although the notorious bettie page be well act and shot and be be and at best and a cliffs note version of bettie biography . the film mainly center on her work with irving and paula klaw and the brother and sister team who produce the bulk of her most famous photo . it do not detail her life after pose and aside from her religious rebirth . it cite the real bettie page and by richard foster a a source and but it ignore bettie later year of mental illness and incarceration in a mental hospital . the narrow focus of the biography can be debate and but the majority of bettie fan and the civilian would probably be more interested in her modeling career and which be what they get . the film be well act and with gretchen mol faithfully reproduce the look of bettie and as well a convey the sweetness that her photo exude . the character be play a rather naive and a probable byproduct of interview give by bettie in recent year . it be more likely that bettie be aware of the nature of her photo but rationalize it a act and costume . the support cast be also outstanding and with chris bauer and lili taylor play irving and paula klaw and and david strathairn a estes kefauver . the film errs with the character of john willie and play by jared harris . john willie never meet bettie page and be not involve in photo shoot with the klaws . harris play willie a bit like peter otoole and in his more debauched state . despite the quality of act and the film be a bit of a disappointment in term of depth . the story be rather cursory and we never feel that we truly get to know bettie . much like her photo and it just an image . it do tend to exaggerate bettie notoriety . her photo be mainly see in and around new york and in a very narrow market of underground and cultish publication . her real fame come after her photo be reprint in the late 70 and 80 and and the cult of betty page ( a her name be usually spell ) grow . bettie great exposure ( pardon the pun ) be in playboy and appear in the january 1955 issue ( the christmas photo and which be stag in reverse in the film ) . the film be well do and if rather shallow . it be able to sustain interest until the end and showcases many fine performance . it hit the high point of bettie life and but ignore many detail which would have give it far great depth . the end be rather a let down . it feel rather abrupt . still and the movie be definitely worth view by anyone interested in bettie and or even the time period . the soundtrack be great and really pull the viewer into the 1950 . if nothing else and the film stand a a showcase for america burgeon sexuality and the clash with it puritan past . it also a peek at an icon for both men and woman .