Betty Blue (1986)

by Mark Murton

Original French Title: 37°2 le Matin (37.2°C in the Morning)

Directed by: Jean-Jacques Beineix

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: A would-be writer, Zorg (Jean-Hugues Anglade), begins a passionate, physical romance with the capricious, volatile Betty (Béatrice Dalle) but as the relationship progresses her unpredictability threatens to derail their happiness.

Kitty Cameo: The story eventually brings Zorg and Betty to a small provincial French town where they live on the premises of the piano shop they’ve agreed to run for a friend. Early one morning as Zorg explores their new surroundings he pauses to tap on the window of a shop where a Siamese cat sleeps inside.

Betty Blue - Zorg Jean-Hugues Anglade tapping on shop window with sleeping Siamese cat inside

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): With Betty asleep and Zorg still wired from some recently acquired cocaine he stalks around the apartment trying to amuse himself, eventually pulling some blank paper from a drawer and retiring to the kitchen to write. While sitting at the kitchen table a white cat arrives on the window sill.

Betty Blue - Zorg Jean-Hugues Anglade with white cat in window

Zorg becomes aware of its presence and smiles to himself before returning to his writing.

Betty Blue - Zorg Jean-Hugues Anglade looking at white cat in window animated gif

Some time later, Betty is asleep when Zorg comes into the room. This time the cat is sleeping on the bed with her.

Betty Blue - Zorg Jean-Hugues Anglade looking at white cat in bed with Betty Béatrice Dalle

Betty Blue - Zorg Jean-Hugues Anglade looking at white cat in bed with Betty Béatrice Dalle animated gif

In the film’s final scene, Zorg is again writing at the kitchen table with the cat sitting beside him.

Betty Blue - Zorg Jean-Hugues Anglade with white cat sitting on table

Betty Blue - Zorg Jean-Hugues Anglade looking at white cat on table while writing animated gif

Soon we hear Betty’s voice ask “Are you writing?” Zorg looks to the cat and replies “Just thinking,” before turning his attention back to his work.

Behind the Scenes:

The final scene with Betty’s voice seeming to emanate from the cat has caused much comment and this is something director Jean-Jacques Beineix addressed in the 2013 DVD/Blu-ray documentary Blue Notes & Bungalows – the Making of Betty Blue where he says, “To me (the cat) is the reincarnation of Betty . . . ” Beineix goes on to say, “There is an explanation but it’s not imposed. (The film) is all about the writing process . . . The famous white page . . . (and) the relation(ship) with cats who are the companions of writers. Strangely, Zorg starts to write when Betty disappears, she may be just a fantasy, she doesn’t exist, but it’s not like some films where at the end you discover she doesn’t exist, it’s (just) a suggestion.”