Snapshot, 1965: Brigitte Bardot shoots back

In 1965, Brigitte Bardot starred in the movie ‘Viva Maria’, directed by Louis Malle in Mexico. During a break in the filming, ‘BB’ clearly enjoyed standing – or rather, lying – on the other side of the camera.

There are two Marias in the film: Maria number 1 (played by Brigitte Bardot) is the daughter of an Irish anarchist, while Maria number 2 (Jeanne Morreau) works as a singer in a circus. The two Marias team up to work in the circus and – after inventing striptease – their act enjoys huge success, until the two become revolutionaries and face all sort of threats together. No wonder Bardot took things a little quieter between takes. Here she is, relaxing in the sun by the swimming pool in Cuernavaca - and pointing the camera at Paris Match photographer Gerard Gery, who had come to take pictures of the filming. The only pity is that Bardot’s ‘return’ shot didn’t appear in the magazine.

Photo by Gerard Gery/Paris Match via Getty Images