Hulu has enjoyed tremendous success with limited series based on true events, particularly the buzzworthy Candy. 2019's The Act, starring Patricia Arquette and Joey King, which followed the Gypsy Rose Blanchard story, and 2022's The Girl from Plainville, starring Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter, were both major hits for the streaming service. Hulu's 2022 limited series Candy, created by Robin Veith and Nick Antosca, might be their crowning achievement, as not only did it receive high ratings, but it also garnered acclaim from critics and audiences alike.
Candy stars Jessica Biel as Candy Montgomery, a Texas woman who killed her good friend Betty Gore with an axe after Betty confronted her about an affair with her husband, Allan Gore. The limited series explores Candy's life in the years leading up to the murder and the shocking trial that followed. It's a riveting exploration of rage and trauma, featuring a career-defining role from Biel. The true story of Candy Montgomery is even more fascinating and remains so engrossing that, 40 years after the murder occurred, it has inspired multiple dramatizations of the case.
The True Story Of Candy Montgomery, The Subject Of Hulu's Candy Limited Series
Candy Montgomery and Alan Gore's Affair Leads To A Shocking Murder And Wild Trial
Candace "Candy" Montgomery was born on November 15th, 1949. For the first three decades of her life, she led a fairly simple and low-profile existence. She married young to a devoted husband named Pat Montgomery, had two children, and lived in the quiet suburb of Wylie, Texas, near Dallas. Candy was active in her church, had many friends, and was a staple of her community.
Despite this seemingly idyllic life, she felt something was missing. Candy later itt
ed she wanted something to shake up her “very boring” life with Pat." (via Texas Monthly) She soon found that excitement in an affair with Allan Gore, the husband of her good friend Betty Gore.
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Their relationship reportedly began "on the church volleyball court, on a late-summer day in 1978. Candy and Allan both tried to make a play on the same ball—and collided. It was a harmless bump, really, and went unnoticed by everyone else on the court, but for Candy, it brought a revelation: Allan Gore smelled sexy." A few months later, the two started an extramarital affair that lasted over a year. According to the Dallas Morning News, "they made rules — they’d meet only once every two weeks; expenses would be split 50-50; if they ever got too close, it would end — but they broke them when they got attached."
In a moment of unthinking rage, she struck Betty 41 times, horrifically killing her.
Allan ended the affair after his second child was born and both reinvested in their marriages. Candy even remained good friends with Betty while she was sleeping with her husband. However, in June 1980, everything changed. Candy went to Betty's house to drop something off when Betty confronted her about the affair. The confrontation escalated, and Candy claimed Betty attacked her with an axe. Candy alleged that she gained control of the weapon and, in a moment of unthinking rage, she struck Betty 41 times, horrifically killing her.
According to reports (via Dallas Morning News), "Candy washed up in Betty’s bathroom, then she slipped out the door, leaving the slain woman’s year-old baby alone in her crib. She drove back to Fairview and then to church. She picked up her kids — and Betty’s older daughter — as if nothing was wrong." But it didn't take long for Candy to become the prime suspect, and she was soon arrested for Betty's murder.
During the trial, Candy pleaded self-defense. Her lawyers argued that Candy, under hypnosis, revealed that she suffered from childhood trauma and had undiagnosed rage issues. They contended that when Betty attacked her, it triggered a memory of Candy's mother, causing her to react with uncontrollable rage. The defense was convincing, and Candy was acquitted of Betty Gore's murder.
The Hulu Series Left Out Details Of Candy Montgomery's Life
The Limited Series Mostly Focuses On Betty Gore's Murder And The Trial
Like most true crime miniseries, Candy has limited time to portray the full story. While the Hulu series accurately depicts the key events in Candy Montgomery's life — such as her affair with Allan Gore, the murder of Betty Gore, and the subsequent trial — it leaves out many details about her life and relationships.
These repressed memories and the abuse she suffered contributed to her psychological state and were central to her defense.
The series primarily focuses on Candy's life starting in 1978. While some aspects of her upbringing are mentioned, the show doesn't delve deeply into her childhood. This omission is particularly glaring since Candy's early life played a pivotal role in her trial. Before her trial, Candy was put under hypnosis, which reportedly revealed the trauma she experienced in her relationship with her mother. These repressed memories and the abuse she suffered contributed to her psychological state and were central to her defense. Her lawyers argued that these factors explained why she reacted so violently when Betty struck her with the axe.
The series also doesn't fully explore Candy's relationship with her husband or her friendship with Betty. Her marriage is portrayed as mostly stable, but in reality, there was significant tension. Candy's friendship with Betty was also more complex. The series portrays Betty as anxious and bitter, but by most s, she was lively and popular in their town. Candy and Betty were also very close and remained good friends while Candy was having here affair with Allan. Candy primarily focuses on Candy's guilt over the affair and Betty's suspicion, leaving little room to delve into the intricacies of their friendship.
Additionally, the series doesn't explore Candy's life after the trial and the long-term consequences that the murder and trial had on her life. While she was acquitted of Betty's murder, Candy's life was far from normal following the trial. She faced significant repercussions and lasting effects from the events depicted in the series.
After The Trial, Candy Montgomery Moved On With Her Life, While Betty Gore's Kids Were Raised By Her Parents
While Candy And Everyone Else Involved In The Murder Tried To Start Over, It Was Very Difficult
After Candy Montgomery was acquitted of the murder of Betty Gore, the citizens of Wylie, TX were shocked. They berated her in the press and protested outside her home. Candy and her husband Pat stayed together and moved to Georgia, but they divorced a few years later. Candy reverted to using her maiden name, Wheeler, and pursued a new career as a mental health worker, helping adults and teens with depression. Since then, she has kept a low profile.
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Allan Gore has been married twice since Betty's murder. He also lost custody of the two daughters he had with Betty, who were raised by her parents. Allan remained estranged from his two daughters for many years, but both girls have since married and built successful lives.
According to Buzzfeed News, the Gores weren't too happy with the series about their mother's death, as "Betty’s loved ones weren’t looking to dredge up their trauma over her death, and one family member told Buzzfeed they don’t understand why they now have to do so more than 40 years later." However, as with many true crimes that have been adapted into scripted series during the recent true-crime boom, Hollywood loves a good real-life murder, no matter how much time has ed.
Max's Love And Death Is Another Limited Series About Candy Montgomery
Elizabeth Olsen Starred as Candy Montgomery And Jesse Plemons Was Pat
Candy Montgomery's murder of Betty Gore was such a compelling case that it was adapted into a second limited series called there were some notable differences in their depictions of Candy Montgomery's story.
Candy's tone leaned heavily into psychological thriller territory, while Love & Death was lighter and more of a character study. The shows are also structured quite differently. Love & Death devoted more time to exploring the love affair between Candy and Allan, with Allan being depicted as more charming and affable compared to his portrayal in Candy. By contrast, Candy spent significantly more screen time focusing on the trial.
Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Olsen's portrayals of Candy Montgomery were also vastly different. Biel's performance was more enigmatic, with her motivations and psychological issues portrayed internally. Olsen, on the other hand, brought a charismatic and empathetic dimension to her version of Candy, emphasizing her relatability and emotional complexity.
Both Candy and Love & Death are expertly crafted and compelling, underscoring what a fascinating figure Candy Montgomery is and how absorbing and confounding the tragic incident that cost Betty Gore her life remains to this day.
Candy
- Release Date
- 2022 - 2022-00-00
- Network
- Hulu
Cast
Jason RitterDeputy Denny Reese
Jessica BielCandy Montgomery
Betty Gore
Raúl EsparzaDon Crowder
WHERE TO WATCH
Candy is a film set in the 1980s, centered around housewife and mother Candy Montgomery. As she navigates societal expectations and conformity, her quest for personal freedom leads to unforeseen and deadly consequences.
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Love & Death
- Release Date
- 2023 - 2023-00-00
- Network
- HBO Max
- Directors
- Lesli Linka Glatter
WHERE TO WATCH
Based on the true story and the book that chronicled it titled Evidence of Love: A True Story of ion and Death in the Suburbs by Jim Atkinson and John Bloom, Love & Death is a crime drama created for HBO Max. Elizabeth Olsen stars as Candy Montgomery, a Wylie, Texas housewife accused of the murder of her friend, Betty Gore, in 1980.
- Main Genre
- Crime
- Seasons
- 1
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