"A Very Private Affair": A portrait of Brigitte Bardot, an unusual biographical film

Member of the Nouvelle Vague

Louis Malle's A Very Private Affair and Jean-Luc Godard's Contempt are works that attempt to interpret and deconstruct the celebrity Brigitte Bardot. Having finally gained recognition as an actress in Henri-Georges Clouzot's The Truth(1960), Brigitte Bardot entrusted herself to the French New Wave filmmakers as a test subject. Although she did have some problems with Louis Malle and Godard, it is said that she always protected them from the producers. Above all, Brigitte Bardot's words, "I'm part of the French New Wave!" are filled with expectations for herself.

Louis Malle also had to repay the debt of Zazie du Metro (1960), which ended in a box office failure. However, A Very Private Affair was ignored even more than Zazie du Metro , and Louis Malle tried to redeem himself by making a documentary film. Looking back from a present-day perspective, it is very interesting that A Very Private Affair is a work that is between Zazie du Metro and documentary films. The ballet scenes, the dubbing scenes in front of the screen, the cityscapes and neon lights in Private A Very Private Affair are an extension of the experimental nature of the masterpiece Zazie du Metro . The scenery of the alleys and residential areas on the way to the house of her lover Fabio (Marcello Mastroianni) has a documentary quality. The theme of a fictional biopic of Brigitte Bardot and the aesthetic eclecticism of fantasy and documentary are what make A Very Private Affair even richer.

“A Very Private Affair” ©1962 GAUMONT - STUDIO 37 – CCM

It is said that Brigitte Bardot and Marcello Mastroianni were so unfriendly that they didn't even speak to each other during filming, but their chemistry on screen seems to be quite good. After his big success with "La Dolce Vita" (1960), Marcello Mastroianni was reportedly unwilling to play a supporting role in this film. However, Marcello Mastroianni seems to be doing his job well. Marcello Mastroianni has an unparalleled adult sex appeal.

The end of stardom