DVD Review - The Notorious Bettie Page

Mary Harron has directed a most interesting movie with The Notorious Bettie Page. She and her co-writer Guinevere Turner haven created a screenplay which has made Bettie a real flesh and blood character that we have great sympathy for. And Gretchen Mol wonderfully brings her to life. The film is shot mostly in black and white and really captures the era. Once in a while the film goes to color but it is done very smoothly without a blip.

Bettie grew up in Tennessee in a very conservative religious family. But circumstances make her leave for New York where she is going to make a new start. Bettie studies acting and works a switchboard. She takes her acting classes very seriously. But she finds that people like to take her picture and pay her for it. She starts dressing up in odd outfits and eventually gets involved with bondage films and pictures. Yet, through it all Bettie remains a great believer in Jesus.

She hooks up with a brother and sister team - Irving (Chris Bauer) and Paula (Lili Taylor) Klaw. They eventually get into trouble and find themselves the target of a US Senate investigation. Although Bettie never felt that she did anything wrong - she only thought that she was dressing up and acting for fun - she gets very religious and devotes the rest of her life to God.

This is a perfect movie to watch on DVD. While it is far from a masterwork it is totally enjoyable. And as mentioned before, Mol is terrific. Oh - and one of the bonus features is a short film with the real Bettie Page. Check this one out when you get the chance.