Born in 1934, she became an icon in several different ways. A fashion icon, a film icon, an iconic beauty and an icon of France itself. She was desired and lusted after by hot-blooded men across the western world and she in her turn had countless lovers.
She once said, "“I gave my beauty and my youth to men. I am going to give my wisdom and experience to animals” before becoming a powerful advocate for animals. She fought against animal cruelty, the fur trade , hunting as a leisure sport, laboratory use of animals and, most controversially, Muslim slaughter rituals.
Brigitte had just one child - Nicolas-Jacques Charrier - born in 1960 but her relationship with him was always difficult. Initially, she railed against pregnancy and motherhood and it took decades for her to establish a harmonious relationship with her son. I guess that being a sex symbol may not always sit well with simply being a mother.
At my age, I have known of Brigitte Bardot all my life. She was in the same fold as Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida. Beautiful and kind of unattainable, her image manipulated by film companies and magazine photographers alike. It is sad that she has now gone, marking another turning point in cultural history.
Sophia Loren was way above BB's "sex kitten" image. Loren is the real thing. A woman.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pity my mother died four months before Brigitte. For reasons unfathomable to me, she [my mother] always disputed Bardot's age. Whatever. My mother made it to ninety two. Who is counting.
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Sad to read of another icon passing but 91 isn't too shabby. She was beautiful and I liked the things she fought for with the animals etc. But "railed against pregnancy and motherhood" makes me wonder why she had a child at all when she knew she would not be accepting of it or good at it.
ReplyDeleteShe looked as if she had everything but she had a bad home life and a cruel father. Also she got pregnant at a time when there was no pill and she was unable to get an abortion, so she had to carry on with a pregnancy she knew she didn't want.
ReplyDeleteAdieu, Gitte.
ReplyDeleteUn autre endroit, une autre epoque.
Une autre Place ...
La Scala, Glasgow's most beautiful cinema, screened Viva Maria !
Directed by Louis Malle.
It brought Brigitte Bardot and Jeanne Moreau together for the first time.
It became an iconic movie poster.
Ex-lovers used to say *Un autre Place* meaning we may meet again on ...
Place Vendome, Place des Vosges, Place de la Concorde, Place du Tertre.
The great female sex symbols of our age also have to grow old and die sadly. Well she had a good innings, did a lot for animal rights and I expect Gabriel will let her pass the gates of heaven.
ReplyDeleteWhile I admired her for her work for animal rights, I can not leave aside that she had rather extremist right-wing views which she made no secret of.
ReplyDeleteHer decision of leaving the film industry while she was still at the top was a wise one. At that time, there weren‘t many good roles about for actresses who were beginning to show their age.
I was impressed many years ago when I learnt of animal rights activism but less impressed with her racism and homophobia.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly makes me feel old to read of the regular well-known icons popping their clogs.
ReplyDeleteA long life, well lived.
ReplyDeleteHer legacy is greatly marred by her extremist right-wing views and racist/homophobic hate speech in her later years. Beautiful on the outside, not so much inside.
ReplyDeleteYouTube : Dario Moreno *Brigitte Bardot*.
ReplyDeleteRoger Vadim must have laughed his socks off.
The English version -
* Brigitte Bardot, Bardot ! Got the longest legs I know ! *
Goofy song the kids danced to during the Cold War.
"I have been a prisoner of myself all my life". Aren't we all?
ReplyDeleteSo Brigitte and Gina are gone.... how long until we hear about Sofia? All beautiful women.
ReplyDeleteYes, she was a sex symbol for males of our age, YP, and she did a lot for animals. But her right wing conservative views in her older age eclipse all of that. Miss her, yes, but don't idolize her.
ReplyDelete