The Notorious Bettie Page Page #2

Oh, no no,

it's not that.

Don't get me wrong.

I worked with a colored woman,

and she was real nice.

It's just...

Well, I...

Oh, what's the harm in it?

- Come on, over here.

- Good.

I don't think

the kids should see this.

Good, Bettie.

So where're you from in the South?

Nashville, Tennessee.

- Ah, home of the Grand Ole Opry.

- You know it?

I hear it on the radio

sometimes.

My wife listens to it

now and then.

Could you lift

your chin up for me, please?

A little more.

Good.

Now, uh...

Head up and

to the right.

Great, Bettie.

Good.

Hey, Officer.

Uh...

well, it seems as if

some of the people here

aren't happy about me

taking your picture, Bettie.

Well, they're just prejudiced.

I used to be

when I was younger,

but I grew up

and I learned better.

- All we're doing is taking pictures.

- There's kids here.

Maybe next time

we should use my studio.

Let's go.

Good.

Good.

Uh, give me friendly.

Now, give me pert.

Good.

One more.

And give me haughty.

Good, Bettie.

Good.

Now, could you turn

to the side for me, please?

I'd like to see your figure

in profile.

Okay.

All right.

Now, this is a trick

that a lot

of photographic models use.

If you put this

in your swimming suit top,

it will enhance your bustline.

This is all lumpy.

Well, you have

to put it underneath.

Oh...

Oh.

Good.

Now give me saucy.

Good, Bettie.

Great, Bettie.

Great!

Yeah, the poses are great.

Now, I have an idea.

Would you mind

if I changed your hairstyle?

Come, please.

You have a high, round forehead.

There's nothing wrong with it,

but it catches the light.

But if we covered it...

it wouldn't catch the light,

and it frames your face.

Yeah, I see what you mean.

- Yeah? Shall we try?

- Sure.

Austin, Green & Dunleavey.

How may I help you?

Yes, sir.

I'll connect you right away.

- Hi, I'm Bettie.

- I'm Art. Step this way.

Did Jerry tell you

what the setup is?

You can change in there. The other

girl still has a half hour to go.

That's Maxie.

You can learn from her.

She knows all about

the three essentials...

clothes, pose

and expression.

- "Clothes, pose and expression."

- Over here, over here.

- Maxie, this way.

- And look over here.

- Over here.

- Down here to the right.

- You'll get your turn.

- Maxie, we're dying over here.

Don't forget us boys

in the corner.

- Oh.

- Very good, Maxie.

Can you bend over

on one leg?

- No, like this.

- Hey!

Hey, no touching!

Do it again and you're out on your rear.

You don't have

to worry about that.

There's no funny business here.

I see to that.

You think

you can do it?

I can sure try.

Let's see that smile, kid.

Turn to me.

Lift that leg a little bit.

Yeah. And higher.

- Mmm...

- That's nice.

I saw it. I saw beaver.

- You're dreaming. It was a shadow.

- I saw it.

- Mm-hmm.

- What's her name?

- It's Bettie.

- Hey, Bettie.

Can you bend over

for us a little bit?

- Please?

- Show us your keister?

- Hello, keister.

- Very nice.

Nice.

That's good.

To want or need

a mask to hide behind

Comes from a distrust

of ourselves.

It comes from our fear

that we ourselves are boring.

All right.

Now, let's try to go back

to that first

object exercise...

recreating two minutes

of ordinary life

when we're alone.

Bettie,

would you like to show us

what you've been working on?

The curtain rises

and you are sitting on stage.

You are alone.

You sit...

and sit. At last,

the curtain comes down.

Nothing could be simpler,

could it?

The curtain rises...

the curtain comes down.

Bettie, my angel,

it's not necessary

to remove your clothes.

I'd like to try the exercise next

if I may.

Okay, Marvin.

Ahem.

Curtain rises.

Curtain down.

You see,

Marvin sat...

and waited,

and did not act anything.

Now, it may not seem

interesting to you,

to sit and wait

as you do it,

but it's life.

Now, that's all for today.

I'll see you on Wednesday.

Thanks.

Hey, don't worry, Bettie.

It's like he said...

it was a hard exercise.

I was terrible.

I couldn't concentrate.

I felt silly.

No, no.

I liked what you did.

I thought it was really interesting

and very modern.

Don't feel bad.

Hey, how about a milkshake?

That was back when I was trying to write

a great American novel.

It all seems so juvenile.

You know, trying to be Ernest Hemingway.

But then a friend dragged me

to Herbert's class,

and, I don't know,

acting just felt so...

- inspiring.

- I know exactly what you mean.

- It's like when you're in church.

- Uh-huh.

Well, sometimes with the preaching

and the singing and all,

you get lifted up...

up out of yourself.

It's like you're taken

to another place.

Yeah! Taken to another place,

that's it.

Bettie, I feel like I've been talking about

myself for hours.

So what about you?

What drew you to acting?

Well, I started

in high school

and did all the plays.

I guess you could say

- it ruined my life.

- How so?

Well, I was gonna be our high school

valedictorian.

Everyone said

it was gonna be me.

The valedictorian gets a full scholarship to

Vanderbilt University.

- It's a real big deal.

- Hmm.

Well, one day I...

I had a dress rehearsal

and I cut one class...

one stupid art class.

So I got an A-minus

instead of an A,

and Martin Murphy

got the scholarship.

And I got to be

salutatorian

and a place at a teacher

training college.

And I hated teaching. All the boys

whistled at me and acted up.

I just couldn't

control the class.

I wanted that

scholarship so much.

Jeez, I'm sorry, Bettie.

Hey, you know,

It seemed so bitter at the time,

but maybe it's fate telling you

you were meant

for something else.

Well, I wonder.

I hope you're right

about that.

Yes. Like this?

Look at that over there.

Here we go again.

I know it's coming.

Listen, girls,

I just want you to know

That Peggy is gonna

be doing

- some semi-nude posing today.

- All very tasteful, of course.

If you're feeling shy about that,

bathing suits are just dandy with us.

Although there's nothing more beautiful

than nude modeling in open air.

Art, I've told you, my boyfriend

would blow his top if I did that.

Of course, of course.

It's completely up to you.

Thank you, Art, Frank.

We appreciate

you telling us.

Beautiful.

You know, sometimes

when I get homesick,

I just go to Central Park

and walk around for hours.

Gee, I like

to do that too.

Some people think I'm funny

for spending so much time alone.

Oh, no, Bettie.

You're in very good company.

Many of the world's greatest thinkers

spent most of their time alone.

They did?

Well, I'll be.

I'm roasting.

Do you wanna call it quits?

Oh, no, I'm fine.

I love the sun.

Well, we'd better move into the shade

after these shots though.

You don't want get a mark

from your bathing suit straps.

Well, thank you, Charlie.

That's very thoughtful of you.

You know,

I could take this little old

bathing suit top off if you like.

Really?

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