Dream about Frances Glessner Lee

About a week ago I had a dream that Frances Glessner Lee was alive and she gave me the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death and said, "Make more. We're not done yet."

I woke up thinking there's definitely work to be done.

Years ago I had a dream that FGL was smiling at me. She wasn't big on smiling, so it made me feel like I was doing something right by her.

Frances Glessner Lee on CBS Sunday Morning January 14, 2018

Erin Moriarty of CBS Sunday Morning interviewing filmmaker Susan Marks about her films on Frances Glessner Lee

CBS Sunday Morning's Erin Moriarty at the Murder is Her Hobby exhibit at the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery

CBS Sunday Morning crew films the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

Fresh conservation treatment for the Nutshells. Photo by Susan Marks

Filmmaker Susan Marks and one of her favorite Nutshells- Dark Bathroom

Recently I was interviewed about Frances Glessner Lee for CBS's Sunday Morning tv show at the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery in DC. This is my 2nd time on the show. The first time was 12 years ago when I was interviewed about my book and documentary film on Betty Crocker. Wow, how things have changed. Even though I much prefer to be behind the camera, the CBS folks were phenomenal and made it an enjoyable experience.

Frances Glessner Lee is Having Her Moment

I can only imagine what Frances Glessner Lee would think of an exhibit at the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery devoted entirely to her and her Nutshells Studies.

Actually, I can imagine. She would think, great, it's about time. People need to know the importance of the art of observation in criminal investigations and how forensic investigation needs high standards, protocol and procedures. But then she would probably inquire to when the Nutshells would be returned to their home so they could be used for their intended purpose - to train detectives to be better at their jobs.

If you haven't been to the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery to see Murder is Her Hobby - you must go before the end of January 2018. Because if you don't see the Nutshells there, you will likely never see them in person again. They are just too fragile to travel again, so once the Nutshells are safely back at the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner - there they will stay.

The exhibit is nothing short of phenomenal. The curator Nora Atkinson and conservator Ariel O'Connor are brilliant and Frances Glessner Lee would very much approve of the work they did on the exhibit.

Frances Glessner Lee documentary filmmaker Susan Marks (L) with Renwick curator Nora Atkinson (R)

Barn Nutshell photographed by Frances Glessner Lee's great granddaughter - Gail Batchelder

I've been lucky enough to go to the exhibit twice. Once to screen a special "Renwick Cut" of our film on Frances Glessner Lee. See trailer below. It was thrilling to have a special screening just for the crowd at the Renwick Gallery. And my filmmaking partner and I would love to show it to the world but first we need more funding to put the finishing touches on the film. Please be in touch if you want to help!




                    

Of Dolls & Murder DVDs running out

We still have 50 or so DVDs of Of Dolls & Murder left.  (And about 100 of Inside the Speakeasy Dollhouse) and once we're out, we're permanently sold out.  Get yours here.

 Many people have asked about when the new documentary film Murder in a Nutshell: The Frances Glessner Lee Story will be available on DVD and we really don't know that it will be. It's hard to know because we don't have a distribution deal yet and more and more, the demand is for digital downloads and not DVDs.

We will keep you posted and be sure to catch a segment on Frances Glessner Lee on CBS's Sunday Morning in January 2018! And check out the exhibit Murder is Her Hobby at the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery - the only time the Nutshell Studies will be on public display.

FIOA request for FGL

I received the FOIA request I made from the Department of Justice about Frances Glessner Lee. I lost track of how long it took but I made the request about a year ago. Maybe longer?

Above is a little sample of the FBI files on Frances Glessner Lee. There are a few surprises but mostly Frances was treated as annoying and even characterized as "somewhat antagonistic" by the Bureau.

They just couldn't appreciate how much she was doing to further the cause of forensics. Reading these files, it was clear that Frances just kept at it, kept trying to be heard. She tried to get meetings with J Edgar Hoover again and again. Looks like she was successful once or twice but the Bureau just didn't take her serious enough to take multiple meetings with her.

Much more to come on the subject of The FBI's Frances Glessner Lee's files. 

Special Preview Screening of Frances Glessner Lee documentary

Murder in a Nutshell: the Frances Glessner Lee Story will screen at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Renwick Gallery on November 18, 2017 at 5:30pm. The screening is free and is part of the exhibit devoted to Frances Glessner Lee and her Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death.

For more info visit the Renwick Gallery website.

We hope to see you there for this very special screening!