The Betsy (1978)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Among all the novels written by Harold Robbins, this is my favorite. Following the book is much easier and if I must say so, a lot more seductive. Comparing the book to the movie, I can only appreciate the film is quicker to entice me to stay interested. The novel is superior, yet the cast in the film is much more believable. Directed by Daniel Petrie, " The BETSY " relates the story of Angelo Perino (Tommy Lee Jones) a professional race car driver and third generation Italian with Mafia connections. Nearly killed in a race, he is summoned to the Hardeman mansion where Loren Hardeman (Laurence Oliver), the patriarch of the family dynasty, purposes to him a secret plan to design a new car, called the BETSY. Although intrigued by the offer, Perino at first refuses, until he is promised a great deal of money and special options to purchase stock in the family run corporation. He must also run the gauntlet of family members out to prevent the secret plan. Among the more powerful is Loren Hardeman III (Robert Duvall) who has definite motives for preventing the building of the new car. Katharine Ross, Jane Alexander and Lesley-Anne Down as Lady Bobby Ayres play the powerful women of the Hardeman family, each, it is discovered have their own reasons for the success or failure of the venture. Betsy Hardeman (Kathlee Beller) is the lynch pin on which Perino and his ambitions will fail or not. Joseph Wiseman and Edward Herrmann are two key players which provide the inner mechanisms of and for the Betsy's future. The over all movie is split into both past and present happenings of how and why family members gravitate towards Perino's project. Steamy scenes and dark family secrets provide the novel's interest and were it not for the powerful performances of Laurence Oliver, Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, the film, would have tanked. Instead it is now accepted as a film Classic and one representative of the times. ****

Laurence Olivier is the multi-millionaire head of a family, who's rich due to the family business, making cars. Larry wants to make a new car whose engine would be environmentally safe. He needs Tommy Lee Jones' (a race car driver) assistance in creating the engine. And, that begins the present day plot. There are flashbacks that show just how and why things are the way they are today. The presence of Katharine Ross and Kathleen Beller make this feel like Dynasty. And, Robert Duvall is Larry's grandson who'll stop at nothing to stop the development of "The Betsy," which is what Larry named the engine. The movie is nothing like "The Oscar" in that it's not flashy or campy; and, it doesn't have any it's-so-bad-it's good value to it. Instead, you get the impression they tried to take themselves seriously and in doing so, only emphasized the fact these are not nice people and it gives the movie a kind of seedy, mean quality to it. Its love scenes add to its trashy feel to it and not entirely in a good way. The music is so understated, mellow, and refined, it sounds like some "Godfather" copy. All in all, once you've seen the ending, you may want to see it again, knowing what you know. But, it's not much to really write home about.

Vice nicely photographed, with some 360 degree shots in the mix, and acted out by a cast of competent performers, this film is satisfactory viewing overall, despite its excesses of sex and nudity. Also on the down side, the dialogue is often lame, it is often overly sentimental, has poor music choices, and the flashbacks are not fitted in with the rest of the story as best as is possible. However, some aspects of the plot are of mild interest, and the cast is reasonably good, in particular, Kathleen Beller. Still, it is mostly the wonderful work of the director of photography that keeps it worth watching. Even if quite flawed, it is worth the look: not really a great film, but one that is okay for light amusement.

Imagine a 1970's TV mini-series with added scenes of nudity and adult language and a somewhat bigger budget and the result is "The Betsy". Based on one of the gazillion cookie-cutter novels of Harold Robbins, the film looks and sounds just like a mini-series that slipped by the censors. Olivier (in the midst of one of his WORST periods for hammy overacting which also includes "The Boys From Brazil" and "The Jazz Singer") is a mega-rich automobile tycoon who has been ousted from his company to live in sedate luxury, albeit in a wheelchair. He follows the racing career of Jones closely and, after a nasty accident, convinces him to come and work for him in creating the third international car (after the Model T Ford and the Volkswagen.) This one is to be called The Betsy after his great-granddaughter Beller. Unfortunately, his nefarious grandson Duvall runs the company and doesn't want something as bothersome as a car to interfere with his profits from diversification into such products as dishwashers. This sets up a heated rivalry between Jones and Duvall. While this contemporary story plays out, Olivier flashes back to the 1930's when he was at his peak of power and he had his way with various women. Here, he contends with wimpy son Rudd and Rudd's lovely wife Ross who will one day give birth to Duvall. The stories play out alternately until the end when various connections detail how one tale is directly related to the other. The cast is fairly stellar for the most part, though few of the actors make any great impact. Olivier speaks in an inane and unexplained accent and overemotes ridiculously throughout. Fortunately, he's still rather entertaining nonetheless as his character gets several amusing things to say in the film. Jones is appealing and considerably more low-key than Olivier (anyone would be!) His fans will be surprised to see him in this traditional leading man type of role (and sporting an impressively chiseled torso.) Duvall (who, for some reason, appears shorter in this film than at any other point in his career!) nibbles his own share of the scenery as he tries to stay afloat in the melodramatics. Alexander retains her dignity as his neglected wife and Ross looks about as good as she ever did as his mother in the flashback scenes. A welcome dose of glamorous bitchery comes in the form of opportunistic and promiscuous Down. Her various high fashion costumes also bring occasional titters. Beller (the same chipmunk who would eventually land on "Dynasty" for a while in the '80's) is an acquired taste. Her Kewpie face and waist-length hair can annoy, yet her bare-everything swimming pool scene has earned her a few fans. She has one particularly ugly canary yellow dress which assaults the senses as well. Many other familiar actors pop in along the way including Swenson, Robert Guillaume's old sparring partner from "Benson". The title car seems a little goofy (people are supposed to drive around in a compact car that has Betsy emblazoned on the side?) and some of the dramatics seem pretty pointless. Maybe it was the time the film was made. The whole thing is a trashed-up precursor to "Dallas" and "Dynasty". There's even a stilted and tentatively presented homosexual relationship thrown into the mix. The sets, budget, costuming and cast elevate it to some degree and there are many unintentional laughs along the way. It is more than a little disconcerting, however, to see "Wuthering Heights" Heathcliff banging a French maid on his bed while his wife is downstairs carrying out a wedding reception for their son!