The story of Betty Gore and Candace Montgomery, two church friends from suburban Texas in the 1980s, is both intriguing and horrifying due to its real-life drama turned true crime events. Their love triangle with Betty’s husband led to a violent confrontation reminiscent of Lizzie Borden’s crime, but with an extra 12 blows inflicted by Candy. Over the years, this tragic tale has inspired three adaptations for screenplays, including “A Killing in a Small Town” (a CBS made-for-TV film starring Barbara Hershey and Brian Dennehy), “Candy” on Hulu (starring Jessica Biel and Melanie Lynskey), and “Love & Death” by Max (featuring Elizabeth Olsen, Jesse Plemons, and Lily Rabe). The themes explored in this story, such as deception, cultural expectations, domestic dissatisfaction, and religious marital obligations, have kept audiences captivated.
While the 1990 adaptation changes the names of its principal characters and predominantly delves into the events following a murder, both “Candy” and “Love and Death” narrate the evolution and eventual demise of a friendship between two Texas church mothers. Additionally, they portray an illicit affair between Candy (Olsen) and Allan (Plemons), the beloved local schoolteacher and Betty’s husband, which ultimately leads to a shocking trial following Betty’s (Rabe) death.
It seems highly unlikely that anyone but Candy Montgomery herself can fully reveal what transpired on Betty’s final day. However, the Max series portrays Candy’s account of the events when she chose not to admit guilt. As per Candy, her clandestine exercise was a defensive measure after an axe-wielding Betty accused her of having an affair with her husband, a liaison that had already ended at that time. Later on, Candy asserted that her violent outburst, which was unprecedented in scale, was a reaction triggered by childhood trauma. Being silenced by Betty apparently activated this deep-rooted response within her.
Despite the violent axe murder, Candy was acquitted of Betty’s killing
In the TV show “Love & Death,” it’s revealed that Candy Montgomery, the actual person, stood trial for murdering her former friend. This revelation was startling to the residents of small-town Texas, causing a rush to the courthouse during the eight-day trial and even long lines outside hoping for a guilty verdict. However, the jury returned an acquittal, much to Montgomery’s relief. It was the early 80s, a time when people still believed in regression hypnosis, a pseudoscience that would later contribute to the escalation of Satanic Panic into a widespread hysteria that had devastating consequences for many individuals.
At Candy’s trial, the defense used hypnosis therapy to back up Montgomery’s claim of self-defense, suggesting that the housewife had entered a dissociative state triggered by a fight-or-flight response, leading her to strike Betty repeatedly not from anger but as a survival instinct. The jury found this account convincing, resulting in Montgomery’s swift acquittal following three hours of deliberation. Courtroom spectators were deeply divided over the verdict, particularly when Candy testified about her scandalous extramarital affair with Allan. During the trial, their reactions ranged from groans and jeers to taunts directed at Montgomery. When the verdict was announced, a wave of disbelief swept through the courtroom.
In the face of hostility and dangerous warnings, Candy persisted with living her life. Eventually, the Montgomerys parted ways in 1986, an interesting twist as Candy later found herself working as a mental health professional, helping those suffering from domestic abuse.
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2025-06-11 20:30