it during his closing address. (Much of the dialogue in the inquest and trial scenes is taken from the record).

It is probably more true to say that Lizzie desperately wanted Andrew to show his love for her. Instead, he killed her pigeons.

There are only two real flights of fancy: Lizzie stealing the axe from a store (she had no need to and, let's face it, it's a bit obvious); and the testimony at the trial that she tried to buy prussic acid the day before the murders. This is true, she did, but the evidence was *excluded* from the trial by Judge Dewey because the prosecution couldn't prove that Lizzie only wanted the poison for a criminal purpose. Wonderful thing, the law.

Much more revealing is the sense of Lizzie feeling stifled in a mean provincial household when she dreams of a life of travel, fashion and excitement. In the scenes of confrontation between the inhabitants of 92 Second Street, you get a real sense of the tensions that were building up in that confined space, a confinement that was spiritual as well as physical.

I once read a review which said Elizabeth Montgomery portrayed Lizzie as a "wide-eyed zombie". That can be dismissed as rubbish. This is a performance of tremendous scope, showing a Lizzie who was stubborn, vain, calculating, callous and yet strangely vulnerable (you can't help but pity her as she sobs over her slaughtered pigeons). She was a fascinatingly complex woman and this is as good a piece of acting as you will find anywhere.

In 1975 I remember the reconstruction of the murders being described as "overlong and bloody". How times change. I am sure these days they could be far more graphic and true to the brutal nature of the actual killings. Again the film is tempted to go too far by having Lizzie (or more properly Elizabeth Montgomery) strip off before committing murder. This could be one reason why there was no blood on Lizzie's person immediately after the crimes, but the pathologist at the trial stated that if the murderer stood astride Abby Borden, and the first blow that struck Andrew hit a major artery (killing him instantly and releasing blood pressure), there would be very little blood splattering around.

I have waited, and waited, and waited, for UK TV to show this film again. I recently managed to purchase a rare video copy. I am pleased to see that my memory didn't play me false. This is a superb production, a credit to its makers, excellently cast and performed which deserves to be shown again and given a much wider commercial video/DVD release.

A sweltering summer day in 1892 Massachusetts is pierced by a brutal double murder that stuns the nation. Lizzie Borden (Elizabeth Montgomery) returns to the home she shares with her father Andrew (Fritz Weaver) , sister Emma (Katherine Helmond) , stepmother Abby (Helen Craig) , and maid (Fionnula Flanagan) to encounter the bloody scene of her violently-murdered parents. Police quickly question multiple suspects in town, but evidence keeps pointing to seemingly-wholesome Sunday-school teacher Lizzie, the Bordens' younger daughter, as the prime suspect. Teacher Lizzie Borden (Christina Ricci) quickly becomes the prime suspect in the murder of her father and stepmother. As her lawyer proclaims her innocence, the original good-girl-gone-bad will stand trial in one of the most gripping, gruesome mysteries of all time. Her name will forever live in infamy and the eerie children's rhyme will continue to haunt those that know the story, but the truth is anything but clear. Accused of the shocking murder of her parents, she must prove her innocence...or be hanged! Could this woman commit the crime of the century? Due to mature subject matter, parental discretion is advised. Lizzie Borden took an ax, gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, gave her father forty-one.. She's got an ax to grind. It's time to bury the hatchet .

Fictionalized account of actual events and people surrounding Lizzie Borden of the double murder of her father and stepmother in 1892 . Set in Massachusetts, where Lizzie Borden is put on trial for murdering her father and stepmother with an ax , as the telefilm relying heavily on the criminal court . Mysteriously good story , in which Lizzie sustains on the proclaiming her innocence , arguing that a woman could never commit the heinous crime of murdering her family with an ax . As Lizzie is imprisoned and put on trial for the murders, both in the courtroom and in the press , sparking a widespread debate about her culpability. As the case rages on, the courtroom proceedings fuel an enormous amount of sensationalized stories and headlines in newspapers throughout the country , forever leaving Lizzie Borden's name in notoriety and resulting in a controversial acquittal . Elizabeth Montgomery is exemplary in the title role , though the show mainly takes place on the trial and in spite of it , I wondered there is interesting material at all for the film . Then I watched really interested and realizes it's actually enjoyable and engaging . Standing out the early deceased Elizabeth Montgomery who gives a top-notch acting , being well accompanied by a sensational support cast , such as : Fionnula Flanagan , Ed Flanders , Katherine Helmond , Don Porter , Fritz Weaver , Bonnie Bartlet , John Beal , Helen Craig , among others .

This absorbing and spare picture was well directed by Paul Wendkos, making an acceptable feature drama in rare economy . Paul was a fine craftsman who directed a lot of films as cinema as TV. An usual TV movie director though also realized some Westerns for cinema .He directed all kinds of genres, as drama, thriller, action, WWII, comedy, Mafia movie, such as Deadline assault, The flight, The chase, The great escape : the untold story, The story of a Mafia wife, Celebrity, The cry for love ,Betrayal, A woman called Moses, The tattered web, The Mephisto Walz, Johnny Tiger, Bad seed, The taking of flight 847, The execution, Awakening of Candra , Gidget, Gidget goes Hawaiian, Gidget goes to Rome. And Westerns as Guns of Magnificent Seven, The ordeal of Dr Mudd, Cannons for Cordoba , The face of the fugitive, among others Rating : 7/10 . Above average.

Other films about this character , Lizzie Borden, are the following ones : TV series ¨Lizzie Borden Chronicles¨ (2015-2015) (8 episodes) with Christina Ricci , Clea DuVall , Cole Hauser. ¨Lizzie Borden Took an Ax¨ (2014) with Christina Ricci , Clea DuVall , Gregg Henry , Stephen McHattie. ¨Lizzie Borden's Revenge¨ (2013) with Veronica Ricci , Marlene Mc'Cohen.

I remember I was 14 years old and babysitting some little kids and watching this movie all by myself (I had wisely put the little ones to bed). I remember walking home in the dark after watching this movie and running because I was so scared after watching this movie. Elizabeth Montgomery, whom I loved as Samantha the loving witch on "Bewitched" is wonderful in the role of the weird Lizzie Borden. Did she really kill her folks? The movie lets the watcher decide for themselves, but the acting, writing and directing were all top notch, especially for a TV movie. Wish it would come out on DVD, I would love to see it again after all these years.

I'd heard of the story/legend of Lizzie Borden but didn't really know that much about it, except that she was a real person accused many years ago of having committed a horrible, bloody crime. And this was sensationalized because at that time it was unusual for a woman to commit these types of crimes.

Elizabeth Montgomery plays the title character ad she does a fine job. It's also interesting that in real life she related to the real Lizzie Borden as a 6th cousin twice removed. Interesting little fact. Most of the supporting actors do a fine job as well. Seeing this film today Ipm sure isn't as impactful as it was during its original release but as a dramatized story of some true(ish) events it's mildly interesting.

I first learned of Lizzie Borden from the "Simpsons" Halloween episode from 1993. Borden was a jury member at a trial determining whether Homer should get to keep his soul after having sold it to the Devil - played by Ned Flanders - for a donut. "The Legend of Lizzie Borden" depicts her as a tragic, sympathetic figure. Coming from an unpleasant home, it's easy to see why she snapped (assuming that she was guilty). If the trial took place nowadays, it would probably rival the O.J. Simpson trial in terms of making news.

As Borden, Elizabeth Montgomery gets a new kind of role. I guess that you could say that Samantha Stephens becomes a different kind of witch. And yes, there's a scene that every boy who grew up watching "Bewitched" had no doubt wanted to see for a long time (although the European version showed even more). All in all, I recommend the movie.

Also starring Fionnula Flanagan, Katherine Helmond, Fritz Weaver and Hayden Rorke (Dr. Bellows on "I Dream of Jeannie"; I guess that this marks the official crossover between "Bewitched" and that one).

This 1970s TV movie of the week plays out its interpretation of the Lizzie Borden case with little in the way of camp or cheese. Elizabeth Montgomery is chilling yet somewhat sympathetic in the lead role-- a real revelation for me since I grew up watching her on BEWITCHED. The cinematography is mostly conventional, save for the horrific murder flashbacks, which are still rather disturbing.

The bulk of the film is a courtroom drama with flashbacks to what allegedly took place according to popular accounts of what really happened. There is no real evidence that Lizzie Borden took an axe or hatchet to her dad and stepmom, so the scenes with her "axing them up" was for the sake of the audience and legend.

The material is dark but so is the film's lighting. The darkness to the film's lighting is awful - well, it was filmed this way and it's really bad, distracting, unenjoyable to watch.

Montgomery was fine as Lizzie - she's a good actress. The rest of the cast is fine too. It's the film's dark lighting and overall drabness that bored me.

I'm one that found this film better when I was a kid watching it - I guess it was scary or something to me then. I should have left this one a memory but instead I re-watched all the years later to find it mainly a bore.

5/10

This movie is so fascinating on so many different levels. First, we have the brilliant Elizabeth Montgomery. Her treatment of "Lizzie Borden" is so perfect. The sets, the costumes, the acting, everything about this movie adeptly recreates 1892 Fall River, Mass. Even the set of the Borden house was recreated using diagrahms of the original house. While Lizzie never admits to the killings, we get to see how some people thought she got away with it. Interesting mix of fact and speculation. Quite graphic for a TV movie, we see blood splattered, axes swinging and glimpses of a nude Elizabeth Montgomery washing blood off of her body. The acting is top notch by everyone involved. This was an early role for Katherine Helmond (Who's the Boss) playing Lizzie's sister who doesn't know what or who to believe. Fritz Weaver is excellent as the penny pinching skinflint, Andrew Borden (Lizzie's father). Based on the political feelings about women at the time it's easy to see why Lizzie is acquitted of the crime. Still, the ending is quite creepy and the scenes that are speculated are fascinating to watch. Elizabeth should have won an emmy for this, I don't know what those voters were thinking giving the award to Katherine Hepburn that year. They should have had their SAG cards revoked. I hope they release this on DVD. Interestingly, Liz's nude scenes were edited for later broadcasts even though what you saw was tame by today's standards.

This film is an excellent portrayal of the infamous Lizzie Borden Axe murders that took place in Fall River, MA. It is a "period" piece set in the 1800's and brags some very impressive performances by 2 actresses who are generally considered to be television actresses. Although, this was a made for TV movie it has many qualities to it that would certainly endear it to the silver screen. Elizabeth Montgomery puts on a very impressive performance as the main character but also Katherine Helmond is equally good as Emma Borden. This is, by far, the greatest movie performance of both of these actresses illustrious careers. The story is well put together, based on facts with some speculation toward the end of the film. As most people are quite aware, Lizzie was acquitted of the crime she was accused of but this film provides a logical conclusion and assumption as to what really did happen to Andrew Borden and his wife, something that is still speculated on today. The murders themselves were heinous and brutal and this film does not shy away from that but it does manage to avoid becoming exploitative with the subject matter as well. Definitely one of the best made for TV films in American history. If you are able to catch this film on television, and it does still air on rare occasion, be sure to watch it and if your lucky enough to obtain a copy of it, by all means do so!

I concur with the positive comments here about this well above average made for TV movie. A friend of mine recently got his hands on a video of the film, and watching it, a little over 30 years later, I still experienced the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.

Elizabeth Montgomery gives a powerful, cold and chilling performance as the legendary Lizzie Borden.

LOL, when my brothers and I watched this ABC TV movie back in 1975, they would literally freak me out by locking me in the basement of our home. Through the locked basement door, they would sing, "Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother 40 whacks...." Brothers - what can I tell ya?

The film starts with the discovery of the body of Andrew Borden with the Borden maid, Bridget, going to the neighbors for help. Later it was discovered that Lizzie's stepmother had also been murdered the same way - with a hatchet, although that weapon was never discovered. The film serves two purposes. First off it pretty much objectively tells the story of the situation in the Borden home prior to the murders and talks about the evidence and the trial. Second it presents a dramatization of a theory as to how Lizzie (Elizabeth Montgomery) could have committed the crime.

This aired during sweeps month, February, 1975. So if one might ask, why did they make this movie? Why not just watch a documentary? The answer is that this was made about five years before people began to get cable and 30 years before you-tube, so there were no documentaries to speak of that were readily available to the general public.

The film tries to weave in the issue of feminism, but not in a heavy-handed way. Only once does a character explicitly talk about the predicament of women in 1890s America - oddly enough it's the prosecutor's wife who does so. Lizzie lived at a time when the few professions open to women - teacher, nurse, secretary - were considered "summer jobs". They were something women did until they married, and they did not pay well precisely because it was mainly women who did these jobs. If they never married, which was the case with Lizzie and her older sister Emma, they were entirely dependent upon family to support them. If Andrew Borden had changed his will and the stepmother had inherited everything, then she could have tossed them out in the street and they would have had no recourse. This is not an excuse, but it is an explanation of motive.

So did Lizzie perhaps commit her crime in a most outrageous way for a 19th century New England still rooted in Puritanism - in the nude - precisely because that was the only way she could have done it and not had her clothes covered in blood, realizing that the Puritan all male jury would look upon this Sunday school teacher and member of the Temperance League and simply not believe that such a well-bred young woman could do such a thing? Was she that clever and so cold blooded to wield her gilded cage as a weapon? We'll never know at this point, and the crime remains unsolved.

The film is overall well-done for an A-list production of its time and well-acted. There are a few made-for-TV crime drama tropes such as the prosecutor who stomps around self-righteously talking about what a fiend the defendant is. It's literally all he talks about at the dinner table. It does get tiresome. Katherine Helmond plays Lizzie's older sister as a shrinking violet, and that's interesting for anyone who may remember her as being much more flamboyant in her later TV roles in Soap and in Who's The Boss.

I saw this when it came out. And my jaw dropped!

I had just known Elizabeth Montgomery as "Samantha" in "Bewitched." She was great in a light comedy every week. OK, but a lightweight comedienne who looks really great.

And then this TV movie came out. HOKEY SMOKES! Elizabeth Montgomery can REALLY act! What a chilling, out-of-the "Samantha" character and believable, performance. And the writing, the other actors, the direction, the production qualities, the editing are just OUT-standing.

Just wish it were re-broadcast occasionally so we could watch it again, or maybe the first time for some. Don't have a clue why not.

RELEASED TO TV IN 1975 and directed by Paul Wendkos, "The Legend of Lizzie Borden" chronicles the infamous hatchet murders of Andrew & Abby Borden (Fritz Weaver and Helen Craig) that took place in Fall River, Massachusetts, on August 4, 1892, presumably by Andrew's suffocating daughter, Lizzie (Elizabeth Montgomery). Katherine Helmond plays Lizzie's sister, Emma, while Fionnula Flanagan is on hand as the maid.

I just watched this version and 2014's "Lizzie Borden took an Ax" with Christina Ricci back-to-back and I give that one the edge because it's a little more compelling and has an excellent edgy soundtrack, albeit anachronistic. But I recommend seeing both versions to compare the data and understand what was going on behind the scenes at the Borden abode.

While it's impossible to defend Lizzie's gruesome actions, both movies help you see why she felt she had to do what she did (with 99.9% certainty). Her father was rich, a struggling mortician turned businessman and property developer, but he refused to update their house (they still had a pit latrine instead of flush toilets), not to mention move to a more affluent neighborhood. Lizzie just turned 32 while Emma was 9 years older and marriage was less and less likely of a potential escape. The stepmother, Abby, was short & fat and pressuring Andrew to change his will for her benefit. The Borden house itself was curiously structured in that there were no hallways and thus one room linked to another, which hindered privacy. In short, the household was a ticking Victorian time bomb with mounting hostilities waiting to explode.

FYI: The real-life Lizzie Borden and Elizabeth Montgomery happened to be 6th cousins once removed, each descending form Massachusetts denizen John Luther from the 17th century.

THE FILM RUNS 96 minutes with the more explicit European theatrical version running another 4 minutes (showing Lizzie nude). It looks like it was shot on a town set in S. Cal, but I can't verify this. WRITER: William Bast.

GRADE: B

All I can say is if you want to see a well put together movie that covers all of the key points of the case in near 100% accuracy this is the movie to watch. Elizabeth Montgomery gives a chilling performance as Lizzie and keeps your attention the whole movie. They don't make movies like this anymore thats for sure just look at what you see these days. Give me an old classic like this any day.

The Legend of Lizzy Borden is often seen as one of the best TV movies of the seventies and considering excellent TV films such as The Deadly Tower, Sweet Hostage and Scream Pretty Peggy; I did go into this one with quite high hopes. The plot focuses on a famous murder that took place in 1893 Massachusetts and saw a girl accused of killing her father and step mother with an axe. I can't claim to have any familiarity with this case, but the story is certainly interesting enough to make a good TV movie out of, and while this is not a bad film; I have to admit that I don't agree with the idea of it being one of the best made for TV movies of the period. The film is apparently considered to be quite shocking; and perhaps it was in 1975, especially considering that it's a TV movie...but the shocking elements aren't all that shocking today. The film's main positive element is definitely the story, and while it's certainly interesting; a lot of it is caught up in the court case which is not so interesting. However, the film is bolstered by an excellent performance from Elizabeth Montgomery in the lead role who convinces excellently and helps to keep up the mystery. Overall, I wouldn't call this one of the best made for TV movies of the seventies myself; but it's certainly an interesting watch and is worth seeing.

I first saw "The Legend of Lizzie Borden" when it first aired on American television and I thought it was pretty cool. Now, four decades later, I decided to see it again and see if it was as exciting as I'd remembered. Overall, I wasn't nearly as impressed the second time.

The film is about the murder of Lizzie's father and step-dad and Elizabeth Montgomery plays the title character. It begins with the death of her parents and then through flashbacks you see what MIGHT have happened. The problem is that no one is 100% sure who killed the folks...it might easily have been Lizzie it might not have been. So, the film tries to hedge its bets to say she might not have BUT pretty much says she did and shows her committing the crime. For me, this made the film confusing and not especially satisfying. Overall, mildly interesting but I think some of the documentaries on Borden are more interesting and worth seeing.

By the way, the version I watched both times was the American one. Apparently, the European version was more salacious and featured nudity.