Directed by: Mary Harron
Format: DVD
DVD Features:
Starring: Gretchen Mol, Lili Taylor, Chris Bauer, Jared Harris
I’m always surprised when I meet someone who doesn’t know who Bettie Page was. In my mind, it’s like not knowing who Marilyn Monroe or Jim Morrison were. Bettie was a pin-up girl and fetish model during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. She was never photographed having intercourse or in any scenes with men, so by today’s standards, she might not qualify as a “porn star”. During that era, full-frontal nudity could get a cameraman in trouble. It’s interesting to see how society has changed with regards to the human form. Bettie’s also famous for her iconic cropped bangs and black hairstyle. Featured these days on everything from notebook covers to air fresheners, even tattoos, Bettie’s image is everywhere. Her resurgence in popularity is likely one reason that Mary Harron decided to make her Notorious film.
The Notorious Bettie Page is a look at the model’s life during her career in pin-up. In this film, we’re first introduced to Bettie (Mol) as she’s waiting to be called to testify at the Kefauver Hearings (hearings in the late 50’s to determine the effects of certain materials on Juvenile Delinquency). Following that, a few short scenes allow a glimpse into Bettie’s childhood and teen years. Around the time she begins college, the picture slows down again to summarize her marriage and subsequent divorce from Billy Neal (Norman Reedus). Then, while strolling down the beach in Coney Island, she meets Jerry Tibbs (Kevin Carroll), who asks to take her photograph. From that point forward, her career takes off. In-between scenes of her posing, the movie shares her struggles with acting and with relationships. When the story circles around to the trial again, it’s near the end of Bettie’s career and the beginning of her devotion to Christianity.
Most of Harron’s movie is shot in black and white. It’s an effective technique for lending The Notorious Bettie Page the overall feeling of an era gone by. The scenes in which the director chose to use color still convey the sensation of an old postcard or a Technicolor film. All of Page’s most famous shots are re-created, including her jungle poses with the jaguars (who almost upstage her) and the Playboy Christmas card.
Mol is a fairly good doppelganger for the real model, which is an essential piece of pulling off a convincing biography. She even nails the innocence and carefree attitude that the real woman was said to have. I kept getting the feeling she was being taken advantage of and yet, she doesn’t come off as being stupid. Aside from Mol, most of the acting was mediocre. I once thought that Lily Taylor was a pretty solid actress. I’ll never forget her in The Addiction. But, after seeing her fake her way through this movie and The Haunting, I’m not so sure. She reminds me of a teenager lying to her parents – not very convincing. By contrast, the man who plays Irving Klaw (Chris Bauer), her brother in the movie, is very believable. Only two more characters, Bunny Yeager (Sarah Paulson) and John Willie (Jared Harris) were even remotely entertaining.
As is probably a danger when recreating someone’s life onscreen, this biography of Bettie Page was rather dry. As a fan, I had been curiously awaiting the film’s release. I was hoping that the icon’s memory would be honored and that the filmmakers would not take too much liberty with her tale. In that regard, I wasn’t disappointed but The Notorious Bettie Page ends up being something of a snore. It works well as a study of the shifts in society since that era, which is interesting, but it’s almost like reading a text book. If you’re curious about the woman, the pin-up style or just like to see nude models, this film might be a good bet. Anyone looking for some excitement will be sorely disappointed.
Overall Rating: 2 ½
Hottie Rating: 3
Alternate Recommendation: I Shot Andy Warhol
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