Sunday, August 24, 2008
Wife, Mother, Murderer: The Marie Hilley Story
Ah, Judith Light how I love you--you wear so many hats from Angela Bower, to the DA on L&O SVU to this gorgeous wife/mother of big hair, big dresses, over the top southern accents, and of course. . .MURDER! I love a movie title that tells you exactly what it's about: Wife, Mother, Murderer. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube. If you're so inclined you can check out the real story on TruTv.com.
The first few scenes set up how miserable Marie (Judith Light) is--the movie, based on a true story, is based in Alabama. Her husband, who seems a few shades 'tard, is sick and having trouble eating. Marie convinces him to eat some mushy mac-n-cheese so she can finish the job. Soon enough he's shouting nonsense on the front lawn like a rabid animal. They call an ambulance and we cut to Marie doin herself up for the funeral. You know, the usual, applying make up, slipping into some ugly flats, rubbing powder into her chest seductively. . . Later, she complains about being poor and how she deserves to live in the hills (where the rich people live) and how she was jealous of her daughter and husband's close relationship. She also thinks her daughter is a tomboy and needs to get a boyfriend.
Since dad died, the family's getting harassing phone calls and notes and stuff. Tomboy daughter comes home on her scooter and Marie begs her not to go to her room--of course that means she runs right in, and it looks like someone burned her bed? Marie dramatically swoons (is there any other way) and says "they're trying to kill me!" Cop #1 says woodenly: Who's they?
Then the cops look in Marie's overstuffed closet and wonder where she got the money for these I love the 80s outfits.
Next scene Marie's talking a bunch of southern nonsense. Oh gross! She's screwing her new boss--and old guy in a powder blue suit. After that disturbing post coital scene, we see the daughter in bed covered in smoke. The house is on fire, but she manages to rescue grandma. Hmmm, I wonder who started the fire! Now Marie's talking to creepy guy about her husband's life insurance--apparently she blew thru it quickly, and now she's waiting for some fire insurance. They're in a new house now, and they've unloaded grandma on aunt something or other. The daughter talks about being trapped in their small town and Marie flips out on her--you think you're better than me! Then they go to a field and burn up their car. No really that's the next scene. Then daughter says she's going to the prom so they buy a new car and do driving lessons in a cemetery.
Carol, the daughter, is trying on fugly, frumpy prom dresses, and Marie says she hopes the girl gets some boobs someday and makes her try on some "sexier" dresses. They end up buying the original one. Random money guy randomly sees them getting into their car and judges them for buying it. And now he's closed their accounts and everything's overdrawn. She begs for an extra month--then he asks about the prom dress. Is he gonna be dead next? Who can she kill now? She pulls out some insurance papers and creepily stands over her daughter's bed. And it's prom night! Marie makes her eat some soup before heading out to the prom and her dorky date shows up. Not shockingly she gets violently ill at the prom and sent to the hospital. Marie shows up and flirts with the doctor. It seems Marie used untraceable poison--Marie gets snippy and takes Carol home. She then fixes Carol as nice poison-filled sandwich--just as she likes it!--and Carol dives right in . Sure enough she starts convulsing and puking. Marie claims that the hospital gave her meds and makes the girl's BFF hold her down while she gives her a shot. She only gets sicker--this girl will not die! Finally she's back at the hospital. And oh shit! All their new furniture is getting repoed. Carol's home and she's going blind.
Ward--the money guy and some other guy are blabbing about Marie's bad finances and how she keeps passing bad checks and buying cars and stuff. Back at hospital, Marie's sticking a needle in Carol's arm. She gets pissed at the doctor's cuz they asked if Carol ever tried to commit suicide or ate lead pencils or something. Meanwhile, the cops are figuring things out--her money situation are out of control, lots of weird stuff going on, AND the only bill she's paying is her daughter's life insurance. The cops show up at the hospital and arrest Marie, and then a doctor looks at her fingernails and declares her FULL OF ARSENIC. Despite all this, Carol won't testify. Marie is indicted for bad checks, murder, and attempt to poison (I think she was successful with that one). Somehow she gets bailed out and stowed in a hotel in Birmingham. Seriously, they didn't think this bitch was a flight risk? They find a fake note in the room that makes it look like she was kidnapped. Yeah right, the cop says. Then they run to check on Carol--she's safe and sound with Aunt Freeda.
Marie (now "Robbi") is in Fort Lauderdale lookin for a job and a sugar daddy. No, she actually says that to her interviewer who doesn't bat an eyelash. She takes Marie out to a creepy looking place where rich guys hang out. She finds a scruffy looking guy who supposedly has lots of coin. She flirts with him and makes a big show of crying and claims that he reminds her of her husband who, along with her two kids, was killed in an automobile accident. She seduces him successfuly--he's dead next! They start dating and she tells him she wants snow. He proposes and they move to New Hampshire. Now she's redecorating and spending money and decides to get a job. They have 2 friends over and she makes some awkward small talk about being barefoot and pregnant. Now she's at her friend's workplace filling out forms. When the friend hands her a W-4 form she freaks out a bit. Now she's painting a picture on a saw. She was doing that earlier with her daughter but I thought I was seeing things. But no, it seems she likes to paint saws. Now's she having the sexicles with scruffy husband.
She got the job and sits around bragging about all the money she has from her ex-husband. Red haired friend hates her and makes fun of her behind her back. Then she tells her that something's wrong with her social security number. Now Robbi's wearing an enormous shirt and claims to have gotten fat. Then she tells another friendv(who's more gullible than red) that she has an incurable blood disease. She tells her husband she has to go to Texas for a special treatment and that she wants to go alone. She hugs him with crazy eyes. Off she goes in a tiny plane. Scruffy husband kinda looks like Meathead from All in the Family.
Robbi calls her husband posing as her twin sister Terry who's been taking care of her and tells him Robbi is dead and that she wants to visit. Now this is where the movie moves from over-the-top into surreal and yet it's a true story! Twin Terry shows up with blonde hair and she's all dolled up like Dolly Parton and dumb husband totally falls for it. Maggie--the sarcastic redhead isn't fallin for it and calls the husband stupid. Another friend says she saw a show once on twins and you couldn't tell them apart. She really needed to see a show to know that? Now Terry/Robbi/Marie is putting the moves on scruffy husband. He actually says "it's like Robbie came back to life in you." And they kiss. Seriously, he really fell for this shit? Now he's all smiley and gay. Terry wants to ask a naughty question--she asks if she's as good as Robbie in the sack. He says she's different from anyone he's ever been with. Then she tickles his foot and he giggles.
Maggie's all outraged that she's staying in town so she starts fact-checking Robbi's obit. She calls to Robbi to get her other nonexistent sisters address so she can send a sympathy card. Maggie finds out that everything is made up and calls the police. In a most anticlimactic moment, Marie/Robbi/Terry confesses who she is and that she's on the run from the law for writing bad checks. She's wearing an amazing peach top with rhinestone flowers. Now scruffy husband is confronting her and she's playing the victim that everyone seems to fall for. And he's cool with everything. Super!
And, time for the trial. Carol's testifying! The lawyer asks her lots of leading questions for exposition's sake. Now it's time for closing statements--the defense attorney claims the daughter was suicidal and that mom wouldn't have taken her to the hospital and taken out a larger life insurance policy. Riiiight. Ha, the ADA calls her a murderess. Woo! She's get life plus 20 in the lady prison and the courtroom applauds. Daughter comes to visit--apparently the lady prisoners wear nightgowns all day. Marie's worried about her hair, Carol asks her why she did it? Marie inexplicably says "I couldn't call you; you must know why." Um, I think she was asking about the poisoning thing??? Three years later, she's asking for a three-day furlough. Wait, they grant those for lifers? What the hell? Wow. They're actually letting her out. And there's her idiot husband. Wow again. They hug and get a motel room. Her hair's long and stringy now. Uh oh, rich husband's not so rich anymore! He got laid off and now he has to bring her back to prison on a motorcycle. Random! She says she's hungry and hubby runs out to get some food. He is unbelievably dumb. Marie gives a creepy look to the sound of thunder. She's on the phone when dumbass returns with food. She claims that someone wants to visit her parent's graves with her and she runs away in the rain. Now why didn't she just leave while he was gone? Idiot husband sits in the motel room like an asshat. Finally he wises up and calls the police. Again, after all she's done, the prison didn't think she was a flight risk?
Dumb husband's still acting stupid. The cops talk to Carol who doesn't seem to have aged at all. Now some old woman sees Marie scratching at her door. And she's dead. Apparently she made her way through the woods and back to the shack she was born in. The actual cause of her death and where the hell she was for 3 days was never determined. Dumbass husband lived in that ratty motel until he was murdered in 1989 in a "bizarre robbery attempt." Carol lives on. ¶ 11:28 AM
Ah, Judith Light how I love you--you wear so many hats from Angela Bower, to the DA on L&O SVU to this gorgeous wife/mother of big hair, big dresses, over the top southern accents, and of course. . .MURDER! I love a movie title that tells you exactly what it's about: Wife, Mother, Murderer. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube. If you're so inclined you can check out the real story on TruTv.com.
The first few scenes set up how miserable Marie (Judith Light) is--the movie, based on a true story, is based in Alabama. Her husband, who seems a few shades 'tard, is sick and having trouble eating. Marie convinces him to eat some mushy mac-n-cheese so she can finish the job. Soon enough he's shouting nonsense on the front lawn like a rabid animal. They call an ambulance and we cut to Marie doin herself up for the funeral. You know, the usual, applying make up, slipping into some ugly flats, rubbing powder into her chest seductively. . . Later, she complains about being poor and how she deserves to live in the hills (where the rich people live) and how she was jealous of her daughter and husband's close relationship. She also thinks her daughter is a tomboy and needs to get a boyfriend.
Since dad died, the family's getting harassing phone calls and notes and stuff. Tomboy daughter comes home on her scooter and Marie begs her not to go to her room--of course that means she runs right in, and it looks like someone burned her bed? Marie dramatically swoons (is there any other way) and says "they're trying to kill me!" Cop #1 says woodenly: Who's they?
Then the cops look in Marie's overstuffed closet and wonder where she got the money for these I love the 80s outfits.
Next scene Marie's talking a bunch of southern nonsense. Oh gross! She's screwing her new boss--and old guy in a powder blue suit. After that disturbing post coital scene, we see the daughter in bed covered in smoke. The house is on fire, but she manages to rescue grandma. Hmmm, I wonder who started the fire! Now Marie's talking to creepy guy about her husband's life insurance--apparently she blew thru it quickly, and now she's waiting for some fire insurance. They're in a new house now, and they've unloaded grandma on aunt something or other. The daughter talks about being trapped in their small town and Marie flips out on her--you think you're better than me! Then they go to a field and burn up their car. No really that's the next scene. Then daughter says she's going to the prom so they buy a new car and do driving lessons in a cemetery.
Carol, the daughter, is trying on fugly, frumpy prom dresses, and Marie says she hopes the girl gets some boobs someday and makes her try on some "sexier" dresses. They end up buying the original one. Random money guy randomly sees them getting into their car and judges them for buying it. And now he's closed their accounts and everything's overdrawn. She begs for an extra month--then he asks about the prom dress. Is he gonna be dead next? Who can she kill now? She pulls out some insurance papers and creepily stands over her daughter's bed. And it's prom night! Marie makes her eat some soup before heading out to the prom and her dorky date shows up. Not shockingly she gets violently ill at the prom and sent to the hospital. Marie shows up and flirts with the doctor. It seems Marie used untraceable poison--Marie gets snippy and takes Carol home. She then fixes Carol as nice poison-filled sandwich--just as she likes it!--and Carol dives right in . Sure enough she starts convulsing and puking. Marie claims that the hospital gave her meds and makes the girl's BFF hold her down while she gives her a shot. She only gets sicker--this girl will not die! Finally she's back at the hospital. And oh shit! All their new furniture is getting repoed. Carol's home and she's going blind.
Ward--the money guy and some other guy are blabbing about Marie's bad finances and how she keeps passing bad checks and buying cars and stuff. Back at hospital, Marie's sticking a needle in Carol's arm. She gets pissed at the doctor's cuz they asked if Carol ever tried to commit suicide or ate lead pencils or something. Meanwhile, the cops are figuring things out--her money situation are out of control, lots of weird stuff going on, AND the only bill she's paying is her daughter's life insurance. The cops show up at the hospital and arrest Marie, and then a doctor looks at her fingernails and declares her FULL OF ARSENIC. Despite all this, Carol won't testify. Marie is indicted for bad checks, murder, and attempt to poison (I think she was successful with that one). Somehow she gets bailed out and stowed in a hotel in Birmingham. Seriously, they didn't think this bitch was a flight risk? They find a fake note in the room that makes it look like she was kidnapped. Yeah right, the cop says. Then they run to check on Carol--she's safe and sound with Aunt Freeda.
Marie (now "Robbi") is in Fort Lauderdale lookin for a job and a sugar daddy. No, she actually says that to her interviewer who doesn't bat an eyelash. She takes Marie out to a creepy looking place where rich guys hang out. She finds a scruffy looking guy who supposedly has lots of coin. She flirts with him and makes a big show of crying and claims that he reminds her of her husband who, along with her two kids, was killed in an automobile accident. She seduces him successfuly--he's dead next! They start dating and she tells him she wants snow. He proposes and they move to New Hampshire. Now she's redecorating and spending money and decides to get a job. They have 2 friends over and she makes some awkward small talk about being barefoot and pregnant. Now she's at her friend's workplace filling out forms. When the friend hands her a W-4 form she freaks out a bit. Now she's painting a picture on a saw. She was doing that earlier with her daughter but I thought I was seeing things. But no, it seems she likes to paint saws. Now's she having the sexicles with scruffy husband.
She got the job and sits around bragging about all the money she has from her ex-husband. Red haired friend hates her and makes fun of her behind her back. Then she tells her that something's wrong with her social security number. Now Robbi's wearing an enormous shirt and claims to have gotten fat. Then she tells another friendv(who's more gullible than red) that she has an incurable blood disease. She tells her husband she has to go to Texas for a special treatment and that she wants to go alone. She hugs him with crazy eyes. Off she goes in a tiny plane. Scruffy husband kinda looks like Meathead from All in the Family.
Robbi calls her husband posing as her twin sister Terry who's been taking care of her and tells him Robbi is dead and that she wants to visit. Now this is where the movie moves from over-the-top into surreal and yet it's a true story! Twin Terry shows up with blonde hair and she's all dolled up like Dolly Parton and dumb husband totally falls for it. Maggie--the sarcastic redhead isn't fallin for it and calls the husband stupid. Another friend says she saw a show once on twins and you couldn't tell them apart. She really needed to see a show to know that? Now Terry/Robbi/Marie is putting the moves on scruffy husband. He actually says "it's like Robbie came back to life in you." And they kiss. Seriously, he really fell for this shit? Now he's all smiley and gay. Terry wants to ask a naughty question--she asks if she's as good as Robbie in the sack. He says she's different from anyone he's ever been with. Then she tickles his foot and he giggles.
Maggie's all outraged that she's staying in town so she starts fact-checking Robbi's obit. She calls to Robbi to get her other nonexistent sisters address so she can send a sympathy card. Maggie finds out that everything is made up and calls the police. In a most anticlimactic moment, Marie/Robbi/Terry confesses who she is and that she's on the run from the law for writing bad checks. She's wearing an amazing peach top with rhinestone flowers. Now scruffy husband is confronting her and she's playing the victim that everyone seems to fall for. And he's cool with everything. Super!
And, time for the trial. Carol's testifying! The lawyer asks her lots of leading questions for exposition's sake. Now it's time for closing statements--the defense attorney claims the daughter was suicidal and that mom wouldn't have taken her to the hospital and taken out a larger life insurance policy. Riiiight. Ha, the ADA calls her a murderess. Woo! She's get life plus 20 in the lady prison and the courtroom applauds. Daughter comes to visit--apparently the lady prisoners wear nightgowns all day. Marie's worried about her hair, Carol asks her why she did it? Marie inexplicably says "I couldn't call you; you must know why." Um, I think she was asking about the poisoning thing??? Three years later, she's asking for a three-day furlough. Wait, they grant those for lifers? What the hell? Wow. They're actually letting her out. And there's her idiot husband. Wow again. They hug and get a motel room. Her hair's long and stringy now. Uh oh, rich husband's not so rich anymore! He got laid off and now he has to bring her back to prison on a motorcycle. Random! She says she's hungry and hubby runs out to get some food. He is unbelievably dumb. Marie gives a creepy look to the sound of thunder. She's on the phone when dumbass returns with food. She claims that someone wants to visit her parent's graves with her and she runs away in the rain. Now why didn't she just leave while he was gone? Idiot husband sits in the motel room like an asshat. Finally he wises up and calls the police. Again, after all she's done, the prison didn't think she was a flight risk?
Dumb husband's still acting stupid. The cops talk to Carol who doesn't seem to have aged at all. Now some old woman sees Marie scratching at her door. And she's dead. Apparently she made her way through the woods and back to the shack she was born in. The actual cause of her death and where the hell she was for 3 days was never determined. Dumbass husband lived in that ratty motel until he was murdered in 1989 in a "bizarre robbery attempt." Carol lives on. ¶ 11:28 AM