The Notorious Bettie Page

If you've ever seen a picture of Bettie Page, you know that there's something about her that attracts men like a picnic attracts ants. Whether it's her girl next door charm, that comes through in any picture of her or her stunning beauty, there's just something about Bettie that makes you want to look at her. But, her career seems to have ended quite abruptly, and, while her pictures live on, her life has been something of a mystery. Well, the movie, The Notorious Bettie Page, gives us a look at the life behind the photos, and it's quite interesting.



The story here is of Bettie going from a young girl in Nashville to a model in New York. It's a story of a strong independent woman in a time when that wasn't all that common. From being molested as a child (which is implied, not shown) to being an object of desire for men around her (which seems to force Bettie's move to New York in the first place), Bettie takes control of her own sexuality. The interesting part of the movie is that, Bettie isn't portrayed as a vixen who uses her sex appeal for financial gain, but rather as an innocent, who just see herself as posing for pictures, and whatever is done with them isn't really her concern.

The movie follows Bettie from her beginnings to her rise as a pin-up queen in the 50s to her eventual retirement and turn to religion, never being ashamed of what she did or what she had accomplished. Her later years have been something of a mystery, I've heard that she attends conventions occasionally, but not often, but the movie ends with Bettie's turn to God, which seems to be an appropriate way to end the story.

If you're a fan of Bettie Page, then you'll want to see The Notorious Bettie Page, and if you've never heard of her, this will make you want to find out more! I'm giving The Notorious Bettie Page four out of four cigars,

because it's a nice look at a different time, a time when 'nudie' pictures were seen a horrible pornography...if they could only see the future, eh?? So, until next time, when I'll be revealing my own sick perversions...I'm actually very in love with my wife, something that it seems gets more and more rare each day! Until then, remember that the best movies are bad movies.