Brigitte Bardot and Saint-Tropez

Brigitte Bardot

In the fifties and sixties, Brigitte Bardot was one of the most attractive and erotic women in the world. Known as BB by the press, she had her international breakthrough with the film Et Dieu... créa la femme. Throughout her career, Brigitte Bardot started in fifteen films, became actively involved in animal rights and belonged to one of the greatest actresses ever to appear at the Cannes Film Festival.

Brigitte Bardot was well brought up in a wealthy, protective family. Even as a young girl she was very attractive and took ballet lessons.

She started her career at the tender age of fifteen as a model, working mainly for fashion houses specializing in hats. Within a very short period of time, she became one of the most sought after models in Paris and had already appear on the front cover of many renowned fashion magazines.

Early Films with Marc Allégret

Brigitte Bardot

In Paris, she met the French director Marc Allégret, who produced one of her earlier films. On 20 December 1952 at the age of eighteen, Brigitte Bardot got married to Roger Vadim - one of Marc Allégret's employees. Her newly wed husband was determined to increase her popularity as an actress. There were rumors at the time that he even invented several scandals around Brigitte Bardot in order to attract the attention of the press.

The film that was to be directed by Marc Allégret - the one planned before her marriage - did not happen. Instead, the film Le Trou Normand, starting Brigitte Bardot and directed by Jean Boyer was premiered in 1952.

Despite very bad reviews of the film - the critique was aimed not only at her work, but also her outer appearance - the mainly male film goers wanted to see more of her. After several more productions, she stared in Un acte d'amour with Kirk Douglas. With this film, she was able to establish her name. Branding her as a sex symbol, the press started calling her BB.

In 1954, Brigitte Bardot and Leni Riefenstahl started preparation for Die roten Teufel - a film that never was produced. Instead, she stared in several French productions. In some years, acting in up to three films.

Et Dieu... créa la femme

International breakthrough

Her international breakthrough came in 1956 at the side of Curd Jürgens in the Vadim filming of Et Dieu... créa la femme. As of this point, her name came to be associated with the best in international film.

In American she became a sex symbol, being the European answer to Marilyn Monroe. Any film in which she started was a guaranteed success and consequently, she only took on leading parts. At this point of her career (1957), films such as Une parisienne or En cas de malheur were produced.

Her marriage to Roger Vadim was suffering, mainly due to her success as an international actress. On 6 December 1957 she got divorced.

In 1958, the film La Femme et le pantin was produced, followed by Voulez-vous danser avec moi? one year later.

Shalako

Marriage to Jacques Charrier

Shortly after, she married Jacques Charrier, a playboy who was two years her younger. In 1960, she started in the film La Vérité, taking on a more serious role this time. She wanted to polish her tarnished image that has bugged her since her second marriage. On her twenty sixth birthday, she attempted to commit suicide - a result of the excessive psychological stress exercised upon her by the numerous unfavorable press reports at the time.

On recovering, she got divorced from her second husband. Her new mate and lifetime partner was Sami Frey. Successful films, such as Amours célèbres and Vie privée followed. Her psychological condition again started deteriorating, due in part to the incessant Paparazzi continually on her tail.

At the side of Sean Connery, the western Shalako premiered in 1968. This film was finished, despite her wish at the time to step out of the limelight.

At the beginning of the seventies, she finally decided to call it a day. Some of her last films included Boulevard du rhum and Si Don Juan était une femme. Despite her marital status, Brigitte Bardot had may affairs throughout her career, including the infamous seventy day marriage to Gunter Sachs.

During her career, Brigitte Bardot lived mainly in Saint-Tropez, in contrast to most other film stars who preferred near lying Monte Carole. Simply due to her presence, the sleepy fishing village of Saint-Tropez became an internationally watched town. Brigitte Bardot is widely regarded as the person who put Saint-Tropez on the map.

Activist for the protection endangered species

Brigitte Bardot

After her film career, Brigitte Bardot became actively supportive of animal rights and environmental protection issues. She used her popularity to get laws changed concerning the number of baby seals that may be killed annually. After being very successful in the seventies, she became one of the most prominent activists for the protection of endangered species.

Today, Brigitte Bardot still lives in Saint-Tropez and Paris. Her face and type became synonymous with the taste and style of the sixties and seventies film industry.

Along with John Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon, Brigitte Bardot is one of the most successful actresses in French film.

Blog Posts about Saint-Tropez

To learn more about Saint-Tropez, her history, cultures and traditions, please take a look at the following entries in the Provence Blog:

New posts that point to interesting articles about the Provence and her surrounding area are added to the blog on a daily basis.

Further Information about Saint-Tropez

For more information, please contact Office de Tourisme de Saint-Tropez (see below). They will be only too pleased to assist you further and to send you tourist information via snail mail.

Office de Tourisme de Saint-Tropez
BP 218
83994 Saint-Tropez

Tel: +33.4.94.97.45.21
Fax: +33.4.94.97.82.66

http://www.ot-saint-tropez.com