Betty Blue

Constellation Productions and Cargo Films

Industry	Film production
Founded	1985
Headquarters	France
Products	Films
Parent	Gaumont Distribution

Betty Blue () is a 1986 French erotic psychological drama directed and written by Jean-Jacques Beineix, adapted from Philippe Djian's 1985 novel 37°2 le matin. Featuring performances by Jean-Hugues Anglade and Béatrice Dalle, the film ranked as the eighth top-grossing movie in France during 1986, generating close to $2 million in revenue.

The movie was produced by Constellation Productions and Cargo Films, with distribution managed by Gaumont Distribution. Its runtime is 120 minutes, with an extended director’s cut lasting 185 minutes. The score was composed by Gabriel Yared, while Jean-François Robin was responsible for cinematography.

Receiving critical praise, Betty Blue earned nominations for the BAFTA Award and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1987, underscoring its global acclaim.

Plot

Zorg, a writer in his thirties, supports himself by maintaining beach houses in the coastal town of Gruissan along France’s Mediterranean shoreline. He embarks on a passionate relationship with Betty, a volatile 19-year-old who resides in his borrowed beach cabin. After a fierce quarrel during which she destroys the cabin, Betty finds Zorg’s manuscript, reads it, and praises him as a genius. Following another confrontation with his employer, she sets fire to the cabin.

They relocate to a small hotel on the outskirts of Paris, owned by Betty’s friend Lisa. Betty transcribes Zorg’s novel and submits it to publishers nearby. They meet Lisa’s boyfriend Eddy and begin working at his pizzeria until an altercation results in Betty stabbing a customer. Zorg attempts to soothe her. After discovering a rejection letter and assaulting the publisher, Zorg forces him to withdraw charges, emphasizing Betty’s significance in his life.

When Eddy’s mother passes away, they attend her funeral in Marvejols. Eddy offers them her house and piano shop to manage. Zorg appreciates the tranquil lifestyle and forms friendships with locals such as grocer Bob and his wife Annie; however, Betty’s erratic mood swings intensify. Following an argument, she shatters a window with her fist and flees screaming through town.

A pregnancy test initially indicates Betty might be expecting but is later disproven by laboratory analysis. She descends into depression and claims to hear voices. In an act of desperation, Zorg disguises himself as a woman to rob an armored cash vehicle to afford her happiness. Subsequently, Betty kidnaps a young boy from his mother; Zorg locates them and they evade law enforcement.

Upon returning home one day, Zorg discovers blood and learns that Betty has gouged out one of her eyes and is hospitalized. At the hospital, she is heavily sedated and later found catatonic while restrained. Informed that she requires extended treatment with uncertain prospects for recovery, Zorg blames her medication and assaults a doctor. After being expelled, he returns covertly that night disguised and suffocates Betty with a pillow before resuming his writing while imagining her voice through his cat.

Production

Filming took place over 13 weeks in 1985 across locations including Gruissan, Marseille, and Marvejols. Director Jean-Jacques Beineix observed that leads Jean-Hugues Anglade and Béatrice Dalle developed an intense off-camera relationship that blurred professional boundaries, adding to the film’s energy.

Release

Betty Blue made its debut in both the United Kingdom and the United States in November 1986, featuring English subtitle translations.

In 2000, a 185-minute director's cut was introduced, offering an extended exploration of Betty's mental deterioration and her desires related to motherhood, while also enriching the portrayal of Zorg through supplementary scenes.

Second Sight Films released both editions on Blu-ray in 2013. Subsequently, the director's cut was made available as part of The Criterion Collection on DVD and Blu-ray in November 2019.

Reception

Critical reception of Betty Blue was largely favorable. On Rotten Tomatoes, it maintains a 78% approval rating derived from 27 critiques, with an average score of 6.6 out of 10. Meanwhile, Metacritic assigned a weighted average score of 56 out of 100 based on 15 reviews, reflecting "mixed or average" feedback.

See also

• List of submissions to the 59th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
• List of French submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
• Cinéma du look

External links

• Betty Blue: The Look of Love – analytical essay by Chelsea Phillips-Carr at The Criterion Collection