Love and Death: The Misfortune of Candy Montgomery
HBO Max has released a new true crime series, Love & Death, which dramatizes the events surrounding the tragic killing of Betty Gore in the 1980s. The show follows the story of Candy Montgomery, who was charged with the murder of Gore in Wylie, Texas. The three-episode series prompts the question, how did a housewife become embroiled in such a gruesome crime that left her friend dead and her reputation ruined?
Candy Montgomery was portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen in the series, and the drama was well-received by critics. However, the events depicted in Love & Death were based on real events. Montgomery was accused of killing her close friend, Betty Gore, with an ax after attending Bible study together. In Love & Death, we see how the incident unfolded and the aftermath of the event.
Montgomery was a well-respected member of the Wylie community in the 1980s. She was married to her high school sweetheart, Pat, and had two children. Despite the idyllic facade on the surface, there were underlying tensions in their marriage, and Montgomery was known to be struggling with mental health issues.
The case of Betty Gore’s murder and Montgomery’s subsequent trial captivated the community and the media at large. Candy Montgomery became a household name as the ax murderer, and her case was closely followed around the country.
The filmmakers of Love & Death faced the challenge of telling a story that has already been covered by many documentaries and true crime dramas. However, this series was praised as a corrective to crime sensationalism, offering a more empathetic portrayal of both Montgomery and Gore, who have often been reduced to their roles in a heinous crime.
Love & Death is yet another example of the media’s fascination with crime, particularly when it involves love, betrayal, and violence. However, it is a reminder that real people’s lives are at stake, and these events can have far-reaching consequences.
The Candy Montgomery case is just one of many in the annals of true crime. Women who kill or who kill by proxy are a recurring feature in such shows. Love & Death shows that behind the headlines and the salacious details, there are real people with families, friends, and lives that can be destroyed in a moment of madness.
Love & Death may be a cautionary tale that reminds us of the cost of obsession, jealousy, and the darker aspects of human nature. It also shows the resilience of the human spirit, as Montgomery has managed to pick up the pieces of her life after serving her sentence. The producers chose Montgomery’s actual house for filming and reportedly used props such as the murder weapon and pieces of furniture from the original house to ensure accuracy (Texas Monthly).
Love & Death has sparked fresh interest in the Candy Montgomery case, and it is a reminder that true crime is about more than just entertainment. Love & Death reverberates with meaning, reminding us of the complexity of the human experience and the thin line between love and death.
