The Betsy
| The Betsy | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Daniel Petrie |
| Produced by | Robert R. Weston |
| Written by | William Bast Walter Bernstein Harold Robbins (novel) |
| Starring | Laurence Olivier Tommy Lee Jones Robert Duvall Clifford David |
| Distributed by | Allied Artists |
| Release date(s) | February 9 1978 |
| Running time | 125 m |
| Language | English |
The Betsy is a 1978 film made by the Harold Robbins International Company and released by Allied Artists. It was directed by Daniel Petrie and produced by Robert R. Weston and Emanuel L. Wolf with Jack Grossberg as associate producer. The screenplay was by William Bast and Walter Bernstein, adapted from the novel of the same title by Harold Robbins. The novelist considered The Betsy as the "best movie adaptation of any of his works."[1]
The film stars Laurence Olivier, Robert Duvall, Katharine Ross, Tommy Lee Jones, Jane Alexander, Joseph Wiseman, Kathleen Beller, Edward Herrmann, Paul Ryan Rudd, and Lesley-Anne Down.
The Betsy features music composed by John Barry.[2] It was filmed at Rosecliff mansion in Newport Rhode Island.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
A fading family-owned automobile manufacturer and its owners pin their hopes for a return to profitability on a new model named for the great-granddaughter of the firm's founder.
The aging Loren Hardeman remains the titular head of a Detroit automotive conglomerate. (An obvious parallel exists between this fictional character and that of Henry Ford.) His grandson, Loren III, now runs the company as president, but has diversified into other fields and is concerned that the auto division is not as lucrative as it once was and might even need to be eliminated.
A young auto racer, Angelo Perino, has been secretly commissioned to develop a ground-breaking, fuel-efficient car. He juggles romantic relationships with a British royal, Lady Bobby Ayres, and the young Betsy, who is about to turn 21 and inherit a fortune, including the new car her great-grandfather is naming in her honor.
Loren III bitterly despises Hardeman senior, who once carried on an affair with Loren's mother. The older Hardeman is not the man he used to be, but neither is he ready to step aside forever.
[edit] Cast
- Laurence Olivier as Loren Hardeman
- Tommy Lee Jones as Angelo Perino
- Robert Duvall as Loren III
- Katharine Ross as Sally Hardeman
- Jane Alexander as Alicia Hardeman
- Lesley-Anne Down as Lady Ayres
- Kathleen Beller as Betsy
- Joseph Wiseman as Jake Weinstein
- Edward Herrmann as Dan Weyman
[edit] Production
Assembly-plant footage was filmed at the American Motors (AMC) Kenosha, Wisconsin facility. It shows 1978 Gremlin, Pacer, and Concord models being built and painted.
The titular car is a slightly modified Lancia Beta Coupe.
[edit] Notes
- ^ "William Bast recalls the making of The Betsy". American Legends. undated. http://www.americanlegends.com/Interviews/bill_bast_interview.html. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
- ^ "The Betsy (1978)". movies.com by Muze, Inc.. 2007. http://movies.com/the-betsy/d824888/drama. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
[edit] Reviews
- Maslin, Janet (1978-02-10). "The Betsy (1978) Screen: Of Cars, Sex Money and 'The Betsy':Family Affair". The New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9803E5DC1430E632A25753C1A9649C946990D6CF&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
- "The Betsy (1978)". movies.com by Muze, Inc. 2007. http://movies.com/the-betsy/d824888/drama. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
- The Betsy at the Internet Movie Database
[edit] External links
- The Betsy at the Internet Movie Database
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