Author(s): Ginette Vincendeau

Film & TV

Brigitte Bardot was the first official face of Marianne, the figure synonymous with the liberty of France. She became one of the most famous faces of French cinema during the 50s and 60s and set the world alight when she appeared in And God Created Woman in 1957. Working with some of the most revered film directors in the world, including Jean-Luc Godard and Louis Malle, as well as appearing with such luminaries as Kirk Douglas and Sean Connery, Bardot has had as colourful a life off screen as she has on. Four times married - her first husbands were Roger Vadim, Jacques Charrier (by whom she had a son) and Gunter Sachs - Bardot retired from films in 1973, determined to "get out elegantly". Bardot's life and career is examined in this beautifully illustrated book, going behind the scenes to take a look at her performances in films such as Le Mepris, Les Femmes and Les Petroleuses.