Brigitte Bardot’s Top 10 Films That Changed Cinema

“Films have never shown the kind of relationship that can exist between two women.” – Brigitte Bardot

Brigitte Bardot, the legendary French performer, left the screen nearly half a century ago, yet her influence still lingers in every corner of the film world. Known for her striking looks and magnetic presence, Bardot became a symbol of the 1950s and ‘60s, starring in classics like Contempt and The Truth. She didn’t just play up her image for the cameras; she used it to push boundaries and challenge ideas about women’s roles. Simone de Beauvoir once called her “the first and most liberated woman of post-war France.” Bardot even turned down the Legion of Honour in 1985. Reflecting on her career, she once said,

The majority of great actresses met tragic ends. When I said goodbye to this job, to this life of opulence and glitter, images and adoration, the quest to be desired, I was saving my life.

Bardot also became a fierce advocate for animal rights, describing her activism as

a battle. A fight against cruelty, stupidity, and the indifference of humans. It’s animals against man, a furious fight meant to better the conditions of animals in the world, to open people’s eyes, to fight their selfishness, and to protect the weakest from the most destructive forces.

In recent years, her political views have sparked plenty of debate, but her legacy on screen remains undeniable. Bardot’s work inspired a generation of women to find their own voice and confidence, and the films below played a big part in shaping the industry as we know it.

The Early Years and Breakthrough Roles

The Bear and the Doll (1970) saw Bardot as Felicia, a lively woman trying to win over a straight-laced musician and single dad, Gaspard (Jean-Pierre Cassel). The film, inspired by old-school American screwball comedies, was originally written for Catherine Deneuve. Bardot herself counted this one among her favourites, along with The Truth and And God Created Woman.

In Une Parisienne (1957), Bardot played the French president’s daughter, who marries his secretary (Henri Vidal). Their marriage quickly unravels thanks to jealousy and affairs. This film followed her breakout in And God Created Woman and helped cement her reputation as a comic and sensual star. Critics even called it “a daring documentary on the natural beauties of Brigitte Bardot.”

Plucking the Daisy (1956) cast Bardot as Agnès Dumont, a general’s daughter who runs off to Paris after her father discovers she’s written a scandalous novel. She ends up in a striptease contest, adding to her growing reputation for playing bold, unconventional women. Bardot’s collaborations with Roger Vadim and Marc Allégret began years earlier, and this film was one of several that shaped her early career.

Genre-Bending and International Success

The Legend of Frenchie King (1971) put Bardot in a western, playing an outlaw who, with her sisters, first clashes with another outlaw (Claudia Cardinale) before teaming up for revenge. While critics weren’t too keen, audiences enjoyed it more than some of her later work. Cardinale admitted,

I was a fan of Brigitte Bardot. Who could not be? When I was young, she was my idol. I loved her elegance and her natural power. She was unique.

Viva Maria! (1965) paired Bardot with Jeanne Moreau as two women named Maria who become revolutionaries. Bardot’s performance earned her a Bafta nomination. Director Louis Malle described the dynamic:

Jeanne Moreau holding out for the ideal of love, Brigitte Bardot seizing the day; one opting for wiliness and passivity, the other for forthrightness and risk. And then, too, the film offers you a space to reflect on political violence, so inconsequential in the movie and so bloody and incendiary outside.

Love Is My Profession (1958) was Bardot’s first serious drama, where she played a young woman accused of theft, defended by a top Parisian lawyer (Jean Gabin). The film marked a shift in her career, pairing her with one of France’s biggest stars and showing her range beyond comedy and romance.

Defining Performances and Lasting Impact

And God Created Woman (1956) is often credited with launching Bardot’s career, casting her as a free-spirited 18-year-old challenging social norms. The film faced censorship in the US, where promos declared, “God Created Woman but the Devil created Brigitte Bardot!” Bardot later praised her co-star Jean-Louis Trintignant:

Actors always want to look young. Jean-Louis doesn’t care. As a result, we’re talking about him again. He’s exceptional. Rare. I find that fantastic, that’s all.

The Night Heaven Fell (1958), set in rural Spain, focused on the chemistry between Bardot and Stephen Boyd. Boyd said of Bardot,

She gives adults that same feeling of sneaking cookies out of the cupboard that they had at the age of six. They giggle and try to explain their interest as pure amusement, but actually it’s their animal adolescence showing….it’s the sort of thing that the man in the street can’t resist. It’s a symbol of things that are not openly discussed.

La Vérité (1960) is widely regarded as one of Bardot’s finest performances, with her role as Dominique, a woman accused of killing her lover. The film was nominated for an Oscar and won Bardot a David di Donatello Award. She recalled,

When it was a comedy, I was in a fun mood, perky. But a dramatic role just wiped me out. When I was shooting The Truth, Clouzot was so good at persuading me that I was this loose woman, this tragic character, that I ended up believing it. I became Dominique. So much so, that a few months later I wanted to commit suicide myself.

Contempt (1963), directed by Jean-Luc Godard, is often seen as Bardot’s most complex role. The film, shot in Rome and Capri, is a visually stunning exploration of filmmaking and life. Bardot and Godard didn’t always see eye to eye, but the result was unforgettable. Bardot remembered,

It’s common knowledge that [Godard] got on my nerves. I thought he looked stupid wearing that hat all the time. We were always having to make up dialogue at the last minute. There was no plot. It was a real free-for-all. Not to mention the hordes of paparazzi following me about. But it turned into a great film, and so much the better.