After guiding viewers through all the milestones of Candy Montgomery and Allan Gore’s relationship and the tragic events that followed, Love and Death wraps up its season. Let’s dive into the plot, based on a true story, and particularly the ending of the series.
With its linear narrative, the show initially focuses on Candy and Allan’s secret affair. In these early moments, the HBO Max series feels more like a light-hearted drama that emphasizes the comic dispositions Allan and Candy make to ensure their partners never find out about their relationship.
However, things gradually take a dark turn when Candy Montgomery’s husband Pat finds out about her infidelity.
The atmosphere of Love and Death is further strained when Betty Gore grows suspicious of Candy and Allan long after their breakup. With what follows, the series suddenly takes on a dark tone as Candy Montgomery murders Betty and faces the dire consequences of her actions.
Across this drama, the series unravels several gruesome details surrounding the murder of Betty Gore and the ensuing courtroom trial, leaving some aspects to viewers’ imaginations.
Why Candy Montgomery Killed Betty Gore
According to what is shown in Love and Death and the actual judgment of Candy Montgomery, Candy did not visit Betty on June 13, 1980, with the intention of killing her. However, when Candy did not deny having an affair with Allan Gore upon being questioned by Betty, Betty took an ax from her garage with the intention of hurting her.
As Candy remembers in court at the end of Love and Death, she initially didn’t try to escape because she didn’t believe Betty would harm her.
To comfort Betty, she even apologized, but to her dismay, her apology infuriated Betty even more.
After a fight between the two, Candy took the ax and hit Betty.
Unfortunately, as Candy Montgomery’s psychiatrist testified in court, Candy had a dissociative reaction when Betty Gore told her to be quiet (by saying “shush”). This triggered suppressed memories of her childhood, which blinded her with immense rage.
As a result, she continued to slash Betty Gore with the ax and only stopped after hitting her 41 times. While Love & Death intentionally avoids highlighting some aspects of the murder, it accurately portrays the reported details of the crime and Candy Montgomery’s motives.
How Candy’s sunglasses ended up in Betty Gore’s garage
Candy Montgomery’s trial lasted eight days and Candy’s attorney, Don Crowder, made a compelling case in court to defend her.
However, as depicted in the series finale, there was one discrepancy: investigators had found a lens from her eyeglasses in Betty Gore’s garage. Considering how Candy claimed she never went into Betty Gore’s garage, it’s strange that her sunglasses lens was found there.
What makes this even weirder is that there were no traces of blood in the garage, suggesting that Candy and Betty’s confrontation never made it to the garage.
Sadly, this mystery surrounding Candy Montgomery’s sunglasses was never solved. As shown in Love and Death, the jury did not consider there was enough evidence to convict Candy Montgomery.
They believed Candy Montgomery’s account of the event and concluded that she was not guilty of murdering Betty Gore.
The meaning of the end of Love and Death
The ending of Love and Death has an interesting scene where Candy talks about how she’s looking forward to living a normal life once she proves her innocence in court.
Patrick responds by saying that she may never find the normality she seeks as no one will ever believe she is innocent regardless of whether she wins the case.
Patrick Montgomery’s take on the trial perfectly encapsulates the series finale, to the point that it portrays the public perception of Candy in real life.
The ending also highlights how narratives dealing with complex debates around morality and justice can never really come to a conclusion.
Love and Death is available for streaming on HBO Max.
Did this Finale of Love and Death post leave you confused? We explain was first published in Observatório do Cinema.
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