LADYKILLERS - 19TH CENTURY KILLING MACHINE

Cinemavixion Review

This compelling documentary delves into the chilling true story of Mary Ann Cotton, a woman whose name became synonymous with treachery in Victorian England. Hanged in Durham in 1873, Cotton was a prolific poisoner, a true 'Black Widow' who systematically eliminated those in her path for financial gain. The narrative meticulously reconstructs her life, detailing her calculated murders of husbands, stepchildren, her own mother, and even her own children. The film paints a grim portrait of a society where such a perpetrator could operate for so long, and serves as a stark reminder of the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface of domesticity. It is a fascinating, albeit disturbing, exploration of motive and method.