Original subtitles

Where's Father? I need to see Father!

-Miss Borden, you shouldn't go in there. -I need to see Father!

Wait, stop!

And one more.

No!

Father!

Are you writing that down?

No!

The really important thing is to make a thumb-sized hole

in the middle of each cookie.

Like this.

And you fill them with any kind of fruit preserve that you like the best.

For me, it's cherries from my allée.

Lizzie?

-Yes? -I think you should sit down.

No, I think I'd like to keep my hands busy.

And then you fill each cookie... with a bit of fruit jam,

and it bakes off lovely.

Ah! Um...

Ah...

I'll just let these cool,

and everybody can have one or... a few.

As many as you...

Lizzie.

Sister.

How could you?

Wait! Ladies, please!

This is all your fucking fault!

Emma! What are you doing?

-Lying, conniving bitch! -Miss Borden, stop!

And you! You plotting, scheming,

Kraut-Mick horse pussy!

-Miss Borden! Ladies! -I think you're under shock, Miss Borden!

I'll prove it! You're a monster!

I won't rest until I prove it!

You're a monster!

Careful.

This way.

Good day, Miss Borden. I'm Ms. Meade.

I'm the matron here at Taunton Jail.

I'll be looking after you.

Hello.

Am I to change clothes?

No. You can wear that if you'd like.

But as you've not yet been convicted of any crime,

you can wear what you'd like as your trial progresses.

How long will I be here?

You might be here a very long time indeed.

But... Miss Borden, as you are a mistress of no little means,

your stay here needn't be too trying.

Your meals will be sent from the city hotel

and the daily newspaper forwarded to you.

This is how I shall spend my days.

Good morning.

How long have you been awake?

Since dawn.

Fish hash today, as it's Friday.

That's all right, Ms. Meade. You enjoy it.

There's a red bird in that tree.

A cardinal.

His song is always first.

It sounds like he's saying, "What cheer, what cheer!"

What a magnificent summer it's become.

I wish I could be outside.

With my cherry trees.

Hm.

Has a Bridget... called on me?

Bridget Sullivan?

She also goes by Maggie.

Or Margaret.

No.

There is someone who has requested a visit.

Ladies.

I'm going to ask you one last time.

Did you do it?

Can we please speak of other things?

Your story makes no sense, Lizzie. Answer me.

Answer me!

No.

I didn't.

I've arrived at a kind of impasse.

Because when I hear your protestations, I simply don't believe you.

I believe you killed our father.

There's something I never told you.

When Mother was dying,

I was called to her bedside.

I made her a promise.

To protect you, Lizzie.

And I am here to honor that promise.

But, Lizzie, you are making this very difficult.

I have met your lawyers, and your case is terrible.

Your inquest was a disaster.

Your lawyers can't even begin to craft a narrative from it.

Why?

Because each time you told the story, it was different.

I heard a moan, and I ran downstairs.

-But you said you were out back. -Yes.

I was vomiting all morning. We all were. I couldn't keep a thing down.

So you picked some fruit?

-Yes. -And you stayed out in the heat to eat it?

Yes.

Uh, except for when I went out back to look for some sinkers. I think I...

I mentioned that before.

For a fishing trip, for which you had no fishing line,

you just... thought you'd look for some sinkers.

Yes.

Just say it was that Mick dyke,

and I'll give you an alibi that will save your life.

I can't.

Lizzie, please.

I need something to hold on to.

Just say that it was her, and we'll be free.

It wasn't me.

And it wasn't her.

How do you know? If it wasn't you, then it could have been her.

-Just say that it was! -No. I won't move one inch.

Never.

You're going to regret this.

If it's the last thing I do, you're going to live to regret this.

I don't understand.

Because you're notorious, Lizzie, there's an incentive for anyone

overhearing your conversations to forward them to the newspapers.

So... I spoke to the judge, and he agreed,

you could meet your lawyers someplace more private.

Thank you.

Anyone with eyes can see you're innocent.

Miss Borden, your lawyers will be here within the hour.

This way. Over here.

You're going to hell, Lizzie! You're going to hell!

Oh! Miss O'Neil!

Oh, Miss O'Neil!

Thank you, good day to you all.

Ah!

Look!

'Tis Pity She's a Whore.

I think not!

Thank you, Officer.

If you prefer, we can put you on the stand.

Or... the top of page two.

That's the...

Nance?

These are my lawyers.

-Hello. -Hello, ma'am.

Gentlemen, I'm sure you already know, but this is Nance O'Neil.

Gentlemen, I wonder if you might allow Miss Borden and I some privacy.

Certainly.

We'll continue tomorrow.

Lizzie.

Good day, ma'am.

Are these cuttings from a cherry tree?

Yes.

My spiteful sister chopped them down, but I'm forcing the buds.

I'll save them.

We need to talk.

Ahh!

Lizzie, I know more than you might imagine about your case.

How?

I fucked the bailiff.

Lizzie, you're in trouble. Your inquest was insane.

My insatiable bailiff beau told me all about it.

He told me everything I wanted to know,

needed to know.

If you were upstairs when your father returned,

you would have walked past your dead mother.

I didn't see her because I was downstairs in the kitchen.

But you said you came downstairs when you heard your father come in.

Yes.

So, you were upstairs!

No, I was downstairs.

Well, I was very confused.

I had been drugged to calm my nerves.

I had just walked in on my father and stepmother murdered...

Don't lie to me, Lizzie.

You may have been drugged,

but you weren't confused.

You're just a bad actor.

What on earth do you mean?

See? Not buying it.

I know you did it.

And I know you had your reasons.

I saw how they treated you.

Your beast of a stepmother.

Your alcoholic of a father,

and that was reason enough, as far as I'm concerned.

I sensed your rage the moment I laid eyes on you.

It's what... drew me to you.

Do you know who I based my most recent triumph on

when I slayed them as Lady M in the great Scottish play?

Do you know who I based my performance on?

You.

Mine was a Lady M of quiet, burning, indignant anger.

She can't help but push her husband to act,

as she is so stifled as a woman in a world of men,

she herself is desperate to murder.

If I don't teach you a few tricks,

you're going to burn.

I don't want that for you, and...

I don't want that for me.

You are the most famous woman in the world, and

I intend to be just as famous.

If I save you,

will you help me do that?

Be my patron?

My benefactor?

Yes.

Lesson one.

You must learn to make an entrance.

As you walk into the room,

as the trial of the century begins,

let them see... a lady.

You don't deserve to be here, but you're glad, as it is your opportunity

to show every man, woman, and child

what a great lady looks like.

Begin.

Yes.

Again.

Guilty. Boo!

Again!

Back in character, please.

A vision of mourning,

but you find the courage to carry on.

Better. Again!

Head down.

Better, Lizzie. Better.

When you take your seat,

it's as if you are alighting onto a throne.

Back straight.

Legs crossed, then tucked.

Show a little ankle.

And once you are seated?

Look to nobody.

Not to the gallery, not to the judge.

Look only

to the jury.

You're famous, Lizzie.

You're not like them, and

they know it.

Show them it is your pleasure,

as a goddess, to delight amongst mortal men.

Turn to them.

Smile.

Now turn away.

Don't regard them again.

They have a job to do.

Lesson two.

Lizzie, they are preparing the skulls of your father and stepmother as evidence.

My bailiff told me.

They have been stripped of flesh and gore

to show the violence of the axe wounds.

Lizzie.

When you see the skulls,

you must faint.

Mm...

It's the most sympathetic and vulnerable thing that a woman can do.

It suggests to the jury that you are innocent.

If you can't stand the sight of it now, how could you have done it then?

How could you have kept chopping?

No!

Too theatrical.

It must look

real.

When one faints,

one's whole organism goes... limp.

Again!

Again!

No!

Be loose at the knees like a puppet

whose strings have been cut and fall.

Better.

Pow!

Yes!

That's the one.

I must apologize for what you're about to see.

But I assure you,

the spectacle is an utmost necessity to my case.

Gentlemen of the jury...

this is what she did.

Stand back!

She is a murderer.

Order!

Lizzie Borden is a liar! I ask that you send her to her death.

Order!

This woman should not be allowed to roam free to murder again.

Order!

We have proven without... a shadow of a doubt

that Lizzie Borden murdered her parents in her home.

-Please! -Order! Order!

-Madam? Give her some room. -Sir! I'm sorry. This woman is a liar!

-Is there a physician? -She should be put to death.

Are you okay?

I'm all right. I'm all right.

Is there a physician in the courtroom?

Third, Lizzie, and this is important.

You can't take the stand.

So you must show them just once

that you are flesh and blood.

You must cry, Lizzie.

Right. Of course.

No!

Someone has taken an axe

and cleaved you open.

Start low, like a great golden goose

dipped into a lake of fire!

The prosecution calls Emma Borden to the stand.

Miss Borden.

You are estranged from your sister, are you not?

Miss Borden?

Are you not?

Miss Borden,

are you not

estranged from your sister?

That is entirely untrue.

There is no one closer to my sister than I.

And she is innocent.

-Your Honor... -Order!

She couldn't have killed our father and Mrs. Borden.

...may I have a moment with my client?

I saw a man try to break into our house the week before the murders.

A terrifying, pale man with an axe.

And two little children saw this man the day of the murders.

Where are these children?

Why not bring them here instead of torturing

the very victims of this man's crimes?

Your Honor, please.

And as for the sinkers, this fishing trip was my idea.

But this, this...

I told Lizzie that she and I should go fishing that very week.

I did. And, and, and... And would she please do me the favor

of trying to find these sinkers that... that I knew were outside?

But... No!

This contradicts your sister's sworn inquest.

My sister was drugged.

Morphine gave that inquest.

Why do you accuse her?

What are you talking about?!

Your Honor, a moment, please?

This is not at all the discussion we had behind closed doors.

Order!

Order!

May we have a recess, Your Honor?

Well, we heard both sides.

Let's get an idea of where we stand.

Who votes to convict?

To acquit.

There's just no way a woman could have done that.

-Yeah. -Mm-hm.

Well, I think it was a Portuguee. Had to be.

When can we get alcohol again?

Well, I feel we can't just... call the judge right back in.

Let's sally forth and continue playing, men.

For an hour.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

And when they read out the verdict, do exactly as I say.

Miss Borden, please stand.

In the case of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

versus Lizzie Andrew Borden,

how does the jury find the defendant?

Let the winds of victory fill your sails,

and blow away every mote of resentment.

You must be gracious and grandiose.

We find the defendant...

Not guilty.

And to the jury,

make sure you vary the inflection.

I wish you well.

I wish you well.

I wish you well.

I wish you well.

I wish you well.

I wish you well.

I wish you well.

I wish you well.

I wish you well.

How will I ever repay you?

Just... repay me.

This court is adjourned.

Lizzie Borden should hang on a rope!

It's just wrong! Wrong!

This is impossible! Lies!

Whoo-ha!

Step aside!

Give her some room!

What is this?

Flash powder. Those are photographs.

-For me? -Yes.

Miss Borden has time for just a few questions.

-How does it feel? -What will you do now?

I want to say thank you to you all.

I'm relieved and heartened to see that justice was done today.

The tragedy done unto my family can never be undone.

But perhaps now my sister and I can usher in a season of healing.

And kindness.

For people and for animals.

That's what I'd like to do now.

To begin the project of making my heart and soul and home a place

where no living creature need feel fear.

Thank you all.

Lizzie.

Boo!

Lizzie.