Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story

This is a very gripping story, and Elizabeth Montgomery plays the lead role with a moving, emotional performance which couldn't have worked with anyone else. The story line is very strong and I didn't feel the need to turn to something more interesting which I find often happens with this type genre. It is well thought out, and has some great moments. I would recommend this to friends, which would be more to an adult audience, as the film does contain a couple of scenes which are not family viewing. If you're a Montgomery fan who hasn't seen this yet, then put it on the top of the list, because it's a brilliantly moving film, and her performance is well done.

I haven't seen the movie but was a medical resident who helped take care of one of the real killer's victims back in the 1980's. I don't know exactly how old Blanche Taylor Moore was at the time but she looked to be at least solidly in her 50's. So Elizabeth Montgomery was not at all too old for the part. Ms. Moore was well-known to all of the physicians and nurses. She often showed up to spend time with her husband in his hospital room, feeding him, etc. Of course, only later did everyone realize she was feeding him arsenic. Some time after his death she remarried. Her new husband then presented in the emergency room with severe leg pain and weakness and was found to be suffering from arsenic poisoning. That began the unraveling of everything else, as Ms. Moore's previous husbands and father were excavated for heavy metal testing.

This movie starring Elizabeth Montgomery as Blanche Taylor Moore, is based on a true story. A basically psycho woman, Blanche, kills all of her- what is it, four?- husbands with Antiants, which is most likely a solution to kill ants. I understand this was based on a true story, but was it REALLY necessary to include the part about her breast cancer? There were some things in here that were really just not necessary to include. It was pretty good, though, and a good performance by Liz Montgomery with her great southern drawl! See this one if you are a die-hard fan of someone who's in it, otherwise it's not really worth it to watch, but it's not really terrible either.

I just happen to have read the book this was based on, and there's a lot missing. It could have been a mini-series, and suffers at just barely over 90 minutes. Elizabeth Montgomery is okay as Blanche -- the woman was not really any deeper than EM portrays her. If anything, she didn't have that even that much depth. She was, apparently, a rather mindless and conscience-less murderer with obvious motives. She was not as an intellectual character (as you find in novels about killers). The main fault with EM playing her is that he is just a little bit too old for the part (being 60 at the time). In any case, because of the length of the film and the lackluster performances by the others in the film, what could have been a good character study becomes rather pedestrian -- just another TV movie. The fact that it is, indeed, based on a true story doesn't make it any more special. It is just well enough done to hold your interest -- an okay time-killer -- worth only one viewing.

I believe this movie could have been better in some ways. It should have included more background and greater detail of Blanche Taylor Moore's childhood. It would have helped us to understand more about her motives. After watching the movie on tv, I was intrigued enough to read the book. It helped fill in some of the missing pieces. I watch the movie every time I can catch it on tv, and the reason for that is Elizabeth Montgomery. I think this movie is worth watching just for her performance. She just drips sweetness and southern charm, flirts like it is second nature, and has attitude. I think she probably comes pretty close to capturing the essence of the real Blanche Taylor. You should hear some of the lines she uses on the men...You can really see her as the black widow catching her prey! I've got to say it is priceless when she says "I cannot wait for my head to hit your pillow so I can feel the comfort of your arms." What more can you ask for from a television movie?