Brigitte Bardot on the Set of Les Petroleuses, Spain (1971)

Photographed in Spain in 1971, this image captures Brigitte Bardot Les Petroleuses 1971 during the filming of the Western comedy Les Petroleuses, also known as The Legend of Frenchie King. Bardot appears windswept and self-possessed, a cigarette resting casually between her lips. The setting feels open and sun-bleached, reinforcing the film’s playful reimagining of the Western genre.

By this point in her career, Bardot was already an international icon. She was widely associated with cinematic freedom, sensuality, and defiance. This role allowed her to lean into those qualities while embracing satire. Rather than portraying a traditional heroine, she adopted a character defined by independence and wit.

The photograph emphasizes attitude over action. Bardot’s gaze is distant and assured. Her posture feels relaxed, yet deliberate. There is no sense of performance for the camera. Instead, the image captures a moment between takes, when character and persona overlap naturally.

Directed by Christian-Jaque, Les Petroleuses blended comedy with Western tropes. The production embraced exaggeration and style rather than realism. This photograph reflects that tone. It balances glamour with irreverence, allowing Bardot to exist outside conventional cinematic framing.

Taken by Terry O’Neill, the image demonstrates his ability to document cultural figures at moments of ease. O’Neill often focused on what happened away from formal staging. His photographs reveal how stars carried themselves when the spotlight softened.

Today, Brigitte Bardot Les Petroleuses 1971 remains a vivid record of her later screen career. The photograph endures for its confidence, visual clarity, and embodiment of 1970s European cinema. It stands as a striking portrait of an actress who shaped her own image on and off screen.