The Legend of Lizzie Borden

On August 4, 1892, Andrew Borden is found murdered in the Borden residence living room, with multiple hatchet wounds across his face. The body lies on the sofa as police begin to canvass the scene and collect initial evidence. The shocking discovery sets the tone for the ensuing investigation into a double tragedy in Fall River.

Police search the house and soon discover Abby Borden murdered in the guest room, hacked to death. Mrs. Churchill and Bridget Sullivan witness the grisly aftermath as neighbors gather outside. The second corpse confirms a family-wide horror and deepens the mystery surrounding the killings.

Emma Borden arrives back from Fairhaven and directly asks Lizzie whether she killed their father. Lizzie denies the accusation and maintains a calm exterior, but the tension between the sisters signals the scrutiny Lizzie will face. The moment foreshadows the intense media and legal spotlight to come.

Lizzie is given morphine to sedate her as investigators question her about the murders. Her replies are inconsistent and evasive, fueling public suspicion and complicating the early stages of the case. The drug's influence casts doubt on the reliability of her statements during the critical interviews.

At Andrew's funeral, Lizzie faces criticism for not wearing black and for displaying little visible grief. Public and press turn their attention toward her as a potential suspect. The unfolding tragedy colors the public's perception of Lizzie for years to come.

An inquest into the murders opens with Bridget testifying that she and Lizzie were the only people in the house that day, with doors locked. She describes Mr. Borden leaving downtown and a note instructing Abby to care for a sick friend that nobody saw. The alibi fragments the timeline and plants seeds of doubt for the jurors.

Lizzie testifies with shifting timelines, struggling to place herself upstairs or downstairs when Andrew returns. She cannot convincingly explain how Abby was killed an hour and a half before Andrew while she was supposedly away. The inconsistent statements become a focal point for investigators and the public alike.

The magistrate judges Lizzie probably guilty and orders her committed to await trial. The decision signals a pending courtroom showdown and intensifies media attention on the case. The community remains split between sympathy for Lizzie and belief in her guilt.

With Emma's support and a sizable estate behind her, Lizzie hires a formidable defense led by George Robinson, a former governor. The defense frames Lizzie as a wronged woman whose reputation has been weaponized by circumstantial evidence. She decorates her prison cell and gears up for a high-profile trial.

Lizzie's inquest testimony is deemed inadmissible because she lacked proper counsel and was under morphine during questioning. The ruling channels the focus of the trial toward other testimony and physical evidence. The legal strategy pivots as prosecutors and defense build their narratives.

Alice Russell testifies that Lizzie warned her about danger and that her father faced business trouble, suggesting motive. The day after the funeral, Lizzie burns a dress believed stained by paint, adding another suspicious detail to her portrait. These elements contribute to the contested portrayal of Lizzie's character.

A chemist testifies that Lizzie attempted to buy prussic acid shortly before the murders, ostensibly to clean a sealskin cape. Forensic examination connects the broken hatchet to Mr. Borden's skull, while Lizzie's lack of blood on her clothes complicates the narrative. The evidence heightens the tension between motive, opportunity, and physical traces.

A forensic expert aligns the hatchet with the fatal wounds, crossing skulls with the weapon to visualize the crime. When the demonstration confirms the gruesome reality, Lizzie faints in court, underscoring the weight of the evidence. The moment crystallizes the courtroom's dramatic charge.

The foreman announces a not guilty verdict, and Lizzie is ordered released. In flashbacks, the film reveals the sequence of Abby's and Andrew's murders, including Lizzie's alleged plan and execution. The crowd outside the courtroom erupts in celebration as the case appears to end in ambiguity.

Months after the acquittal, Lizzie moves into a mansion in Fall River's fashionable district and remains there until her death in 1927. Emma dies nine days after Lizzie, and the case remains officially unsolved to this day. The film closes by highlighting the enduring mystery that surrounds the Borden murders.