I've wondered whether Godard physically cast Bardot against type, or if he felt pressured by commercial needs to use her in this film. We tend to look at Brigitte Bardot as a woman who must be Had At All Costs ('It's Brigitte frickin' Bardot... he just turned down BRIGITTE frickin' BARDOT! TWICE!!'), making Paul's rejection of her seemingly unrealistic. Was this always the case, or is this some kind of cosmic joke Godard is playing here, and she's not REALLY as irresistable as she appears? Who's in on the joke... Paul? Us? Anyone?
One thing is clear: this relationship was in big trouble before the film starts, and Camille making Paul pledge allegiance to each of her body parts seems a lot like some kind of weird punishment for some prior transgression of his, possibly simply not paying her enough attention. She seems a little attention-needy. As well as vindictive as hell.
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