The Notorious Bettie Page is a serious character study of the famous pinup star. By that, I mean it is not meant to be titillating. It is not. The modeling sessions and the resulting images come off as authentic, and completely desexualized. The Bettie Page that is described here is a woman who was abused as a child, abused by her husband, and abused by strangers. She gravitates to anyone who can offer her kindness. This eventually turns out to be a couple that publishes girlie magazines. She defended herself from the abuse she suffered by pushing it from her conciousness so thoroughly that she literally cannot understand how the consumers of these magazines see her. So, says the movie, she remains innocent. This is a movie about a protagonist who is unchanged by the events of the movie. It is a good movie, and very perceptive about American attitudes towards women and sex, but, fundamentally the story was undramatic.
- J
Image is reduced resolution version from the film's promotional material, and as such, I believe, constitutes a fair use.
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