And God Created Woman – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

And God Created Woman

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1956

28%

WISE Score

1956 French melodrama that's more museum piece than movie night—dated, sexist, and genuinely boring.

6.0

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And God Created Woman

movie

1956

28%

WISE Score

1956 French melodrama that's more museum piece than movie night—dated, sexist, and genuinely boring.

6.0

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6.0

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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be real: this is not a movie anyone needs to watch in 2025 unless they're writing a film history thesis.

The 1956 French drama that made Brigitte Bardot a sex symbol is, by modern accounts, sexist, boring, and nearly unwatchable. It centers on a woman the town considers promiscuous, with sexual themes throughout that were scandalous for the era but just feel dated and uncomfortable now.

The IMDb parent guide confirms sexual content, and a Reddit film enthusiast flat-out called it 'horribly acted and written.' The 6/10 TMDB rating from people who actually seek out old French cinema tells you everything.

There's no reason to subject your family—or yourself—to this. If you want French cinema, watch Amélie. If you want to understand 1950s sexual mores, read an article. This one's a hard pass.

Age Fit

This is an adult film (18+) with sexual content and themes, but honestly, even adults will struggle to sit through it. It's a relic of 1950s attitudes that hasn't aged well in any dimension.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

1956 French drama centered on sexual dynamics and a woman labeled as the 'town tramp.' IMDb parent guide confirms sexual content and themes throughout. The film's treatment of women and relationships reflects outdated, sexist attitudes that don't model healthy dynamics. Reddit review explicitly calls it 'sexist, racist, boring, antiquated.'

Imaginative

As a French New Wave-adjacent film, it had some artistic merit for its time, but offers little creative inspiration or imaginative spark for modern viewers. It's a melodrama focused on romantic entanglements rather than anything that invites curiosity or creative thinking. The 6/10 TMDB rating suggests middling engagement even among film enthusiasts.

Safe

IMDb parent guide lists sexual content as present throughout. This is a film that was controversial in 1956 specifically for its sexual themes and depiction of female sexuality. While tame by 2025 standards, it's still built around sexual dynamics and would be inappropriate for children. The 'town tramp' framing and treatment of the female lead adds problematic messaging.

Enriching

Limited enrichment value. While it's a piece of film history that launched Brigitte Bardot's career, the Reddit review calling it 'horribly acted and written' with 'sexist, racist' themes suggests it offers little meaningful insight or growth. For film students studying 1950s French cinema, maybe. For general audiences or families? No real takeaway beyond dated attitudes.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Film history context: launched Brigitte Bardot's career and was controversial for its time
If you're studying 1950s European cinema or French New Wave precursors, it's a cultural artifact
That's... pretty much it

⚠

What to Watch For

Sexual themes and content throughout—this was scandalous in 1956 for a reason
Deeply sexist treatment of the female lead, who's labeled the 'town tramp' and objectified
Reddit reviewers describe it as 'racist, boring, antiquated, horribly acted and written'
92 minutes that will feel much, much longer

Conversation Starters

"How do you think attitudes about women and sexuality have changed since 1956?"
"What makes a film feel 'dated' versus 'timeless'?"
"Why do you think this movie was controversial when it came out?"

Deep Dive

The boredom is the real scandal

If you’re looking at this because you’ve heard it’s a "classic," you need to recalibrate your definition of the word. In 1956, this movie was a lightning rod because it pushed the boundaries of what was allowed on screen. In the 2020s, that "edge" has evaporated, leaving behind a 92-minute drama that is remarkably tedious. The plot moves with the urgency of a melting ice cube.

The "sexual dynamite" label applied to the lead character, Juliette, is the only thing that has aged with any energy—mostly because it sounds like a parody of a mid-century trailer. The actual experience of watching it is a cycle of Juliette walking around a coastal town while men gawk at her and judge her. Critics and fans on Reddit have pointed out that the acting and writing are bottom-tier, and they aren't being hyperbolic. It’s a movie where people stand in rooms and deliver wooden dialogue about "reputation" and "morals" that felt dusty decades ago.

A museum piece, not a movie

This isn't something you put on for entertainment; it’s something you put on if you are specifically studying the history of the male gaze in cinema. The film’s entire engine is the "town tramp" trope. It treats Juliette as a problem to be solved or a prize to be won, never as a person with actual agency.

If you have a teen who is interested in film history or the French New Wave, this might come up in their research. It’s often cited as the film that launched its lead actress into global superstardom. But being historically significant doesn't make it watchable. The TMDB score of 6 reflects a viewer base that likely respects the film’s place in history more than the actual content of the frames.

Better ways to see the French coast

If you’re looking for a vintage French vibe or want to understand why this era of cinema mattered, there are dozens of better options that don't feel like a lecture on 1950s sexism. This movie is a relic that has lost its power to shock, leaving only the "sexist, racist, and boring" elements that modern viewers have zero patience for.

If you’re trying to navigate the rest of this era without stumbling into another 90-minute snooze-fest, check out our guide on Brigitte Bardot's Classic Films: What Parents Should Know About Her Iconic (But Mature) Cinema. It’ll help you figure out which parts of her filmography are actually worth the subtitles and which ones you can safely leave in the vault.

Bottom line: unless you’re getting a degree in 1950s European melodrama, there is no reason to sit through this. It’s antiquated in all the wrong ways.

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