En effeuillant la marguerite (Desfolhando a Margarida (1956)), was Brigitte Bardot's 16th film in four years, her second one directed by Allegret (A Mais Linda Vedete (1955) (Futures vedette) was first), and also the second film written for her by Roger Vadim. It's a typical French romantic comedy, complete with a meet-cute on a train, and plenty of loving shots of Bardot's pert behind.
In 1949, French director Marc Allégret was planning a film based on a script by his young assistant, Roger Vadim. The two men had seen a photo of a teenage model in Elle magazine whom they agreed would be ideal for the leading role, and Allegret offered her a screen test. The test was a success, and Vadim and the 15-year old Brigitte Bardot quickly fell in love. But the film was never made, and Bardot's bourgeois parents insisted that the young couple wait until she was 18 to marry. In 1952, the couple finally wed (Allegret was the best man at their wedding), and Bardot made her film debut that same year.
In 1956, the film was the 20th most popular of the year, at the French box office. It was released before Brigitte Bardot's film E Deus Criou a Mulher (1956) (Et Dieu... créa la femme), which was the 13th most popular and Mademoiselle Pigalle (1956) (Cette sacrée gamine) which was 12th.
The same year Desfolhando a Margarida (1956) (Plucking the Daisy) was released, Roger Vadim finally got the chance to write and direct a film of his own, starring Brigitte Bardot, E Deus Criou a Mulher (1956) (And God Created Woman). Bardot's frank eroticism made the film an international sensation and established her as the sex symbol for a generation. It also marked the end of her marriage to Vadim, when she fell for her co-star, Jean-Louis Trintignant. After their divorce, Bardot and Vadim remained friends, and made several additional films together.
It was also known as Mam'selle Striptease and Please Mr Balzac. (Also known as Desfolhando a Margarida (1956) (Plucking the Daisy) and often confused with French film A Mais Bem Despida (1957)). Roger Vadim had just written a movie which launched Brigitte Bardot as a leading lady, Mademoiselle Pigalle (1956) (Cette sacrée gamine). He called this movie "a hack job based on an 'original idea' by the producer which was anything but original... I changed the plot and wrote an amusing, romantic and sexy story."