Review of The Notorious Bettie Page (2006) by Elizabeth K — 26 Jun 2009
For once I am almost lost for words...
The Notorious Bettie Page is an excellent film. An intelligent and enjoyable spin through the 1950's cheesecake/fetish world that is less about sex and more about a nations attitude towards sexual images and moral hysteria.
It's also about naive Bettie Page: she suffers an early life of abuse, escapes to New York to pursue her acting ambitions and accidentally becomes THE cheesecake/fetish pin up girl of the 50's.
Gretchen Mol is an astounding Page. And her performance breathes life into the pin up and keeps the ambiguous screenplay fresh, moving and attentive. Bettie really is an innocent who doesn't understand (or care to address) the fetish scene she's involved in. There's a good example in the theological debate about an hour in as Bettie is 'crucified' for a shoot. It's comic and serious and touching.
Not for everybody's taste, I'm sure. And other's will wonder why I'm praising the film so much, but 'Bettie Page' could make my 'favourite films' list.
Although quite why this film has an '18' rating in the UK is beyond me.
This review of The Notorious Bettie Page (2006) was written by Elizabeth K on 26 Jun 2009.
The Notorious Bettie Page has generally received positive reviews.
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