My Favorite Murder on my favorite: Frances Glessner Lee

 My favorite podcast, My Favorite Murder, covered my favorite topic/woman Frances Glessner Lee! 

More sleuthing women born in the wrong era

                                

                                 

I just can't seem to stay away from stories about women who defy the narrowly defined gender roles of their era to solve murders. I think Frances Glessner Lee would very much approve of a TV pilot I wrote, All that Glitters:

A quintessential 1950s housewife discovers a toddler covered in the blood of her murdered mother in a pristine suburb. She launches her own investigation into the murder which leads to the discovery of an actual top secret U.S. Intelligence program, Operation Paperclip, that gave sanctuary to 1,600 Nazis after the war.

Recently, I had the powerful experience of hearing my pilot at a table read by actors that blew me away. I'm so grateful to Catalyst, Current Resident and these actors for an amazing event. 

Why can't I watch Murder in a Nutshell: The Frances Glessner Lee Story?

I would love to clear up the confusion. Yes, my filmmaking partners and I made a ROUGH CUT of a documentary film that screened at Renwick Gallery a few years back as part of the Nutshell Studies Exhibit. 

Then we tried to raise funds to finish it and no one wanted to fund it. Curious, no? From all the messages I get, people cannot get enough of Frances Glessner Lee, but somehow producers and studios executives don't see it that way. I know, I know, we've been shaking our head about that one for years and years too. So, we are working on re-editing it right now - without funding and that's why the process is so slow. We still have day jobs and other projects that pay our bills, so Murder in a Nutshell: The Frances Glessner Lee Story has been on the back back burner for years - simmering - but also getting better and better. So there's that, right? But 2023 is the year it gets finished. Thanks for your patients and we love you! 

Standing room only for our screening at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum 

From the Murder was her Hobby exhibit at the Renwick. I found this title dismissive, trite and overall cringe. It was far from Frances Glessner Lee's hobby - the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death were her passion and legacy. I would have named it The Little World of Big Time Murder or Murder in a Nutshell (the title of our film).

And yes, more confusion, we are the filmmakers behind Of Dolls & Murder starring John Waters.

                                                   Watch Of Dolls & Murder 

Happy Belated Birthday Frances Glessner Lee 2023!

 

We were so busy working on Murder in Nutshell: The Frances Glessner Lee Story documentary that we totally missed the anniversary of her birthday March 25, 1878. All these years later, she's more celebrated and understood than ever before. How lucky we are to know her story. To be a part of telling her story. 

Editing Frances Glessner Lee documentary film

Not sure why there isn't a preview image, but go ahead and click on the arrow.

Worth the wait? I hope so. The filmmakers of Of Dolls & Murder are back at it - making another documentary film about Frances Glessner Lee and her Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. I like how it's shaping up so far. 

New Year for Frances Glessner Lee

 2023 is starting out wonderfully with editing our followup documentary to Of Dolls & Murder on Frances Glessner Lee, Murder in a Nutshell. Other projects and life got in the way but 2023 is going to be Frances' year. Reach out with any questions! 

Frances Glessner Lee Documentary Film June 2021 Update

 

I'm happy you care enough about Frances Glessner Lee to check in and see how the documentary film - a follow up to Of Dolls & Murder - is going! Thank you.

As a recap: we tried for years and years to get funding for this documentary but no foundation nor film funding organization would help. We went the traditional and non-traditional routes but still no luck.

As much as people say the support female filmmakers and stories about women in science, something doesn't add up.

Still, we persevere. I fit in re-edits whenever I can. Funding would make this film amazing but for now, I'm just doing everything in my power to keep Murder in a Nutshell: The Frances Glessner Lee Story alive. Frances deserves at least that much. 😉

I find some unexpected moments of sheer joy and wonderment as I go about re-editing. I'm glad we didn't give up on this film project. I almost did, but filmmaker Matt Ehling said, "C'mon it's all there. We just need to tease it out more." And so we are. 

Wish me luck and keep the questions coming!