Do you have anything a little different?
l'm not sure l get your drift.
Do you have anything with unusual footwear?
High heels? Boots?
Leather boots... with laces?
Very good, yes. l'll take that.
Um, do you have any other material
that shows... restraint?
lt's a big favorite among certain customers.
The model is very popular.
Do you have any more pictures like this?
l'll have to check the stockroom.
Sir, l'm Detective Farrell of the New York Police Department.
We have to ask you a few questions about the material for sale in your shop.
We have reason to believe you are selling obscene
and indecent literature on these premises.
Any witness who feels that he or she may be
embarrassed by the lights or by the TV and movie cameras--
they will not be asked to testify for television.
Because of the rules of the building,
we cannot have smoking in the courtroom.
That is difficult for some, l realize--
including the chairman.
Since assuming the chairmanship of the Senate Subcommittee
to lnvestigate Juvenile Delinquency,
l have become increasingly concerned
during each passing week
with the effect pornographic material has
on American adolescents and juveniles,
and with the widespread distribution
of this insidious filth.
Father Egan, you think this pornographic literature
is having a substantial and degrading effect?
l certainly do. lt is corrupting.
lt is rotting at the very roots of our nation.
Communism will never defeat America.
No, it's something from within--
within the nation that will rot and corrupt it.
Dear Bettie, how are things in New York City?
We haven't heard from you in a while.
l guess you must be real busy with your modeling career.
Here's a picture of you and me at Christmas after church.
lt was nice being together again.
Hope you visit soon.
All my love, Goldie.
''And they went forth and preached everywhere.
The Lord working with them, confirming the word
with signs.'' Amen.
l know, friends, that one of these days,
God's gonna call me home.
When he calls, l know it's gonna be-- praise God--
to my eternal home.
But before he calls, he's gonna give you the chance
to come to him. Yes, friends,
don't you know the Lord...
gives every sinner man and every sinner woman
the chance to come to him, seek him out?
l feel like singing an invitational hymn now. Brother John?
lf there be any unsaved souls here tonight
Who feel like giving their hearts to Christ, come seek him out.
Okay.
Y'all, Mrs. Craddock is looking.
- Let her get an eyeful. - Who cares?
Do we look like Ziegfeld girls?
Girls, get on back in the house!
- Come on and do your chores. - Come on, let's go inside.
Bettie, l wanna see you.
Come on up.
Oh! Oh, why thank you.
Uh, ma'am,
Are you gonna be all right waiting here like this on your own?
Do you have a boyfriend or a husband
or something to keep you company while you wait?
Well, thank you for your concern, Officer,
But... no, l'm not married.
l'll be fine on my own.
''...The fundamental principles of democracy is the people's right
- to be represented...'' - That's a pretty girl.
You wait here. l'm gonna go ask her for a date.
Billy, you fool, that's Bettie Page. Every guy in town wants
to date that girl, but her mother won't allow it.
l'd sure like to meet you, but if l can't,
l'd like to meet one of your sisters.
Well, you can. They're prettier than me.
That's hard to believe. May l sit down?
Well...
Hey!
''One of the fundamental principles of democracy
is the people's right--''
- Did you write that? - Yes, l did.
l'm on the debating team. Got to memorize it by Friday.
l'd like to debate you sometime.
You're probably a lot smarter than me,
- but l bet l could put up a good fight. - That's very interesting.
l was never much for studying.
They just passed me in school so l could play ball.
Football?
Yeah, l've seen you play--
- against Hume-Fogg. - That's right.
You're a good ballplayer.
Yes, l am. l'm a good dancer too.
- How good are you? - l know a few steps.
lf you come out with me, l'll show you.
- Well, l'd like to, but-- - Better hurry up.
You're gonna run out of time.
- l signed up. - You're going overseas?
That's right-- the army.
Well, my mother doesn't approve of dating.
That's a shame.
That's a darn shame.
You tell your mother Billy Neal would like to take you out.
Maybe l will.
l'm gonna marry that girl.
No, you ain't gonna marry her. Everybody wants that gal.
l don't know. l'm gonna marry her.
Let's see if l can get this right.
- Oh. - Whoo.
See you Monday.
l bet it'd look good on you too.
lt's a beautiful night out, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
Say, do you like dancing?
My buddy and his girl are going dancing,
and they invited me along and l'm starting
to feel like a third wheel. l really could use a date.
Well, l do like dancing.
Love to dance, in fact.
Well, my-- my friends are just up the block.
l'd be thrilled if you'd come with us.
Yeah, l think l will if you don't mind.
Great.
- My name's Scotty. - Bettie.
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
Thanks so much.
Have you been to the Victory Ballroom?
l love to go there on a Friday night.
The band really cooks.
And l'd just bet you can really dance, can't you?
Well, l like to dance.
lf the music's good, l like it.
- This is Jake. - Hi.
- And Ray.
- Hi. - Pleased to meet you.
The more the merrier. Ain't that right?
Why are we...
leaving the city?
Where is this place?
Where are we going?
Where are we going?!
Don't try and run.
Oh, please, for the love of Jesus.
- Please. - Don't make trouble now.
Can't nobody hear you around here anyway.
You know what we're here for.
Just get in the back of the car.
Please, l can't.
Please, it's that time of the month.
Shit,
l thought you said we were getting some tail here.
Well,
she'll have to give us some kind of a satisfaction.
''Dear Goldie,
l've decided to make a fresh start in New York City.
l've found an apartment just off Times Square
and painted and decorated it myself.
l entered a beauty contest or two.
l won second prize in one, which was not too bad--
a set of brand new Revere pots and pans,
which l needed very much.
l hope this finds y'all well and healthy
and you kids are staying out of trouble.
Love to y'all. Bettie.''
- Can l ask you a question? - Well--
Don't be nervous. l'm a policeman. Let me show you my badge.
See?
l was just curious--
have you ever done any photographic modeling?
Well, not for photographs.
Well, you look like a model. l'm a policeman,
but l'm a photographer too-- on weekends, you know?
lf you let me take your picture, l'll give you copies for free.
- Take my photo? Right here? - Sure, why not?
- Looking like this? - Sure.
l don't know.
You're a southern girl, aren't you?
Well, l don't wanna make you feel uncomfortable.
Oh, no no, it's not that.
Don't get me wrong. l worked with a colored woman,
and she was real nice. lt's just--
Well, l--
Oh, what's the harm in it?
- Come on, over here. - Good.
l 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?
l 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.
l used to be when l was younger,
but l grew up and l 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.
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?
l'd like to see your figure in profile.
Okay.
All right. Now, this is a trick
that a lot of photographic models use.
lf 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, l have an idea.
Would you mind if l 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, l see what you mean.
- Yeah? Shall we try? - Sure.
Austin, Green & Dunleavey. How may l help you?
Yes, sir. l'll connect you right away.
- Hi, l'm Bettie. - l'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. l see to that.
You think you can do it?
l 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.
l saw it. l saw beaver.
- You're dreaming. lt was a shadow. - l saw it.
- Mm-hmm. - What's her name?
- lt'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.
lt 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.
l'd like to try the exercise next if l 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. l'll see you on Wednesday.
Thanks.
Hey, don't worry, Bettie.
lt's like he said-- it was a hard exercise.
l was terrible.
l couldn't concentrate. l felt silly.
No, no. l liked what you did.
l thought it was really interesting and very modern.
Don't feel bad.
Hey, how about a milkshake?
That was back when l was trying to write a great American novel.
lt all seems so juvenile. You know, trying to be Ernest Hemingway.
But then a friend dragged me to Herbert's class,
and, l don't know, acting just felt so...
- inspiring. - l know exactly what you mean.
- lt'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.
lt's like you're taken to another place.
Yeah! Taken to another place, that's it.
Bettie, l feel like l've been talking about myself for hours.
So what about you? What drew you to acting?
Well, l started in high school
and did all the plays. l guess you could say
- it ruined my life. - How so?
Well, l was gonna be our high school valedictorian.
Everyone said it was gonna be me.
The valedictorian gets a full scholarship to Vanderbilt University.
- lt's a real big deal. - Hmm.
Well, one day l-- l had a dress rehearsal
and l cut one class-- one stupid art class.
So l got an A-minus instead of an A,
and Martin Murphy got the scholarship.
And l got to be salutatorian
and a place at a teacher training college.
And l hated teaching. All the boys whistled at me and acted up.
l just couldn't control the class.
l wanted that scholarship so much.
Jeez, l'm sorry, Bettie.
Hey, you know,
lt seemed so bitter at the time, but maybe it's fate telling you
you were meant for something else.
Well, l wonder.
l hope you're right about that.
Yes. Like this?
Look at that over there. Here we go again.
l know it's coming.
Listen, girls, l just want you to know
That Peggy is gonna be doing
- some semi-nude posing today. - All very tasteful, of course.
lf 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, l've told you, my boyfriend would blow his top if l did that.
Of course, of course. lt's completely up to you.
Thank you, Art, Frank.
We appreciate you telling us.
Beautiful.
You know, sometimes when l get homesick,
l just go to Central Park and walk around for hours.
Gee, l like to do that too.
Some people think l'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, l'll be.
l'm roasting. Do you wanna call it quits?
Oh, no, l'm fine. l 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,
l could take this little old bathing suit top off if you like.
Really? Oh, sure, yeah.
- if you don't mind. - Well, l've been thinking about it...
and what difference does it make, a little piece of cloth?
l agree. Absolutely.
Oh, thank you.
You know, Bettie,
You're the most popular model at our club.
Flattery is the devil's tool, Charlie.
How's this?
l don't know how to say this,
and don't be offended, but...
well, we've come this far...
Do you think you could take off the bottom as well?
After all, it's just a little piece of fabric.
Now, don't you go throwing my words back at me, Charlie.
l'm-- l'm sorry. l shouldn't have asked.
Just kidding you. lt's fine.
Sure, l don't mind.
Um, um...
Bettie?
- Bettie? - Yes?
lf we show too much, l could get arrested.
- What do you mean? - The top is okay,
but you have to hide that.
Oh...
Oh, l'll just put the bottoms back on.
No no no, you don't have to do that.
Um, the backside's okay.
How's this?
Oh, thank you. That's perfect.
A copy of ''She: the Man's Picture Magazine.''
Oh, Marvin.
A-ha, there she is.
- ln roller-skates this time. - l know, they're silly.
''Gals think men are beasts!
This doll thinks a gorilla makes a safer boyfriend. You wolf!''
l'm not sure l like the idea of other men seeing you like this.
lt's a bathing suit, Marvin.
- You make it look so good. - Come on.
Yeah, l know. l know.
- Yes-- yes? - Hi.
l got your name from Maxie. My name's Bettie Page. l'm a model.
Oh, yeah. She told me about you. Just one minute.
Yeah, we got some nice William Holden. Color 8x10.
Yeah, Stewart Granger we got, yeah.
Just come into the store. Anything you want, we got, okay?
- Thank you so much. - All right.
- So Maxie told you about us? - Yes.
She said there would be some unusual costumes to put on.
Okay, great. Why don't you go right upstairs
and talk to my brother lrv while l close up here, okay?
Klaw Studios
featuring the largest variety of popular model photos in the world.
Well, what are you interested in?
Films, cartoons, pictorials?
We got some great new pictorials in, very high quality--
just a moment. Hi, l'm lrving Klaw,
You hungry? We've got sandwiches over there--
- some beautiful sliced brisket. - Oh, l'm fine, thanks.
Okay.
Dressing room's through there.
Uh, no more ''Boudoir Beauties in High Heels.''
What about some fighting girl movies? No?
''Bound in Rubber,'' ''Pleasure Parade,''
and ''Fearful Ordeal in Restraintland.''
Now, that last one's an excellent seller,
because of the quality of the poses, which in my personal opinion
are among the most strenuous bondage photos ever made.
Whoa-whoa, how anyone walks in these old shoes is beyond me.
You don't have far to go. Jack, give her a hand.
- Oh, hello. - Pleased to meet you.
- Nice to meet you. - These shoes are kind of unusual.
We get a lot of requests for them, don't we, lrving?
Sure do-- 8'' stiletto heels, black seamed stockings,
1 2 different poses. High heels are very popular.
- There you go. - Okay, sit her down there, Jack.
All right, Bettie. Let's go.
Beautiful, Bettie.
Oh! l think we got a little problem. Something's peeking out.
Oh, yep. We better put another pair over them.
Yeah, we gotta put these over the ones you got on.
These will be okay, huh? As if the customers care.
lt's the shoes they want. Shoes and boots, boots and shoes--
- they can't get enough of them. - Why?
Don't ask. lt takes all types to make a world.
What kind of types?
You see, the customers who want this stuff,
they're very respectable, very high quality people--
doctors, lawyers, diplomats...
Even a judge. They're not people like us.
The pressures they've got-- they're not your average Joe.
So what if they want something that seems a little strange, right?
- lf it makes them happy? - Sure.
Sometimes they come into the store, and l can see they want something different.
lrving says l can spot them a mile off.
- Oh, she can. She's got an instinct. - lf l think it's shoes they want,
l'll pull out a movie star-- Lana Turner, let's say,
with a nice pair of high heels-- and l'll point to them and say,
''Hmm, something like this, maybe?''
Oh, the look on their face-- like they're so relieved l understand.
And then l start pulling out the special stuff.
Look at the time. We gotta go.
- Jack, let's put some music on. - Okay.
Let's put some music. You like music, Bettie?
- Oh, yeah. - You okay, Bettie? The shoes hurting?
l'm fine. Just fine.
Turn your backside to us so we can see the stocking seams.
Nice nice.
Wonderful, Bettie.
To me, turn to me. Great!
lt's nice, right? Just get into it, feel it.
Gorgeous gorgeous. Oh, you're so happy.
She's great.
Oh, that's right, honey.
Do that cha-cha, give me that.
Great, Bettie. Gorgeous.
Listen to this-- ''you have long stretches of nervous letdown
in playing your part, complete artistic impotence.
At such times your playing is lifeless, stilted.''
l think he was talking about me there.
No, no, he's talking about all of us.
l'm just so nervous. Uh, they liked the photographs l sent them,
- but they never heard me speak. - lt's a western, right?
- Uh-huh. - Well, maybe they'll need
a good Southern girl. Just remember, acting is about truth.
You find truth in the character and no one will give a damn
- that you're from Tennessee. - Settle down.
Okay, start from here.
Come on, turn.
Not-- slowly slowly, not so quick.
And look at me
with your beautiful eyes.
Now, this way.
Straight.
Now, say something nice.
Um...
l don't know know what to say.
Come on, we're recording sound so you can say something.
- l'm sorry. - Don't be so sorry, okay?
You're behaving like a six-year-old, okay?
Come on, look at me with your beautiful eyes.
And?
Ahem...
hi, l'm Bettie Page.
Um...
l'm from Nashville, Tennessee.
Right. Okay, that's it. You're all done, sweetie.
l thought you looked really great under the lights.
You're a knockout. Real star material.
Uh, you think so? l was awfully nervous.
You'll have to work on that accent, of course,
But it would be no fun if you were perfect.
Say, why don't you have dinner with me tonight?
l could give you a few pointers. We could get to know each other better.
Oh, l'm sorry, but l can't. l already have a boyfriend.
Oh, come on. lt'll be fun.
lt's always an advantage to know the producer personally.
l really have to go.
You try and do a girl a favor...
Still not tight enough.
l told you, it won't go any tighter. l've been trying for 20 minutes.
You'll ruin the whole thing because you're too lazy to do it properly.
Oh, come off it.
- Set the shot up the way l told you. - Okay, l got it, l got it.
Bettie, you're supposed to be here at 10:00.
You're not on the clock, you don't get paid. lrving, you're in the shot.
- Okay. - Ahem.
Give it in the eyes. Give it in the eyes, darling.
- Beautiful. - Can we see a bit of heel maybe?
- A little bit of heel. - Uh, that's good,
A little bit of bum. l really like bum.
- That's perfect. - Lovely bum, darling.
See, she's one of our best.
And then he admitted that he paid Roz 1 2 bucks an hour,
And they gave me 10. Cheek of it!
So l says to lrving, ''Pardon me,
but who's been freezing her derriere off
every Saturday for the past six months? Not Roz Greenwood.
Gee, that's not fair. Roz is real nice, but you're a better model.
- Everyone says so. - Hey, girls, how you doing?
Yeah, we're cold. Can we get another heater in here?
l'll see what l can do. Bettie, if you keep brushing your hair,
it'll fall out of your head. Let me explain something to you.
This is one of our private sessions-- John.
We call him ''Little John'' to tell him apart from the other John, ''Big John.''
He's the photographer out there.
Anyway, Little John has some special outfits he'd like you to put on.
- l'd say they're special. - Maxie.
Yeah, all right, some of them are a real hoot, but he's a very nice man.
Yeah, he's not normal,
- but he's nice. - he's one of our best customers,
So will you try and do what he says?
- What does she mean? - Oh, it's nothing bad,
You just have to scare him and act mean. Like this.
Actually, it's kind of fun.
You're lucky. Wait until you see what l have to do.
Hey! Ouch, that's too tight.
Well, that is rather the point, my dear. The tighter the better.
- Paula. - Maxie, are they hurting you?
- She's all right. Aren't you, Maxie? - l am not.
- l'm getting rope burns. - All right. Let's get a move on.
Bettie, stand over there.
l'd like this young lady to look very strict.
He'd like her to look very strict.
He'd like you to look very strict.
Come on, my dear, more passion. Fire.
More... tigress, huh?
Whoa, very good.
Dominate the men who adore you.
Crush them with your exquisite high heels!
''Come, fill the cup. And in the fire of spring
the winter garment of repentance fling.''
Oh, that's very nice. ls that from a poem?
Not just a poem, my dear, the poem-- ''The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.''
Whoa-- oh, no, thank you. l don't drink.
Come on, have a drink with me.
Most of the time these last six months, l seem to be drinking by myself
or with strangers whom l don't much like.
Might l tempt you with a mushroom cap?
Oh. So what do you do, Little John?
He has a very successful legal practice
- with many distinguished clients. - How is business, John?
- You been keeping busy? - Uh, quite busy,
But mother hasn't been very well
So l've been spending a lot of time at home with her.
Sorry to hear it.
And what about those legal difficulties you mentioned?
l had a letter from the postal inspector warning me
about sending some of my pictures through the mail. What do you know
- about getting around that? - The only court ruling
that l know of on that issue
is the case of this fellow, Al Urban.
The post office tried to prevent him
from sending photographs of nude men through the mail.
They got the Civil Liberties Union involved
And the Chicago court eventually ruled that the materials
- were not obscene. - We don't even have nudes.
He just had to be careful he was only sending his stuff to adults.
Tell me, what do you think of all this tying-up business?
You seem to have a knack for posing.
And l'm always on the lookout for comely wenches
who don't mind a bit of the old rope and gag.
Well, it certainly was different.
l liked what you did with that riding crop.
lt's a treat to see a girl with so much spirit.
Oh, l enjoy acting very much.
l've been taking lessons.
Oh... we shall have to put you
in a little film or something, shan't we?
Little John old cock,
What say we give this charming creature a role
in ''Sally's Punishment''? l bet she's a dab hand with the cords.