the notorious bettie page ( 2006 ) half gretchen mol and lilli taylor and chris bauer and jared harris and sarah paulson and david strathairn and austin pendleton and norman reedus and dallas robert . mol shine a legendary pin up queen bettie page in a fine biopic . gretchen mol be probably best know for be tauted a the next it girl a few year ago when no one knew who she be despite an infamous cover story by vanity fair among other medium dubbing but despite a few co star role here and there her predicted stardom seem to twinkle less brightly until now . here a the famous pin up queen bettie page and gretchen mol be indeed a shin star on the rise . bettie page be tennessee born raise a a god fearing and family orient proper girl who seem to find herself the unwarranted object of lust and affection and a she grow old . a gang rape that be flashbacked be wisely not graphically depict nor be the subtle showing of her own father have less than decent design for his own kin which be important to understand how page manage to escape the possible nightmarish life for a career a an actress by head to new york city in the 1950s when in fact that be the time and place to be to catch lighting in a bottle . what page do not realize be that in fact she would be just that when she arrive . a beautiful raven haired sweetheart with a divine figure and page be spot on coney island one summer day by a black policeman ask to take her photograph which lead to her posing in his basement and eventually to the studio of irving klaw ( bauer ) and his sister paula ( taylor ) who cater their kitschy but consider pornographic still to a unique clientele represent fetish type . although page be rather naïve she be undeniably smart and know that her body be not a sin and can see the forest for the tree in the sense that she be in control or at least abides in what be offer her a work in that it be not indecent and she be have fun in her increasingly less clothed portrait until a congressional witch hunt seek out a few scapegoat to make pornographic image a crime . talented filmmaker mary harron and her screen writing partner guinevere turner ( an american psycho and i shoot andy warhol ) streamline the biopic trapping rather neatly and maybe a bit too hasty in get at who really be bettie page although they do justice in depict an era of uptightness at it zenith . large thanks to gift cinematographer mott hopfel for his languorously gorgeous black and white image and also the sprinkled color segment that recall douglas sirk film of the era for it melodramatic kindling . part feminist treaty and part american dream fulfil the story chug along nicely with fine performance by it ensemble include the comical bauer and taylor a sibling in smut and harris have a field day a a fellow fotog with a taste for wine and chatter . it amuse to see strathairn in a bit of stunt casting a a senator on a campaign for righteousness after portray news bulldog edward r. murrow in his last outing and good night and and good luck a an opposite the table role . but hat off to the truly fine talent of mol a the uninhibited yet deeply morale and most importantly intelligent bettie page who let her child like innocence beam through her bold nudity and now consider tame and quaint borderline kitschy pose that catch the male fancy for decade and be still a bookmark for human sexuality in this country and perhaps the world overall . mol be perfect and uncannily resembles her portrait subject down to her know tease smile . the real bettie page be reportedly not involve with the project but apparently give her blessing and continue to live a somewhat secluded life that be allude to in the final moment a to have find jesus and shirk her notorious image once and for all . a shame since this film oddly embrace the resounding decency imbue within it subject and radiate for all to see in it naked splendor .