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Years ago, back when I was a timid teenage girl, my timid teenage girl friends and I used to gather on Friday nights to watch movies. We watched comedies and cartoons and chick flicks, but we had a soft spot for movies about timid girls like us who found a way to be not-so-timid—like Penelope Ann Miller’s title character in The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag.
Mild-mannered small-town librarian Betty Lou Perkins dreams of being the kind of strong, assertive woman who makes people stop what they’re doing and pay attention. Instead, her boss ignores her, her sister (Julianne Moore) walks all over her, and even her husband, Detective Alex Perkins (Eric Thal), pays little attention to her—especially now that he’s investigating a murder.
When Betty Lou discovers the murder weapon, she tries to turn it in, but no one will listen—not even Alex. Out of frustration, she accidentally fires the gun in a department store restroom—and when she’s brought to the police station for questioning, she decides to confess to the crime.
Suddenly, Betty Lou has all the attention she’s ever wanted. Thanks to her working-girl cellmates, she’s even got a new attitude and a hot new look. But when a mobster arrives from New Orleans, looking for something that the victim stole from him, Betty Lou realizes that she’s in over her head.
With its screwball comedy and clichéd characters, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag is a late-night guilty pleasure—the kind of old movie that’s best enjoyed with a drink in your hand and plenty of friends nearby.
Of course, there’s nothing realistic—or even slightly believable—about the story. No woman, no matter how frustrated she may be with her life, is going to confess to a random murder just to get a little bit of attention. But, for my younger self and my timid friends, the character’s transformation was remarkable—and maybe even inspiring. We loved watching the mild-mannered nobody turn into the bold, beautiful somebody—even if it meant a little time in the slammer.
Now, all these years later, my perspective has changed a bit. While Old Betty Lou reminds me of some of my old friends, her personality tends to grate a little more than it once did, and her constant whining is frustrating, despite her good intentions. On the other hand, New Betty Lou’s treatment of Alex seems pretty harsh. It’s hard not to feel sorry for him, no matter how neglectful and controlling he may have been. And, really, when push comes to shove, New Betty Lou is just the same timid Old Betty Lou—only with a cooler hairdo. So although I once loved cool New Betty Lou—with a bold new personality to match her new wardrobe—I now prefer Alfre Woodard’s Ann Orkin, Betty Lou’s tough but flustered attorney, who tries to be the voice of reason in the midst of the insanity.
While the far-fetched story and sometimes distractingly bad acting keep The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag from must-see status, the crazy comedy and over-the-top characters still make it a fun flashback for a lazy Friday night.
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