A film about the controversial pin-up model that broke American taboos in the 50's from the director of American Psycho? Ok, sounds great. Then why was this movie so tame? Maybe because it was a HBO production. This really needed some more energy, more insight, more something.....
WHAT'S IN THE BOX??????
I think Mary Harron's vision was skewed. It neither provoked a sense of outrage nor a sense of appreciation of Bettie's free-thinking attitude to it all.
In fact, I came away with the belief that Bettie Page was mentally deficient. I'm quite sure that wasn't intended, but that's what I got from the script and Gretchen Mol's interpretation. She was just so... vapid or simple comes to mind.
Ultimately, this was extremely disappointing. It gave no new insights and didn't really help illuminate the times and the controversy.
It did not show what made Bettie tick. What was in her that caused her to be so "exhibitionist" in her posing for photos? so willing to go completely nude? No insight into this at all. How did the molestation and the rape affect her? Very little/none insight into this either.
Illusion is the first of all pleasures
-Oscar Wilde-
agree, after the movie you don't really have the feeling that you got to know this woman
so many movies, so little time