Saucy 50s pinup queen Bettie Page isn’t just one of the sexiest creatures ever to visit our planet, she’s also an enduring icon (as verified by stepping within a quarter-mile of your nearest Hot Topic store), and after many false starts, her rise to fame/infamy has finally been immortalized on film.
American Pyscho helmer Mary Harron is about as far as possible from chainsaw-wielding Huey Lewis-loving narcissists with The Notorious Bettie Page, the story of the legendary model who alternated her image between sweet girl next door and racy S&M vamp (complete with whips), and virtually disappeared at the height of her popularity. Although one could argue she’s still as trendy as ever.
Feline blonde Gretchen Mol, perhaps best known for displaying her impossibly erect nips in Vanity Fair than for any real acting work, isn’t necessarily the first actress you’d think of to wear Page’s still-fashionable brunette hairstyle (Liv Tyler was on the list before she became elfin and fat), but she actually looks like a fine choice to slip on those thigh-high stockings.