...And God Created Woman (1956)

'Et Dieu ... crea la femme' (= French for 'And God created woman') is the film that catapulted Brigitte Bardot to world fame.

Originally issued in France, 'Dieu' didn't do much. Thereafter it was sold to the USA, where - to everyone's surprise - it hit like an atomic bomb. Attracting packed houses all over the place, getting businessmen to marvel at BB's most seductive performance ever.

Now, more than fifty years later, 'Et Dieu ... crea la femme' may be qualified as a mediocre but entertaining French fifties-film. With nice coloring and a consistent story.

Its immortality, however, is guaranteed by Brigitte Bardot as the orphan-girl Juliette. Her message is simple: Paradise is just around the corner. Transferred to you in a truly devastating way, never equaled before or since.

Fmovies: A rich man by the name of "Eric Carradine" (Curd Jürgens) wants to build a casino but needs the land owned by working class man named "Antoine Tardieu" (Christian Marquand) and his family. As it so happens, both men know a young and attractive woman named "Juliete Hardy" (Brigitte Bardot) who lives life to the fullest and it's because of her wanton disregard for convention that each want her in the worst possible way. Although Juliette loves Antoine and gives serious consideration to running off with him, she accidentally overhears Antoine bragging to a friend that he plans to sleep with her that night and then cast her aside the next morning. To further complicate matters, upon returning home that evening her foster parents tell her that they have decided to return her to the orphanage within a few days because of her flirtatious conduct. So with nowhere else to go she accepts a sudden marriage proposal from Antoine's younger brother "Michel" (Jean-Louis Trintignant) who absolutely adores her. Needless to say, this infuriates Antoine and the rest of the family who don't think very highly of her at all. Not only that but she doesn't change her conduct in the least--which only intensifies the sexual tension for all concerned. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film created quite a stir when it first came out and it's not hard to imagine why as Brigitte Bardot's performance was absolutely sensational. Having said that, however, I don't think the overall drama was nearly as sharp as it could have been. Additionally, I think it is only fair to say that this film's subject matter pales in comparison to other movies of this type today and with that in mind I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Pouty Brigitte Bardot in the movie that made her an international star. Is it me or does her nubile orphan Juliette bear the basic "accoutrements" of those legendary tragediennes of 19th century English literature like Tess of the D'Urbervilles or Eustacia Wye? It might explain Juliette's last name: Hardy. Except "And God Created Woman" is set in St. Tropez and is not a tragedy. Flat out, it's a middle-aged Frenchman's chic, paternalistic vision of the irrepressible nymphet. By paternalistic, I mean we know more about what the men in her life think about her than what she thinks about them or herself. Curt Jurgens' character (who, I think, stands in for director Roger Vadim) sizes her up quickly, and in the end, blows town with Christian Marquand who plays Antoine, the man she really wants. He's got her number; to him, she's the type who refuses to be tamed, who uses her obvious "gifts" to get what she wants, who's easily bored and distracted, and a slave to her whims. To Antoine, she is an incorrigible wanton; he has no faith that she'll change. But Antoine has his way with her (He figures it's what she wants, and it is), abuses her, and tries to wise up his younger brother (Jean-Louis Trintignant) who had married her. By chic, I mean Vadim always knew how to cast attractive people in his movies. Bardot isn't the only "hotty" here; Marquand matches her heat, watt for watt, and with less effort. There's a jazzy hipness to their look for which few directors besides Vadim had a talent. Still, when Juliette is rejected and runs back to her trusting husband, the movie fades from memory, and the last shot in the picture (of the street where she lives) recalls the landscapes Cezanne abstracted into modern art oblivion.

...And God Created Woman fmovies. 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.

Pfff... In all her 48 movies Brigitte Bardot never catches public imagination more thouroughly and efficiently than she does in 'et Dieu créa la femme'. Her performance in this movie really makes the sparks fly off your screen. Make sure you see the new, cleaned up version, by the way. You'll better appreciate its fine use of colors.

By this statement we have captured the essence of 'Dieu'. There really is nothing more positive to say about this movie. But it is enough. More than enough. Surely no one could have played the role of Juliette better than Brigitte did. By wearing her long, blond hair loose, Brigitte suggest sexual availability. Paradise on earth is just around the corner, she tells us. And today Brigitte's message sounds as fresh and promising as in 1956. That's why 'et Dieu créa la femme' is immortal.

In St. Tropez, the orphan Juliete Hardy (Brigitte Bardot) is an eighteen years old woman sexually active and ahead of time, strongly desired by the wealthy middle age man Eric Carradine (Curd Jurgens). She has a crush on Antoine Tardieu (Christian Marquand), the older son that works in Toulon of a poor family that owns a modest shipyard, but he just want to have one nightstand with her. When Juliete's stepparents decide to send her back to the orphanage because of her bad reputation in the town, Antoine's brother Michel Tardieu (Jean-Louis Trintignant) proposes to marry her and she accepts, and she begins to love him. But when the Tardieu family decides to sell the shipyard to Eric and Antoine returns to St. Tropez, her lust for him blossoms again and becomes an announced tragedy.

This is the first time that I watch "Et Dieu... Créa la Femme" and I found it a surprisingly good movie. The story is extremely sexy and ahead of time, and works mainly because of the extremely beautiful and sensual Brigitte Bardot. Her sensuality and eroticism is impressive even in 2007, and I confess that I felt in love for her. The IMDb Tagline "...but the devil invented Brigitte Bardot!" is amazing, certainly one of the best I have ever read in this outstanding site. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Â…E Deus Criou a Mulher" ("Â…And God Created the Woman")