I first saw Brigitte Bardot in Jean-Luc Godard's excellent Contempt and was struck by her beauty and persona. I have no idea if she is considered a great actress or not (she probably is good at best) but her glamour and star power is undeniable. She was arguably as big of a star and celebrity as her American counterparts Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. Naturally I was intrigued to see her in her breakout role in And God Created Woman, a film in hindsight made specifically to shoot Bardot into superstardom by her then husband Roger Vadim.
In this film, Bardot, who was twenty-two at the time, plays eighteen year old Juliette, an untamed and carefree girl with few inhibitions. In her very first scene she is seen sunbathing in the nude (profile only, no actual nudity in the movie). She spends the majority of the film not caring about the social codes or opinions of others. Juliette is chased by three men, an older millionaire Eric and two brothers Antoine and Michel. The young and naive Michel proposes to Juliette in order to keep her from being sent away by her foster mother in a marriage of convenience. He truly loves her and hopes that she will one day love him too, despite what everyone thinks. She tries her best at the married life but she grows restless and in the process drives all three men nuts.
To say Bardot stars in the film is an understatement. The film is an excuse to show her off in as many seductive ways possible. While there is no actual nudity in the movie, remember this was filmed in 1956 before nudity or even sexuality was commonplace so you can imagine the stir this film created. Bardot's naked profile is seen one minute into the movie to set the tone. In more than one occasion she wears nothing but a bed sheet and in others wears tight fitting dresses swaying her hips seductively as she walks. In the final sequences, her sensuality is displayed full force as she dances the mamba.
But other than showcasing Bardot, what really is the purpose of And God Created Woman? At first I thought it was a rather light hearted story about a liberated woman living on her own terms, but it's really hard to call this film feminist. If anything, the film is overtly sexist. It introduces the viewer to Juliette but her behavior is not rewarded or fully explored. On the contrary, the film is about attempting to tame and conform her. In the final scene when Juliette is out of control, Michel quite literally slaps her back to reality, then the couple is seen quietly walking home as if that settled everything. What kind of message is that? The film's title has religious implications as well, comparing Juliette to Eve, who would tempt man into sin. As Eric comments about Juliette, "That woman was created to destroy man." Very subtle.
The film definitely has its strong points, namely Bardot, who is beautiful and charming. The film is also funny at times and occasional moments of tenderness come through, but the overall story and message remain a little hallow.
Grade: C+
Sounds sexy!
ReplyDeleteDamn women!!