The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)

Bettie Page has evolved into an iconic figure of 50's pin-ups and is probably the best known model from the beginnings of the specialized bondage niche photography. A lot of people have seen Bettie Page's face but few actually know who she was and to where this mysterious women has gone.

The film The Nortorious Bettie Page follows the development and eventual moral salvation of Bettie Page, played wonderfully by the under-appreciated Gretchen Mol. Coming from a rural and abusive home, her life is greatly influenced by her faith. As she matures and leaves the strict confines of her family, she explores new horizons in New York as an actress.

In the 1950's what was then called pornography (which is very tame by today's standards) was an underground and illegal endeavor. In order for connoisseurs of such material to acquire any, they formed photography clubs and hired models to pose. Through happenstance and a series of events, Bettie Page ended up being one of the most used and successful models of this underground movement. According to the film, Page's participation was constantly conflicted. Part of her personality was a very free spirit, but it battled with her strong faithful upbringing. She was able to continue working toward an acting career as a model for hire, but it never sat well with her.

At one point, in acting class, she gives a riveting performance of torment and suffering. The teacher, surprised, asked what she was drawing from. She said "I'm thinking about all of my sins that have offended Jesus."

The Notorious Bettie Page is film that not only explores the growth of underground bondage photography of the 1950's through the iconic Bettie Page, but it is more about Page's moral journey of sacrifice, mistakes and a longing for moral happiness. At the end we find Bettie having shunned her previous life and, instead, working as a street preacher, trying to save souls.

A special nod should go to Gretchen Mol for her performance as Page. Even though the film's pacing is uneven at times, Mol's performance is fearless. There are times when an actor feels naked in their performance because they are opening themselves up to uncomfortable levels. Mol's performance does this both figuratively and literally and her bravery at capturing such a free spirit is what truly carries the film.

The film, in many ways, is very Old Testament. It's full of sin and illicit behavior, but in the end, it's about a person's journey toward salvation and forgiveness.

Separation of Church & State Myth Skit

So, during lunch I created a quick little Theater of the Obvious logo...

And here's another skit I wrote during lunch, this one on the Separation of Church and State myth. These are fun to write.

© 2007 Pete Bauer

********

        INT. RESTAURANT - DAY

        CHEF DAVID hands out his guidelines to his wait
        staff, including DANTE and JANE.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  Okay, so here are our new
                  guidelines.  Look it over and let
                  me know if you have any questions.

                            DANTE
                      (scanning the guidelines)
                  So our two main condiments are
                  catsup and mustard?

                            CHEF DAVID
                  Yes.  They're the cornerstone of
                  our menu.  It's what makes our
                  restaurant so popular and so
                  strong.

                            DANTE
                  You say right here that people can
                  freely use mustard, but that we,
                  the wait staff, should not
                  establish the use of mustard as the
                  only condiment.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  Correct.

                            DANTE
                  Sounds simple.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  It is.

                            DANTE
                  But, sir, I had a customer in our
                  restaurant yesterday request we put
                  mustard on their hamburger.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  Okay.

                            DANTE
                  Well, you've stated here that there
                  is a clear separation between
                  catsup and mustard.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  No I didn't.

                            DANTE
                  Yes you did.  By putting mustard on
                  our customer's hamburger, we are,
                  by default, establishing the use of
                  mustard, which you have expressly
                  stated we should not do.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  No we're not.  Catsup and mustard
                  can coexist.  If a customer wants
                  mustard on their hamburger in this
                  restaurant, it doesn't mean we are
                  establishing mustard as the only
                  condiment, we are merely allowing
                  our customers to freely exercise
                  their use of mustard on restaurant
                  property.  There's a difference.

                            DANTE
                  No there isn't.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  Yes, there is.  I wrote the
                  guidelines.  I know what I
                  intended.

                            DANTE
                  No you don't.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  Yes, I do.

        Another waiter, JANE, chimes in.

                            JANE
                  Excuse me, sir, as the
                  representative of American
                  Condiment Liberties Union I have to
                  agree with Dante.  You clearly
                  intended that catsup and mustard
                  should never be combined.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  No I did not.

                            JANE
                  Yes you did.  Your guidelines are
                  open to interpretation and the way
                  we interpret it is that there is a
                  clear separation between catsup and
                  mustard.  Just ask the media.
                  They'll agree with us.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  No where in my guidelines are the
                  words "separation of catsup and
                  mustard" ever stated.

                            DANTE
                  But that's what you meant.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  No I didn't.

                            JANE
                  Yes you did.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  Look, I came from a restaurant
                  where the chef mandated mustard and
                  mustard only.  So, what I'm saying
                  here is that if people want to use
                  mustard, they can.  But, we won't
                  establish it as the only condiment.

                            JANE
                  Exactly.  No mustard and catsup
                  together.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  That's not what I said.

                            DANTE
                  Yes it is.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  No it isn't.

                            JANE
                  We are okay with people requesting
                  relish, onions and even pickles.
                  But mustard is out.  We will never
                  recognize the use of mustard.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  What?

                            DANTE
                  Agreed.  If we allow customers to
                  use mustard on our food we are
                  establishing the use of mustard as
                  the only condiment and that would
                  offend the relish, onion and pickle
                  lovers.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  How would it do that?

                            JANE
                  And we must therefore never allow
                  mustard to be used or even
                  recognized by this restaurant.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  What?

                            JANE
                  If people want to use mustard in
                  the privacy of their own home,
                  that's okay, but any use of mustard
                  on restaurant property clearly
                  defies the mandated separation of
                  catsup and mustard and is therefore
                  prohibited.  As a matter of fact,
                  if anyone even suggests using
                  mustard on restaurant property, we
                  should take them to court!

                            DANTE
                  Here here!

                            CHEF DAVID
                  Wait a minute!  You've completely
                  misunderstood what I wrote.
                  Mustard is a good condiment.  I was
                  raised in a family of mustard
                  lovers.  This restaurant was
                  founded on the use of mustard.  How
                  can you say that it should be
                  excluded from the restaurant?

                            JANE
                  Because that's what our lawyers say
                  you meant.

                            CHEF DAVID
                  But I only want to allow other
                  condiments to be recognized in our
                  restaurant, not to exclude mustard
                  from the restaurant as a whole.

        Dante returns with a box of mustard packets.

                            DANTE
                  I'm getting these off restaurant
                  grounds.  And any public
                  recognition of mustard must be
                  removed immediately.

                            JANE
                  Agreed.

        Chef David hands Jane his hat.

                            JANE (CONT'D)
                  Where are you going?

                            CHEF DAVID
                  I don't know.  But this isn't the
                  restaurant I founded.  I don't even
                  recognize it anymore.

                                                       FADE OUT.

Dark Passage (1947)

Falling into the film noir genre, Dark Passage, starring the then newly married Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, revolves around a wrongly accused escaped convict who finds comfort and assistance in the beautiful Bacall while trying to clear his name. What is most interesting about this particular film is that the first half of it takes place almost entirely from the viewpoint of the convict (Bogart). You don't see his face until after he's had illegal facial surgery to alter his looks.

Once Bogart actually appears on film the story falls into a great number of clichés, convenient coincidences and the most consecutive series of accidental deaths all pointing to the same innocent convict... well, it's a little much to take.

For example, Bogart's character says he didn't kill his wife (the reason for his incarceration). He visits his friend, who ends up dead, Bogart's fingerprints on the murder weapon (a trumpet), but he didn't do it. He then confronts the real murderer behind all of the deaths (Agnes Moorehead) only to have her accidentally fall out of the window and to her death on the street below, again with all real evidence pointing to Bogart.

What a bad week!

Tack on a quite simplistic, happy ending and what started out as one of the most inventive film noir films in cinematic history ends up being a complete mess. Too bad.

Capote (2005)

Truman Capote was a famous author in the 1950s who's career ultimately culminated in the publication of the non-fiction book In Cold Blood, about two men accused of killing a family of four in rural Kansas. The film Capote is about the lengths and convenient mis-truths Capote engaged in to reach his goal of getting inside the head of one of the killers. It is both a subtle and effective film.

Shot beautifully by director Bennett Miller and cinematographer Adam Kimmel, the story follows Capote, played so effortlessly and convincingly by Philip Seymour Hoffman, from the time he reads about the murders in the New York Times through the next four years until the men are put to death. In a move that exemplifies Capote's commitement and ruthlessness to get the information he needs, he hires a lawyer to put the appeals motion in place, not because he believes the men are innocent, but to buy him more time to build trust with one of the murderers as to get his version of the events that night.

Other wonderful actors include Catherine Keeler, who plays a friend and Capote assistant Nelle Harper Lee, who also happened to write To Kill A Mockingbird, Chris Cooper as lead detective Alvin Dewey and Bruce Greenwood as fellow writer and Capote companion Jack Dunphy. The film does a wonderful job of weaving in the social life of writers in the 1950s, the vibrancy of New Yorks literary scene and the self-centered and often contradictory drives that propel Capote to write his most successful book.

This is a wonderful, exceptional film without a false note. Nor does it use any Hollywood cliches. In a media that been around over 100 years, it is rare to find a truly unique film. Capote is one such film.

The Worst Fortune Ever

Carolyn, the receptionist in our building, got what I consider to be the worst fortune cookie fortune ever. It said...

"Your problem just got bigger.
Think. What have you done!"

So uplifting, isn't it? I have never seen a negative fortune before. Too funny.

If Drug Ed Were Taught Like Sex Ed Skit

Continuing what I have called The Theater of the Obvious, yesterday at lunch I wrote a skit about if drug education were taught like sex education in our schools. This would be a little harder to shoot, but could still be done in a day.

© 2007 Pete Bauer

*****

          INT. SCHOOL - DAY

          MR. MICHAELS stands in front of the classroom,
          a box of items on his desk.  STUDENTS, including
          CATHERINE, sit in the class.

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    Drug Education.  That's our topic
                    this week.  It's important to
                    remember not to do drugs.  After
                    all, most of you aren't even old
                    enough to drive, so how can we
                    expect that you'd know whether or
                    not to engage in drug use?

          Mr. Michaels pulls the box next to him.

                              MR. MICHAELS (CONT'D)
                    So, today, I'm going to show you
                    how to shoot up on heroin.
                        (pulling items out
                         individually)
                    First, you'll need some heroin.  A
                    spoon.  A lighter.  Oh, and of
                    course, your needle and tourniquet.
                    Now, the first-

                              CATHERINE
                        (raises her hand)
                    Excuse me, Mr. Michaels?

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    Yes, Catherine?

                              CATHERINE
                    Well, if you really don't want us
                    to do drugs then why are you
                    showing us how to shoot up on
                    heroin?

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    Well, Catherine, you are correct,
                    we do NOT want you to do drugs!
                    Engaging in drug use can lead to
                    addiction, acquiring life
                    threatening diseases as well as
                    other numerous unwanted outcomes.
                    So, yes, we definitely do NOT want
                    you to take drugs of any kind.
                        (beat)
                    Now, where was I?  Oh, yes,
                    preparing the heroin.

                              CATHERINE
                    Excuse me?

                              MR. MICHAELS
                        (sighs)
                    Yes, Catherine?

                              CATHERINE
                    So, if the only way avoid becoming
                    addicted or catch a disease or have
                    unwanted outcomes is NOT to take
                    drugs, then why are you showing us
                    how to use heroin?

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    Well, it's quite complex, really.
                    You see, our society has lowered
                    our expectations of our youth so
                    low that, instead of teaching you
                    simple self control, we've decided
                    to teach everyone how to use drugs
                    safely.

                              CATHERINE
                    But doesn't that just encourage us
                    to do drugs?

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    Now, Catherine, you don't want to
                    remain ignorant, do you?  I mean,
                    you're not afraid of knowledge, are
                    you?

                              CATHERINE
                    No!  But, I just thought that if
                    the best choice for teens is not to
                    take drugs that maybe we should
                    gear our education toward that,
                    instead of the other way around.

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    You lost me.

                              CATHERINE
                    I mean, I want to know what happens
                    if I take heroin...

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    Good.

                              CATHERINE
                    But does it make sense to show us
                    one behavior and expect us to act
                    the opposite?

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    Catherine?

                              CATHERINE
                    Yes?

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    What am I?

                              CATHERINE
                    A teacher.

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    And what are you?

                              CATHERINE
                    A student.

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    And what does that mean?

                              CATHERINE
                    I don't know.

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    It means I'm smarter than you.  The
                    educators in our schools have
                    determined kids today simply can't
                    control themselves, so we're going
                    to show you how to take drugs
                    properly and safely... even though
                    you shouldn't take any drugs... but
                    in case you do... even though we
                    don't want you to... but we're
                    teaching it to you anyway... so you
                    won't do it.
                        (smiles)
                    I don't understand why this is so
                    hard for you to understand.  It's
                    really quite simple.

          He holds up the needle.

                              MR. MICHAELS (CONT'D)
                    Now, remember, never share needles.
                    Well, let me rephrase that... I
                    don't want to offend anyone.  Some
                    of you may want to share needles
                    and if you do that's okay, but it
                    can lead to very serious diseases
                    such as HIV, but that's okay, just
                    make sure you get checked out every
                    year, just in case.

                              CATHERINE
                        (raises hand)
                    Excuse me?

                              MR. MICHAELS
                        (frustrated)
                    Yes, Catherine!

                              CATHERINE
                    Well, isn't the best way to make
                    sure you don't get a disease is not
                    to use the needle in the first
                    place?

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    Then how would you shoot up on
                    heroin?

                              CATHERINE
                    That's my point... you wouldn't.

                              MR. MICHAELS
                    I thought we've been through this!
                        (class bells sound)
                    Okay, we're out of time today.
                    Tomorrow we'll go over shooting up
                    on heroin, snorting cocaine and the
                    drug of choice you've seen on the
                    music television channel, taking
                    meth!

          The kids stand and gather their books.

                              MR. MICHAELS (CONT'D)
                    And remember, don't do drugs!

U.S. Immigration Skit

I once heard someone compare the border security issue in the U.S. to someone breaking into your house. At lunch yesterday I took that idea and wrote out this simple sketch. I'm thinking of video taping it and throwing it up on You Tube... what do you think?

© 2007 Pete Bauer

*****

                                             FADE IN.

            INT. HOUSE - EVENING

            A woman, KATE, enters her home to find MIKEY
            sitting at the bar in her kitchen, eating a
            sandwich.

                                KATE
                      Who are you?

                                MIKEY
                      I'm Mikey.  I lived in the house
                      behind your's.

                                KATE
                      What are you doing here?

                                MIKEY
                      Well, you have a really nice house.

                                KATE
                      Thank you.

                                MIKEY
                      Probably the best house in the
                      entire neighborhood.

                                KATE
                      Okay.

                                MIKEY
                      So, I thought I'd come over and
                      live here instead.

                                KATE
                      But I live here.

                                MIKE
                      I mean, your house is much better
                      than mine!  So, I thought I'd come
                      over and share it with you.

                                KATE
                      But this is my house.  I was born
                      in this house.

                                MIKEY
                      I know, but you've got plenty of
                      room.  All of those empty bedrooms.

                                KATE
                      I know, but, maybe I'm not making
                      myself clear...

                                MIKEY
                          (interrupts)
                      Look, I noticed, no offense, that
                      your house was kinda messy, so I
                      cleaned up a bit.  I'm a very hard
                      worker.

                                KATE
                          (notices his work)
                      Yes, it is very clean.  You did a
                      good job.

                                MIKEY
                      I work very hard.  I'm a very nice
                      guy, really.  You can trust me.

                                KATE
                      But you broke into my house.

                                MIKEY
                      That's because your house was
                      better than mine.

                                KATE
                      But, how can I trust you if the
                      first thing you did is break into
                      my house?

                                MIKEY
                      Oh, you're one of those.

                                KATE
                      One of what?

                                MIKEY
                      One of those who automatically
                      assume because I come from the
                      other neighborhood that I'm not
                      trustworthy.

                                KATE
                      No, that's not it at all.

                                MIKEY
                      You're a bigot.

                                KATE
                      I am not!  This has nothing to do
                      with whether I like you or not,
                      it's about what you've done to get
                      here.

                                MIKEY
                      But you have more than I do, so I
                      want some of it.  Besides, I'm
                      willing to work for it.

                                KATE
                      I already have people who clean my
                      house.

                                MIKEY
                      I'll do it cheaper.

                                KATE
                      That's not the point.  When I hire
                      someone I check the references, do
                      background checks, make sure
                      they're not dangerous.  I don't
                      know anything about you.

                                MIKEY
                      I'm very nice.  You'll see.

                                KATE
                      Look, Mikey, I don't think you're
                      understanding me...

                                MIKEY
                          (winces)
                      Oh, listen, I think I pulled my
                      back cleaning up your garage, so
                      I'm going to need you to take me to
                      the doctor.

                                KATE
                      Oh, do you have insurance?

                                MIKEY
                      No, I can't afford that!  I figured
                      you'd pay for it.  I mean, if you
                      can afford this house you certainly
                      can afford to pay when I hurt
                      myself.

                                KATE
                      But-

                                MIKEY
                      Oh, and my brother-in-law, well,
                      he's one of those people you
                      mentioned before... you know, got
                      into a lot of trouble in the old
                      neighborhood.  Well, he followed me
                      over here and broke your lawn elf,
                      so I locked him in the shed in the
                      backyard.  He's not a nice guy.

                                KATE
                      Well, why doesn't he just go home.

                                MIKEY
                      Well, he's locked up in the shed
                      now.  We'll have to wait until he
                      deserves to come out.  Oh, he'll
                      need cable television and for you
                      to pay for the electricity and food
                      while he's in there.  And health
                      costs, of course.

                                KATE
                      Of course.

            The window opens in the room and another person
            sneaks in and disappears into the back of her
            house.

                                KATE (CONT'D)
                      Who's that?

                                MIKEY
                      I don't know.  He lives in my
                      neighborhood, but I've never met
                      him personally.  But, I'm sure he's
                      okay.

                                KATE
                      How do you know that?

                                MIKEY
                      I don't.  But, I'm sure he's okay.
                      You can trust him too.

                                KATE
                      Look, I have people in my house all
                      the time.  People from all of the
                      different neighborhoods, including
                      your's, have come here and are
                      welcome to stay.  But, there's a
                      process.  You have to apply, I make
                      sure you're okay, and THEN I let
                      you stay here.

                                MIKEY
                      You don't mean that!  You don't
                      have any locks on your doors or
                      windows!  If you really didn't
                      want people to walk into your
                      house whenever they wanted, surely
                      you'd lock your doors and windows,
                      wouldn't you?

                                KATE
                      Well, I got approval to put the
                      locks on my doors and some of my
                      windows, but I haven't gotten the
                      money yet.

                                MIKEY
                      You see?

            Another person sneaks into the house and hides
            behind the couch.

                                KATE
                      And who's that?

                                MIKEY
                      I have no idea.  He isn't from my
                      neighborhood, but he must have come
                      through my house to get to yours.

                                KATE
                      Why is he hiding?

                                MIKEY
                      I have no idea.

                                KATE
                      Because a few years ago some people
                      hiding behind my couch were
                      responsible for destroying part of
                      my house and some people died.

                                MIKEY
                      Well, I don't know who he is.  Now,
                      let's get back to the important
                      stuff.  Listen, as you can see,
                      there's quite a few of us in here.
                      Why don't you just toss out that
                      whole "making sure we're okay"
                      thingy and just make us permanent
                      house guests?

                                KATE
                      Because the rules are in place for
                      a reason.  They protect this house.

                                MIKEY
                      But, I'm not a bad guy!

                                KATE
                      You may not be, but what about
                      everyone else that's snuck in here?

                                MIKEY
                      I have no idea.  Oh, and I think,
                      speaking for those of us who've
                      recently moved in, we'd like to
                      talk to you about the rules of the
                      house overall.  You know, have a
                      say in how the house is run.  Stuff
                      like that.

                                KATE
                      But you don't live here!

                                MIKEY
                      Sure I do.

                                KATE
                      But you broke into my house!

                                MIKEY
                      I didn't break in, I moved in.
                      Now, you should know that my first
                      language is not your first
                      language, so I think you need to
                      start speaking in my language too.

                                KATE
                      But-

                                MIKEY
                      We already covered that you'll pick
                      up the cost of our medical bills
                      and for those locked up in the
                      shed.

                                KATE
                      But-

                                MIKEY
                      Now, here's something a lot of us
                      would like to change... your house
                      colors... red, white and blue.
                      C'mon!  We have some other ideas.

                                KATE
                      Why won't anyone listen to me!

                                                FADE OUT.

Blood Diamond (2006)

Edward Zwick loves the redemption of the seemingly unredemptive. The director of Glory and The Last Samurai continues stories of courageous acts of redemption by seriously flawed men during war time with the powerful and disturbing Blood Diamond. The story takes place in 1999 Sierra Leone during a brutal civil war and focuses around three main characters, a diamond smuggler, Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio), Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a simple fisherman who's family gets torn apart in the civil war and Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) who's a reporter looking for an inside source into diamond smuggling and its ties to the increasing arm sales in the region and the violence associated with the civil war.

When Solomon is forced into slave work looking for diamonds he finds a very rare large pink diamond. He sees it as leverage to getting his family back, Archer sees it as his way out of Africa and his failed life and Maddy sees it as the key to her story. They all see it as an opportunity for their own success and are willing to use each other as much as is required to get what they want. Through this journey the layers of the society and the effect of the civil war on the population is shown in unflinching frankness. Blood Diamond is often violent, but it uses that violence with great power. It shows children being taught to kill. It shows those children later slaughtering entire villages, then celebrating with drugs and alcohol, lead in this evil orgy by their captive leaders who effectively brainwash them into a life of extreme violence.

There are currently over 200,000 child soldiers in Africa and such tribal and internal genocide continues today. Blood Diamond, which focuses on the abuse of conflict diamonds, western greed and societal power struggles, shows to tremendous effect the complete disregard for human life in some areas of the world and how hopeless it all seems. Yet, like in Glory and The Last Samurai, Zwick offers light and hope in the form of individual heroism and sacrifice. If one person in a world of hate can understand selfessness, then maybe we can all be saved from our own greed.

Blood Diamond, like The Last Samurai, was hailed by critics yet under viewed by the mass audience. They are two very powerful, very important films about the power of redemption in our lives. Zwick has found his niche and with every subsequent film is becoming a master at presenting the eternal effect of salvation.