A Review of “Of Dolls and Murder”

After reading Lesia’s post, “Murder Is Her Hobby: The Nutshell Studies Return To Baltimore,” I’ve been obsessed with learning more about heiress, crime novel enthusiast, and miniature hobbyist, Frances Glessner Lee.

There had to be books and movies about her, didn’t there?

Thankfully two friends, Sara V. from VP paRanormal, and Bast, who left a comment on Lesia’s post, steered me in the direction of Of Dolls and Murder.

In Bast’s case, it was to the movie’s website: http://www.ofdollsandmurder.com/. Sara sent me its YouTube link. (Which I’ve included below.)

Synopsis

Before forensics, DNA, and CSI we had dollhouses – an unimaginable collection of miniature crime scenes, known as the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death. Created in the 1930s and 1940s by a crime-fighting grandmother, Frances Glessner Lee created the Nutshells to help homicide detectives hone their investigative skills. These surreal dollhouses reveal a dystopic and disturbing slice of domestic life with doll corpses representing actual murder victims, or perhaps something that just looks like murder. Despite all the advances in forensics, the Nutshells are still used today to train detectives. Documentary film, Of Dolls and Murder, explores the dioramas, the woman who created them, and their relationship to modern day forensics. From the iconic CSI television show to the Body Farm and criminally minded college students, legendary filmmaker and true crime aficionado, John Waters narrates the tiny world of big time murder.

Pros and Cons

If you’re a true crime fan at all, you’ll likely be fascinated by this documentary too.

If you haven’t already seen it, that is. Seems I’m a little behind-the-times. As usual. #StoryOfMyLife

I found this documentary to be quite the treat, though. It’s even narrated by John Waters! (Who does a remarkable job.)

I loved seeing so many of Lee’s creations and hearing how people still use them to this very day.

As one detective noted, even over seventy years after she made her first one, they’re still relevant.

The biggest con for me is not knowing what happened in each of the murders. Perhaps there’s a way to research that.

But as far as knowing what secrets each of the dollhouses keeps,  only the “keeper” of them knows –but he can’t reveal anything.

Rating

I’m sure the documentary had its shortcomings, but I was so engrossed I didn’t notice.

I was just happy to learn more about Frances Glessner Lee, her dioramas, what happened to them, and to see some of them. This was an easy five out of five skulls.

Watch It