A star is torn (to pieces): Brigitte Bardot seen through readers' letters in Cinémonde

Abstract

This chapter analyses the reception of Brigitte Bardot in the Cinémonde readers’ letters for the years 1957, 1958 and 1959. The aim is to access the opinions of “ordinary” filmgoers to complement our view of the star, normally derived from professional writers and journalists, and the influence of gender on these views. The analysis shows that Bardot is perceived, positively and negatively, as the epitome of a new form of stardom, that of mass-media celebrity based on the exposure of the stars’ bodies and private lives. It confirms the extraordinary notoriety of the star in late 1950s France and the obsessional, highly controversial nature of her impact on film viewers, both men and women. The breakdown and evolution of readers’ views suggests the “problem” with Bardot is not so much her overt sexuality as a fear of female power.