Being interested in Bettie Page and being a big fan of Mary Harron & Guinevere Turner's work on American Psycho, I was intrigued to see how The Notorious Bettie Page had worked out after years of planning and filming.
The biopic does a good job of portraying Bettie's life with a charming dignity and a feeling of real humanity, particularly through the instrument of Gretchen Mol's performance.
The film is a calm journey through the life of Miss Page, a free-spirited Southern belle who went to town, got involved in the playful side of the S&M modelling world, found herself in the midst of scandal, decided her faith was more important, and returned to rural life.
Mol plays the character beautifully and, in a way, you fall in love with Bettie while watching her, despite the various trials and tragedies faced, and it never stoops to make Bettie seem weak or abused by them. She is a strong and beautiful character, never broken by the world around her, instead seeming to find joy wherever she goes.
The surrounding cast is all excellent and the movie features a variety of great actors in smaller roles. Every movie should pack this kind of excellent ensemble cast.
The plot is simplistic, but tells Bettie's tale in a more than adequate way, despite its saddening focus on Bettie's faith. But one can't change life and her life is in its way beautiful. There are no shocking revelations and it isn't in any way tawdry or explicit.
The film is driven by the subtle charm of the actors and the presence of Gretchen Mol, who carries the movie in the palm of her hand. She helps us better know Bettie in a way few actors can imbue their subjects.
