Director: Christian-Jaque
Year: 1959
Country: France
Rating: 6.5
Yes, I know that Brigitte Bardot has turned
into this crazy Islamophobic as she got older, but once upon a time there
was no more famous an actress in the world - a huge celebrity that the paparazzi
followed every step of her life. She finally dropped out of show business
in 1973 before her looks faded and became an ardent animal rights activist
- but also started making many derogatory comments about the Muslims in France,
so that she was fined for by the government. Still, I enjoy her films mainly
I admit because she is just so beautiful and like a fresh breeze. Though
she was very early on tagged as the ultimate sex kitten because of films
like And God Created Woman and her numerous photo shoots, many of her films
are just frothy comedies that the whole family could go to. Babette clearly
falls into that category. It is enormously cute and wholesome.
It is a fluffy soufflé, tasty but
with not a lot of substance and though only mildly amusing it is certainly
easy on the eyes. In this one Brigitte plays as clean as a lacquered table
top with not even an ounce of naughty being introduced. It also didn't require
much in the way of acting - Brigitte goes through it with a smile and a pout.
And that is just fine with me. She still commands the screen. The Germans
have invaded France and Brigitte finds herself almost accidentally on a boat
to England with a group of brothel girls as the extraction of the army at
Dunkirk is underway. She ends up - again almost accidentally - working in
the office of the Free French in London as a clerk when one day a British
officer (Ronald Howard, son of Leslie) notices that she has a strong resemblance
to an ex-mistress of the German officer who is planning the invasion of England.
They need to delay the invasion for as long
as possible and so concoct a little plan to send Brigitte back into France
to romance the General, frame him for treason and then kidnap him. Thus the
Germans thinking he has deserted and given the invasion plans to England.
After being trained in parachuting, Shakespeare and making love (a French
woman needs training in that?), she is sent. The only problem is that everyone
realizes she is an airhead. Her boyfriend says she has a brain the size of
a little pea. Still she is Brigitte and can any man refuse her? And we are
not surprised when she turns into Mata Hari and not only infiltrates the
Gestapo headquarters but sucks the General into her honey trap with the help
of the Gestapo.
