Brigitte Bardot was such a complex personality that several completely different biographical films could be made about her: about Brigitte Bardot the sex symbol who rivaled only with Marilyn Monroe in her time (OK, maybe also a few Italian actresses); about Brigitte Bardot the lover who had relationships with several of the famous actors, filmmakers, and musicians of her youth, failing to maintain a stable relationship with any of them for a long time; about Brigitte Bardot the actress who, in several films, managed to break the cliché of the actress who was too beautiful to be talented and profound enough; about Brigitte Bardot the not-so-successful mother; about Brigitte Bardot deciding to leave the spotlight of the film studios and dedicating her public life to a cause that one can only support provided it is not excessively promoted; about Brigitte Bardot, the woman who did not want or could not control her excesses. The mini-series ‘Bardot‘, made in 2023, tries to combine some of these themes and follows the path of the young 14-year-old girl who becomes a famous actress and object of adoration of men in France and around the world in a few years, stopping at the age of 26, after the woman known worldwide by her two initials – BB – had become a not very successful wife and mother. The creators are Danièle and Christopher Thompson, themselves descendants of a family of French film nobility (mother and son, she being the daughter of the actor, screenwriter and director Gérard Oury, the author of the superb comedy with Rabbi Jacob). A few more famous family names appear in the cast, proof that the French film world has not forgotten her and is bringing BB back into focus. I am not sure, however, that if she viewed (probably not) or had viewed the series, Brigitte Bardot would have been very pleased.
As a cinema lover, what I missed most in this mini-series was the deeper connection with the films in which Brigitte Bardot starred and the roles she played. Beyond her star beauty and the glitter of publicity, Bardot was an interesting actress, who ultimately launched her career based on a real talent doubled by a unique charisma. The films in which she starred are only mentioned superficially and none of the actress’s secrets are revealed to us. I would have at least inserted in the credits a few sequences from the films in which she starred in each period covered by the six episodes. Maybe there was a copyright issue, I don’t know. Otherwise, the script seemed well-constructed to me, each episode has a central idea and a narrative structure that covers and resolves the plot well and arouses interest in watching the next episode. I also liked the way the sets and costumes manage to recreate the atmosphere of the era and the lifestyle of stars and aspiring film stars.
The lead role is entrusted to the 23-year-old debutante Julia de Nunez. I believe that the main selection criterion was physical resemblance, as was with the choice of several other actors who play the roles of real personalities who surrounded BB in life. Julia de Nunez had a kind of ‘mission impossible’ in recreating on screen the brilliance of one of the most impressive stars in film history, and I think she coped with this task very well. Like BB, she will have to prove in her future roles that she is not only very beautiful, but also talented. I think that she has good chances of success. Connoisseurs of French film history will delight in recognizing personalities who marked the era. I especially liked Victor Belmondo – who looks very much like his grandfather, but also like Roger Vadim whom he embodies, Yvan Attal – whose every appearance on the screen is a delight, Anne Le Ny as BB’s agent, Jean Franco as the ungrateful personal assistant and Giuseppe Maggio – as a paparazzi, imaginary character but representative of the reporters who were harassing the star. The scenes in which she flees from the pressure of publicity generated by the scandalous press are heartbreaking, they reminded me of the last minutes of Princess Diana’s life. The script clearly highlights the fact that BB was a product of publicity and a victim of it, she couldn’t live without publicity, but she often gave in psychologically under pressure. The only actor who disappointed me was Noham Edje, who created such a boring Trintignant that he made me wonder how BB could consider him her greatest (or only great) love. The biographical journey in the film ends in 1961, but there is still enough room in the star’s life and biography for a few more series that I am looking forward to.