"Killing In A Small Town" looked every bit as ordinary as a regular made for TV fare but as the story unfolds; with the first frame of Barbara Hershey as Candice Morrison defining her sense of self to a therapist; you are instantly hooked until the end credits roll. Accused of her murderous crime in a small middle American town, Candice or Candy was initially in shock and subsequent denial. But as the horror washed over the community and all evidence point toward the mousy housewife, she starts to unravel albeit in calm revelation. Barbara Hershey is definitely one of the most underrated actress of her era, her portrayal of a strong, self- controlled, stoic yet sensitive and vulnerable woman make her a character of infinite contradiction. She pulled out all the stops in her courtroom scenes on cross examination and her hypnosis session with a doctor is unforgettably chilling. When Candice was on the stand recounting the day of the murder, the scene plays out ordinarily and then take a turn for the macabre when Peggy (victim) accused Candice of having an affair with her husband. Peggy then goes back to kitchen to fetch an axe and begins to taunt Candy. The two of them had words and then a fight ensues. Candy was desperately trying to get away but finally she turns the table and hacks Peggy over 41 timesin self defense. The entire scene was riveting like your inability to look away from a car wreck. An American tragedy played with unrelenting passion by Barbara Hershey who incidentally won an Emmy and Golden Globe for her searing performance.
