And God Created Woman (original title: Et Dieu Crea La Femme) is a 1956 French film directed by Roger Vadim and starring Brigitte Bardot. This was Bardot's Star-Making Role, though it wasn't her first film by a long shot.
The plot concerns Juliette Hardy (Bardot), a rather irresponsible 18-year-old girl living with foster parents in Saint Tropez. She is very popular amongst the male populace of the town, including wealthy businessman Eric Carradine (Curd Jürgens). But the one she falls in love with is Antoine Tardieu (Christian Marquand), who treats her like dirt. When her foster parents threaten to send her back to the orphanage, she accepts the marriage proposal from Antoine's nicer, younger brother Michel (Jean-Louis Trintignant). While Juliette is getting used to married life, Antoine moves back into the house and drama ensues.
Director Roger Vadim made another movie called And God Created Woman in 1988, but otherwise its content has nothing to do with this one.
Provides examples of:
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Juliette pines for Antoine despite the fact that he only wants to sleep with her and regards her as a slut that's not good for anything else. Even after marrying the kinder Michel, she still wants Antoine, and only definitively turns her affections to Michel after he "disciplines" her for cheating on him at the end.
- Angry Dance: Juliette's mambo near the end of the movie.
- Barefoot Loon: Juliette; her penchant for going barefoot illustrates her free spirit and disregard for social conventions.
- Bathroom Stall of Overheard Insults: Juliette goes to a dance with Antoine early in the film. When she goes to the bathroom, she overhears him saying that her kind is only for one-night stands.
- Chekhov's Gun: A literal one. Juliette plays with a gun in Antoine's office. Later, this gun is used by Michel to force Antoine to let him go and finally to try to kill Juliette.
- Cuckold Horns: When Juliette and Michel are walking home after their wedding, a man sitting on a boat mocks Michel by sing-songing to him "The husband wears horns", since everyone is expecting Juliette to be unfaithful and thusly Michel is considered a fool for marrying her.
- Death by Woman Scorned: Subverted. Michel wants to kill Juliette after she cheated on him with Antoine, but Carradine prevents him from shooting at her.
- Dirty Old Man: Juliette's foster father watches her while she's sunbathing naked. When his wife catches him, she calls him a dirty old man.
- Drowning My Sorrows: After her affair with Antoine is exposed, Juliette orders drinks after drinks in a bar.
- Fanservice: Durr. Brigitte Bardot's in it.
- Friend to All Living Things: Juliette likes animals. In her bedroom, she has a rabbit, a bird and a kitten.
- The Hedonist: Juliette.
- Honorable Marriage Proposal: After Juliette is discarded by Antoine (though they didn't actually have sex) and it is revealed that Juliette will be sent back to the orphanage, his brother Michel takes pity on her and hastily marries her, believing that he can tame her wild ways. (In fairness, Michel was very attracted to Juliette before, but was too shy to ask her out.)
- In Name Only: In the 1980s, Vadim made a film with the same name which is often regarded as a remake of this one, but has next to nothing in common plotwise.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: "Hey, that sort of stuff is rated R." note - Christian (Michel's younger brother) about Michel and Juliette making out in the living room.
- Love Triangle: Michel loves Juliette, while she loves Antoine. Juliette decidedly loves Michel at movie's end, though.
- Making Love in All the Wrong Places: Juliette and Antoine have sex on the beach.
- Major Injury Underreaction: Carradine about taking a bullet in the hand.
- May–December Romance: If Carradine/Juliette had ever turned into something serious, they'd be this trope.
- Ms. Fanservice: Juliette, obviously.
- My Girl Is Not a Slut: This trope is why Antoine doesn't want a committed relationship with Juliette.
- Nature Adores a Virgin: The boarding school will not accept Juliette unless she gives a certificate of virginity.
- Nice Guy: Michel. Four slaps of epiphany notwithstanding.
- Operation: Jealousy: After overhearing that Antoine is just interested in one-night stands with her, she runs to Carradine's boat to make Antoine jealous. On board, she looks by the window after Antoine.
- Pet the Dog: Juliette has a cute moment at work where she kindly helps a little girl pick up a newspaper, tells her to take it for free and then the two cuddle for a bit. This happens right after Juliette's hostile encounter with a prudish woman and serves to show her soft side and also counters the woman's claims that Juliette is rude and lazy.
- Prefers Going Barefoot: Juliette, who even goes to work barefooted. Her foster mother mentions that one of the customers complained about that.
- Settle for Sibling: Juliette is in love with Antoine, who does not reciprocates (he goes to Marseille without her). Juliette eventually marries Antoine's brother Michel (in part because that's the only way she can avoid being sent back to the orphanage).
- Shoot Out the Lock: Antoine tries to convince Michel that Juliette isn't worth it and locks him in with him so he can't go to her. Michel tries to shoot the lock out, but fails. Antoine remarks that it only works in the movies.
- Sibling Triangle: Juliette marries Michel to escape going back to the orphanage. Michel genuinely loves her and Juliette eventually returns the sentiment, however she's more attracted to his brother Antoine and has an affair with him, even though he feels contempt for her.
- Slut-Shaming: Juliette is constantly criticized and shunned by her community for what they consider to be her loose morals and libertine lifestyle.
- Sour Prudes: The older, frumpy, buttoned-up woman who suggests Juliette get a certificate of virginity to get into boarding school. Juliette snarkily responds that she didn't know love was an illness and tells the woman she needn't worry about catching it, since she looks like she's already vaccinated against it. The woman looks offended and leaves without another word.
- Trophy Wife: What Carradine wants to make of Juliette.
- Vapor Wear: Juliette. For example, at the beginning of the movie, she's sunbathing naked; then she puts on a dress and goes to work. She doesn't even wear a bra under her wedding dress.
