Time Magazine - in a hilariously dated, politically incorrect - statement on the sexy Brigitte Bardot in Mam'selle Striptease

Mam'selle Striptease (AKA Plucking the Daisy, Please Mr. Balzac, 1956, dir. Roger Vadim) is a cult curiosity for numerous reasons. It was the first Bardot film to really utilize her stunning beauty and natural screen presence, it features one of the more bizarre insert/montages I've ever seen, it was the film before Bardot and Vadim would shock the world with And God Created Woman and it is one of the great Exploitation cheats - it promises all and gives nothing. Bastards!

Mam'selle Striptease is one of my favorite Bardot pictures, I must admit I can watch Bardot in anything (I have a similar fascination with Barbara Steele and Jessica Harper), it's a fairly amusing French comedy romp - and Bardot may have never looked better.

Mam'selle Striptease is the basic comedy of mistaken identity. When Agnes (Bardot) writes a scandalous novel her father, a general, has her leave town before the paparazzi get a hold of her true identity. Agnes takes off to Paris where she will stay with her artist brother. She's been led to believe that the Balzac museum is actually her brother's mansion. She moves into the museum and when strapped for cash she sells an original Balzac novel - when her brother returns he reveals he is merely the museums guide - they must figure out a way to get the book back before they are found out.

Agnes discovers a poster for an Amateur Striptease competition - one with a large monetary prize - and signs up. The cheesy striptease competition begins with a hilarious segment involving a smooth French DJ who describes the girls bust and waist sizes as they put on their retarded - completely unerotic - dances. Agnes decides to wear a wig and mask in order to conceal her identity from her boyfriend (Daniel Gelin) and whoever else might recognize her.

The sexy Bardot struts her stuff in a goofy strip sequence - her embarrassed bumbling character stumbles around - but still looks gorgeous. When behind the curtain Bardot is topless - we see her from the back and anticipate her entry back on stage - Vadim cuts to Bardot peeking her head through the curtain where she quickly emerges as the camera cuts! What! how dare you. From the audience reaction (sweaty fat men fall out of their seats) it must have been quiet a sight. Of course we are dealing with 1956 here but you can't help but feel cheated. You especially feel ripped off due to a truly strange montage earlier in the film that hinted there may be some shocks to come.

In the version of Mam'selle Striptease I posses, Bardot is reading a sexy story she has written to a newspaper photographer. While reading her steamy story the film abruptly cuts to a montage consisting of a buxom brunette swimming naked then being caressed and made love to! This risqué little scene convinces the viewer that when you finally get to the striptease, it's going to be pretty racy. Alas, it's a complete tease.

And speaking of tease, on the right is the Italian poster for Mam'selle Striptease. The Italians were ripping her posters down for being immoral so they created this brilliant poster featuring a man peeling Bardot's dress from her body. Pretty neat but I can imagine the letdown for all those who sneaked into the theater.

To collect her money Agnes must appear in a striptease finale in her home town. Shockingly, the conclusion everyone that paid money for a ticket couldn't wait to see, is performed without Bardot! Her mask allows her to switch with her sister so that she may fool her boyfriend and father. Boy that Vadim has got some nerve.

The international press was not kind to the film, correctly pointing out that it wasn't saucy enough ("the title is the best thing about the film" wrote Monthly Film Bulletin). Vadim and Bardot would give them all they could handle with their next, sexier tease, And God Created Woman.