Manina, la fille sans voiles

Note: The DVD has significant sound issues at about the 25 minute marks--sounding almost like someone crunching potato chips next to a microphone! Why this occurred and why it was allowed to remain like this on the DVD is a puzzler.

The story involves a college student following a possible treasure. It seems that years earlier he'd actually gotten a clue as to the treasure but only connected the clue to treasure recently. Once at the island where the treasure might lie, the young man finds the important treasure--sexy Brigitte!

If Brigitte Bardot had not been in this film, I doubt if it would have ever made it to DVD. It's not it's a bad film--it just isn't all that good a film. Plus, it is a bit dull up until the very good ending. However, a young Bardot DOES star in the film and, as the title character, she runs around in a bikini--and is quite stunning. But she really is NOT the star of the film--just a gorgeous woman showing off her beautiful figure. But, this is the only reason anyone would want to see this listless tale...just d to ogle Bardot and to see her in one of her earliest roles. As for me, however, the beautiful Bardot was a tad unsettling...as I have two daughters the same age she was in the film! Yikes!

Manina may have been sold as a Bardot film but she is merely the love interest of lead Jean-Francois Calve, and she does not make an appearance until 40 minutes into the film. Calve gives an interesting, unique, and slightly mannered performance, yet does hold your attention when he is on-screen. Bardot is lovely to look at but the sections where she is supposed to be singing are poorly executed. There are a couple bits of nice dialogue, but overall most of the film isn't really all that engaging. The final section does however pick up and captivates, but by then it's a matter of a too little too late. If you're a Bardot or Calve fan than you will want to check Manina out, but for everyone else maybe not.

Yes, 18 year old Brigitte Bardot in her bikini really makes this film live on !

However, the most lasting part of the 'Manina'-shooting is a photo. It shows Brigitte naked on her belly, lying on a beach. Torso on the sand, legs in the water. Every BB-addict surely knows it, because it is the only shot showing young Bardot naked (nudity shots from the fifties are very rare anyway). Apart from the nudity this photo also is famous for its magnificent composition. BB's hooked right leg makes the picture alive, while the breaking waves make it move.

Did you know Brigitte's wealthy father was outraged after seeing 'Manina'? He sued the film company for showing his daughter indecently (and lost the case).

Another side of 'Manina': Brigitte is still very young, and her acting is downright terrible. Later on future husband Roger Vadim teaches Brigitte, that nudity alone is not enough to make it in the movies. So Brigitte progresses, reaching her peak in the second half of the fifties. Then she is at her best while playing light comedies.

As I said, back in 1952 BB's acting does not live up to the dream she tries to create. This bad acting gives 'Manina' a charm of its own, I think, because we know now what came afterwards.

On the face of it an unremarkable film concerning a young man's search for treasure with much murky underwater cinematography. However the young man is Jean-Francois Calve who is convincing and handsome enough to go on to considerable success in many albeit minor French films and the older guy looking to outwit him is played by Howard Vernon. Here, the much loved Vernon, is fine as he would be in many of his supporting roles including Wages of Fear (1953) but it is his work with Jess Franco for which he is probably best known and the poor man's quality of output tended to drift downward with that of his master, helped no doubt with a tipple or two. The main reason though for watching this is for the early cinema appearance of Brigitte Bardot, then seventeen. And even though the youngster does well enough it is probably the bikini wearing aspect that really caught the attention. Apparently one of the very first times a bikini would be seen on the screen and sufficiently scandalous, apparently, for the British censors to cut the film by almost half an hour, which must be all of poor Brigitte's screen time. As I say, there is nothing very special about the film apart from its participants and the place in history of an article of female swimwear but it is jolly enough and probably what used to be referred to as suitable Sunday afternoon fare, except for those 29 minutes, of course.

Considering that this 1952 Rom-Com/Adventure tale was, indeed, titled - "Manina: The Girl in the Bikini" - I was certainly expecting the Manina character to be the most prominent factor in its plot-line.

But, oddly enough, about 80% of this picture's contrived story-line actually had nothing to do with her, at all.

Like, for instance - It took approximately 40 minutes of other stuff to take place in the story before the darling, young Manina was finally introduced into the action.

And, speaking about the 17-year-old Brigitte Bardot, as the title character - Yes. She sure was quite appealing to behold. - But, with that said - It was certainly hard for me to imagine that in 4 years time this young woman would, indeed, be catapulted into super-stardom by becoming one of cinema's most desirable sex-symbols of all (next only to Marilyn Monroe).

All-in-all - This Parisian production was, pretty much, a disappointing dud, from start to finish.