...And God Created Woman

Sexuality is a mysterious creature at times, determined by many different elements: the physical appearance of a person, the way their body moves, their attitude towards life, the way they express their emotions, their creativity, the subtle fragrance they give off, the way they talk, and sometimes an x-factor that can't be defined. What strikes me about Bardot's powerful sexuality is that cinema really hadn't seen anything like it before she came around. The closest example I can think of in American film might be Lauren Bacall in "To Have and Have Not," but even that misses the mark. Bardot was not only a beautiful woman but she had a fun, mischievous and freedom-loving spirit and a fiery mind lurking around behind her sometimes poorly written characters, and these things make her even more attractive. Plus, she had a great voice. Which is why I was stunned to see a trailer for _Et Dieu... créa la femme_ dubbed into English at the end of the subtitled version. The woman doing Bardot's voice sounded awful, and so much of Brigitte's sexuality was lost. Imagine Bacall telling Bogie "You know how to whistle, don't you Steve?" in a squeaky, high-pitched voice. Would she be as sexy? I don't think so. Yet people watching the dubbed version of this film are getting something similar.

As far as the film itself goes, most everything has already been said in other comments. Bardot does a great job as Juliette - who else could have done the role so well? - and Jurgens was quite good as Eric Carradine. The setting is luscious and fits perfectly with Bardot's character and the overall mood of the tale. The music is excellent, from the title sequence at the beginning through the dance scene at the end. The story can be cliched at times and there are definitely machista elements. But it's not a bad story either, with good tension created between the brothers. The fight sequences, as someone else mentioned, are laughable and poorly done. But it doesn't really matter. It's Bardot's show all the way - from her nude Cinemascope sunbathing shot that opens the film, with the witty dialog between her and Jurgens, to her erotic dance that serves as the climax of the story. Along the way we get several nice scenes that show her broader persona, including the one where she sets the bird and rabbit free in the field, and the scene in the bookstore with the woman from the orphanage.

But, for the sake of Dieu, don't see this movie dubbed.

one of films who seems have a single actor. because Roger Vadim use the eroticism of young Bardot for a touching story about youth, choices and love in real inspired manner. but that option has the importance for build a large mirror of a period. the borders of an age who seems more present in our society than in "50's and that could be the key of its success today. the grace to explore the desires of a young woman looking for a strange, obscure form of happiness. Trintignan in a of role who reminds the noble characters by Dostoievsky and the Romantic idealist . Curt Junger as the lover who use his power for define his age , cruel analyzer of the others. a film who seduces. and a film who gives precise definition for an obscure state of soul.

Before this movie, I had never seen a naked woman that moved. Unless you count the images in magazines waving in the breeze! Ever since then I have had a love of slim blondes with long hair, , so I guess it must have had an effect on me. Besides that, "Art Films" were rare in Australia at the time, so it was quite a revelation to me. I don't remember much of the film, but the picture of the beautiful Bridgette will always remain in my mind. It was nice to see, in later years that she became such a strong advocate for animal welfare, and has retired semi-gracefully to her villa. Thank you Bridgette for all the entertainment.

This was the movie which launched Brigitte Bardot as the sex symbol of the fifties and sixties in the the role of the teenager Juliette. And this is really a movie about a woman. She fills the screen during the whole projection with her gorgeous and generous anatomy and also with her way of smiling, talking, laughing, walking and dancing in a mixture of flesh, fire and beauty displaying moreover her personality and her fears, desires and anguish. However she is no "femme fatale" and only a tender teenager who cannot be blamed for having been born so pretty, charming and physically well shaped and who sometimes appears almost like a defenceless child. The story involves not the classical triangle but a quadrilateral instead whose vertices are besides Juliette herself, her young husband, his brother and the rich middle aged businessman who covets her since the beginning. The end of the story is somewhat conventional but acceptable anyway. This movie was received like a bomb in the movie world shaking some moral canons and shocking a lot people although by today's patterns it can be judged as rather innocent. Anyway the story is simple,original and well conceived and the actors play well which makes it a good movie after all.

This groundbreaking Vadim film made Ms. Bardot the hottest sex symbol on the planet back in 1956. Vadim was never much of a director, but he had great taste in women (Bardot, Deneuve, J. Fonda). Brigitte Bardot is a knockout as a spoiled and selfish 20 y/o who doesn't seem to know what she wants, but all the men want HER! No one walks down a street like Ms. Bardot. Beautiful location and good performances all around.

It's too bad the dubbed version has a terrible voice used for Brigitte, but her physical presence carries it anyway. She knows how to move and hold your attention. Just an incredibly vibrant creature of the 50's. She has undervalued as an actress and no one was sexier or more sure of herself (at least ON screen). Best performance = Bardot. A 7 out of 10.