Would You Kill for Me? The Mary Bailey Story is a Lifetime suspense film inspired by Mary Elizabeth Bailey’s life and her book My Mother’s Soldier. Lifetime frames the story through three generations of women; Bailey has also said the adaptation changes details, including her grandmother’s role and the number of siblings present. Watch the official trailer and check Lifetime’s title page for viewing links.
Watch the official trailer and find the film
Lifetime’s official title page includes the synopsis and links to its video and streaming options. Availability may vary by territory and over time, so check the page for current viewing choices. The page labels the movie “True Story, Suspense,” displays a TV-14 rating, and shows 2024. That displayed year should not be confused with a premiere date: a September 2023 network announcement republished by TVME said the film was set to debut on October 28, 2023. Visit Lifetime’s official title page.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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| 1 |
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You Kill Me | $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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You Kill Me | $11.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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You Kill Me (2007) | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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I Trust You to Kill Me | $8.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
![You Kill Me [2007] [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41yksWLfqWL._SL160_.jpg)
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You Kill Me [2007] [DVD] | $8.52 | Buy on Amazon |
The film stars Melissa Joan Hart as Ella, Olivia Scriven as Veronica, and Presley Allard as Mary; Connor McMahon plays Willard. Simone Stock directed the production, according to the production press kit. Johnson Production Group’s press-kit page.
Is Would You Kill for Me? based on a true story?
Yes, but it is a dramatized adaptation rather than a complete, literal reconstruction. Johnson Production Group describes the movie as “Largely inspired” by My Mother’s Soldier, written by Mary Elizabeth Kelso, also known as Mary Elizabeth Bailey. Its press kit places the central events in West Virginia in early February 1987, when Mary was 11. The production press kit says her stepfather, Wyers, had been abusive and that, after a violent episode and a threat against Mary’s mother, he passed out drunk. Her mother then put a .22-caliber rifle in Mary’s hands and ordered her to shoot him.
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The same synopsis says both mother and daughter were charged, and that the mother initially claimed responsibility before blaming Mary. These details are the production’s account of the events; the film’s synopsis and press materials are not an independent legal record.
What does the film change from Bailey’s account?
Bailey identified specific differences in an interview published October 27, 2023. She said the movie shows her grandmother awake during the killing, while her grandmother was asleep and uninvolved in real life. “There are definitely some different scenarios,” Bailey said, describing that change. Read Bailey’s interview with Cream Music Magazine.
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Bailey also said the film reduces the siblings present to her and her brother, although two other siblings were there in real life and appear in her book. She noted additional liberties involving events from when she was a baby and interactions she could not personally have known about. The available accounts establish these examples, not a scene-by-scene comparison of the movie and book.
How the three-perspective story is told
Lifetime presents the story through Ella, Veronica, and Mary, spanning three generations. Melissa Joan Hart described the film as a murder mystery told from three perspectives in a TV Insider interview. She discussed preparing to play Ella and considering why a mother and grandmother might remain in a family where abuse occurs. That is Hart’s account of her approach to the role, not clinical evidence about abuse. Read Hart’s interview with TV Insider.
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How the film and book differ as ways into the story
| Format | What it offers | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime film | A suspense narrative organized around three perspectives and three generations. | It changes or omits details Bailey identified, including her grandmother’s presence and two siblings. |
| My Mother’s Soldier | Bailey’s book, identified by the production company as a major source for the film. | The available accounts do not establish a comprehensive scene-by-scene comparison with the movie. |
Bailey’s book is titled My Mother’s Soldier and is credited to Mary Elizabeth Kelso (Bailey) in the production materials. The film’s relationship to the book is a useful way to approach it: the screen version turns the source account into a suspense story, while Bailey’s book is her own account. Bailey discusses the book and adaptation in her interview.
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