…And God Created Woman 1956
Directed by
Roger Vadim
Made by
Iéna Productions
…And God Created Woman Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for …And God Created Woman (1956). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Juliette, Brigitte Bardot is an 18-year-old orphan living in Saint-Tropez in 1956 who flaunts her sensuality with fearless ease: sunbathing nude in her yard, strolling barefoot, and flouting social norms. This unabashed approach draws both fascination and fury from the town’s residents. Her intimate life includes a relationship with the wealthy Eric Carradine, Curd Jürgens, who envisions a casino and is willing to use Juliette to help realize his plans, even as he probes to woo her for himself.
Antoine, the eldest of the three Tardieu brothers, Christian Marquand returns from Toulon for the weekend to hear Carradine’s proposal. Juliette waits for the tall, magnetic figure to carry her away to Toulon. Carradine’s intentions toward her are purely physical, a detail Juliette overhears and then rejects; he reassures her that they will meet on the morning bus, has his way with her, then lets the bus drive away, leaving her aching and disappointed.
Feeling protective, her elderly guardians threaten to send her back to the orphanage—Madame Morin, Jane Marken—a fate that could confine her for three years. To keep her in Saint-Tropez, Carradine begs Antoine to marry her, but Antoine declines. His more naive middle brother, Michel, Jean-Louis Trintignant, falls under Juliette’s spell and proposes marriage. They are wed in a sparsely attended church service, with Antoine conspicuously absent. Later, in a public square, a local tough insults both Michel and Juliette; Michel’s counterpunch costs him a severe beating, yet the couple slips back to the family home, shares a fierce, passionate moment, and Juliette theatrically heads downstairs to load dinner plates and grab a bottle of wine, leaving their guests wide-eyed at the audacity of it all.
Carradine purchases the large harbor marina and offers the Tardieus a 30% stake to seal the deal; Antoine agrees to run it. With him back in Saint-Tropez, Juliette’s behavior grows more openly defiant toward Michel. When he is away on business, she slips away in one of the marina’s boats. Engine trouble spirals into a fire, and Antoine dives to rescue her. Washing up together on a wild beach, the encounter rekindles their dangerous attraction.
Juliette falls feverish after the incident and confesses the affair with Antoine to Christian. Madame Tardieu, Marie Glory, who has always disliked Juliette, presses Michel to end the marriage. Michel goes to talk, but Juliette has vanished.
Michel searches the town, and a confrontation with Antoine at the yard escalates into a volatile scene where a gun appears and a fight ends with an accidental blow that dazes Antoine. Juliette drifts to a bar, begins a spree of improvised dancing with a band of Caribbean musicians, and calls in her friend Lucienne, Isabelle Corey, who alerts Eric that Juliette is becoming the center of attention. Eric arrives with a plan to whisk her away to a life of ease, but she refuses. On the way, Eric reveals his deep feelings and, to Antoine, confides a stark judgment: > That girl was made to destroy men.
Back at the bar, Michel finally confronts Juliette with heartbreak and fury, and in a tense moment he slaps her four times. She bears the blows with a defiant smile, signaling that their volatile bond may endure even as external pressures pull them apart. They walk home together, hand in hand, moving toward an uncertain future.
…And God Created Woman Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of …And God Created Woman (1956) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Juliette's hedonistic awakening in Saint-Tropez
Juliette, an 18-year-old orphan, flaunts her sensuality in 1956 Saint-Tropez. She sunbathes nude in her yard, strolls barefoot, and disregards social norms, drawing every man's gaze and angering the town's women. Her carefree charm sets the tone for the drama to come.
Carradine's casino dream and Juliette's leverage
Eric Carradine, a wealthy older man, courts Juliette and promises a car in exchange for her favors. He wants to build a casino in Saint-Tropez, but his plan clashes with a local shipyard. Juliette's involvement with him raises the stakes for everyone.
Antoine returns and is drawn to Juliette
Antoine, eldest of the Tardieu brothers, returns from Toulon for the weekend to weigh Carradine's proposal. Juliette hopes he will take her to Toulon, but his intentions toward her are more physical than sentimental. He seduces her, promises to meet on the morning bus, then leaves her as the bus sails past.
Guardians threaten to send Juliette away
Exasperated guardians threaten to confine Juliette to the orphanage until she is 21. Carradine pleads with Antoine to marry her to keep her in town, but Antoine refuses. The pressure mounts as Juliette's future hangs in the balance.
Michel proposes to marry Juliette to save her freedom
To avoid a three-year prison in the orphanage, Michel, the middle Tardieu brother, proposes marriage despite his own feelings for Juliette. They are wed in a sparsely attended church ceremony, and Antoine does not show. The union is impulsive and sets up a volatile household.
Public confrontation and the wedding reception
In a public square, a local tough insults Michel and Juliette. Michel retaliates with a brutal beating, and the couple slips back to the family home for their reception, where Juliette's bold behavior shocks the guests. She demonstrates her defiant spirit even at the outset of their marriage.
Carradine buys the marina to sway the deal
Carradine purchases the harbor marina and offers the Tardieu family a 30% stake to secure their support. Antoine negotiates to run it, bringing him back into Juliette's orbit. The business plot intertwines with personal loyalties.
Juliette's reckless boating and a dangerous rescue
With Antoine back in town, Juliette's defiant behavior escalates. She borrows a marina boat and heads out, but engine trouble causes a fire. Antoine dives in to save her, and they end up washed ashore on a wild beach where their passion flares.
Juliette confesses to Christian; Madame Tardieu presses Michel
Juliette admits to Christian that she slept with Antoine. Madame Tardieu, who has despised Juliette, tells Michel he must end the marriage. The confession intensifies the marital crisis and forces Michel to confront the consequences.
Michel confronts Antoine with a gun
Michel confronts Antoine at the yard, pulling a gun and waging a vicious fight until Antoine is dazed by an accidental blow to the head. The confrontation exposes the fractures within the Tardieu family and the peril Juliette has stirred.
Juliette's bar rampage and Eric's intervention
Juliette drags herself to a bar and begins slugging double-brandies, creating a spectacle. Her friend Lucienne signals Eric Carradine, who arrives to collect her with the promise of a glamorous escape, but Juliette refuses his offer and lingers in her chaotic mood.
Eric is wounded and confides his feelings
Eric is wounded trying to take the gun from Michel and has Antoine drive him to a surgeon friend in Nice to avoid local police. En route, he confesses his deep feelings for Juliette and warns Antoine that 'That girl was made to destroy men', reminding him who is boss and that he is being reassigned.
Final moment: Michel and Juliette walk home
Back at the bar, Michel angrily slaps Juliette four times. She accepts it with a sly smile, signaling a fragile reconciliation. They walk home together, hand in hand, as the night ends.
…And God Created Woman Characters
Explore all characters from …And God Created Woman (1956). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Juliette Hardy (Brigitte Bardot)
An 18-year-old orphan and voluptuous flirt, Juliette embodies a free-spirited sensuality that defies conventions. Her naked sunbathing and barefoot stroll are emblematic of her disregard for social norms. Her magnetic appeal stirs the men and provokes the women, setting off a cascade of passion, jealousy, and danger. Her charm hides a vulnerable longing for belonging.
Michel Tardieu (Jean-Louis Trintignant)
The naive, compassionate middle brother who loves Juliette and tries to protect her future. He proposes marriage to keep her in town after their guardian circumstances. His earnestness is tested by jealousy, rivalries, and the consequences of Juliette’s actions. He embodies loyalty and romantic idealism in a changing social landscape.
Antoine Tardieu (Christian Marquand)
The eldest Tardieu brother, tall and handsome, who initially resists marrying Juliette but is drawn into the drama by circumstance and desire. He negotiates with Carradine to run the marina, balancing personal temptation with family duty. His actions reveal the tension between attraction and responsibility in a volatile social circle.
Eric Carradine (Curd Jürgens)
Wealthy outsider intent on building a casino, he uses his influence to sway the Tardieus and virally manipulates Juliette’s affections. His line that 'That girl was made to destroy men' underscores a controlling view of desire and power. He is wounded in the ensuing confrontation and his plans reveal the limits of wealth and manipulation.
Lucienne (Isabelle Corey)
Juliette’s friend who appears in key social moments and serves as a practical observer. She alerts Eric when Juliette starts making a spectacle, highlighting the social networks that police and police the behavior of the young woman. Her presence provides a grounded, social perspective on Juliette’s antics.
Mme Morin (Jane Marken)
Juliette’s elderly guardian who openly hates her and threatens to send her back to the orphanage to confine her until 21. She embodies conservative social norms and acts as a catalyst for the pressure on Juliette and Michel. Her opposition fuels the conflict and shapes the path of the marriage and Decorum in town.
…And God Created Woman Settings
Learn where and when …And God Created Woman (1956) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
1956
The events unfold during the summer of 1956 in Saint-Tropez, capturing a season of sun, flirtation, and social clash. The town’s charm and rough edges frame Juliette’s provocations and the men’s competing interests. The year anchors a period of shifting attitudes toward sexuality and independence in a coastal resort town.
Location
Saint-Tropez, France
Saint-Tropez is a seaside town on the French Riviera that serves as the backdrop for the narrative. Its busy harbor and nearby shipyard form the social playground where Juliette’s freedom disrupts the town’s routines. The setting blends sun-soaked beaches with a party atmosphere and growing tensions around wealth, propriety, and desire.
…And God Created Woman Themes
Discover the main themes in …And God Created Woman (1956). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Seduction
Juliette’s uninhibited sensuality drives much of the plot, challenging social norms and drawing both admiration and hostility. The film uses her charm to expose power dynamics between men and women, including control, jealousy, and vulnerability. Her behavior acts as a catalyst that unsettles alliances and forces others to confront their desires.
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Love Triangle
A complex mix of romance and rivalry unfolds among Juliette, Michel, Antoine, and Eric. Michel’s earnest wish to marry Juliette to keep her in Saint-Tropez clashes with Antoine’s ambivalence and Eric’s manipulation. The relationship web exposes how love, pride, and money intersect with loyalty and betrayal.
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Power & Money
Wealth and ambition drive the central conflict: Carradine’s casino plans, the marina deal, and the tension with the family shipyard. The town’s social hierarchy is tested as money seeks influence over personal lives. The plot uses these forces to explore exploitation, autonomy, and the costs of pursuing wealth.
…And God Created Woman Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of …And God Created Woman (1956). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In sun‑kissed Saint‑Tropos, 1956 gleams with the restless promise of a French coastal town on the brink of modernity. The sparkling Mediterranean frames a community where propriety clings to the old cafés, the newly built marina, and a rhythm of daily life that feels both leisurely and tightly wound. Against this backdrop, a young orphan moves like a tide, her presence both unguarded and magnetic, turning ordinary streets into stages for unscripted desire.
Juliette Hardy is an 18‑year‑old whose sensual confidence—bare‑foot walks, impromptu sunbathing, and a fearless disregard for convention—draws the gaze of every man who passes her. She becomes a living challenge to the town’s tacit rules, inciting admiration, envy, and whispered scandal. The locals, torn between curiosity and moral alarm, find themselves unable to look away, their own repressed longings surfacing in the wake of her unapologetic freedom.
Enter Antoine Tardieu, the eldest of three brothers whose steady, thoughtful demeanor masks a deep inner conflict. Unlike the others who see Juliette as a fleeting temptation, he feels an unexpected pull that unsettles his sense of duty and the expectations placed upon him by family and society. Their connection is charged, hinting at a possibility that transcends the town’s superficial judgments, yet it also threatens to upend the fragile balance that holds the community together.
Around them swirl other influential figures—a charismatic businessman hoping to reshape the harbor, a younger brother whose naive infatuation adds another layer of tension, and an aging chorus of guardians keen on preserving the status quo. Their intersecting desires and ambitions create a simmering undercurrent, suggesting that love, longing, and the quest for personal autonomy will test the limits of tradition in this sun‑drenched enclave. The stage is set for a story where the allure of freedom collides with the weight of expectation, leaving the viewer eager to watch how these restless hearts navigate the inevitable clash.
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