Six Wives of which four died during the marriage is either an extraordinary coincidence to very sinister indeed.
This Netflix true crime documentary examines the case of Thomas Randolph, dubbed the “Black Widower” and his crimes against the wives who loved him.
His easy going manner and disarming smile embodies what experts have call the banality of evil! His seemingly normal and even clownish appearance masked his psychopathic and manipulative character. He controlled, abused and ultimately murdered some of his wives for the insurance money that he had taken out on them.
He then staged suiciders or “break in” murders to conceal his guilt, believing always that he was smarter than law enforcement and everyone around him. In fact, his only real gift was manipulating the judicial system to either hid his crimes, avoid arrest or delay going to trial.
He may well of got away with it if it wasn’t for the gritty bravery of detective Dean O’kelly who refused to believe Randolph’s 2008 version of a break in that resulted in his wife and an “intruder” lying dead in his home. O’kelly confronted the forensic gaps, blood splatter inconsistencies and emergency service audio calls to stay on Randolph’s case. He dug into his past and took professional risks to hunt a man who had escaped the law for nearly 50 years.
Director Chris Smith ensure the deceased wives are not just statistics but real living people. The emotional weight of the story is provided by Sharon Causse’s (Randolph sixth wife) daughter Colleen Beyer and her multi decade crusade for justice. Her tearful relief in the courtroom is a remembrance of love that outlasts a predator’s greed.
What made this documentary stand out was the ‘timelines’ Slepian’s 16 year of archive footage that recorded the police’s investigation. More importantly it let the audience see Randolph’s charming mask slip in real time. It captures how easily sociopathic calculation does not hide in the shadows- smiles at you while professing love.
I really enjoyed the 1hr 30min running time rather then the 3 or 4 episode documentaries that contain so much repetitive fillers.
What makes “The Widower” so deeply unsettling is the smiling face of Randolph. He reminds us that evil rarely look monstrous, it looks like a charming neighbour, using marriage to force a death sentence on those looking for love all for financial gain.