Movie Review: The Legend of Frenchie King (1971)

You would not think that a western starring quite possibly the two most beautiful women in the history of the world — Claudia Cardinale and Brigitte Bardot — could be dull, but this is.

There are a lot of things to blame here. The bad script with few laughs, the bland direction, and the shockingly boring performance from Bardot definitely come to mind. Bardot really does seem to have no idea what she’s doing here in this movie, and I did not find it remotely surprising that she retired from acting just a few years later.

Between the two stars, Cardinale is the only one who has any charm. And I really don’t think it’s just in comparison to the blandness of Bardot. Cardinale is genuinely fun in this movie in her own right.

She brings a really enjoyable confidence to her role. There is just something about that smile that just seems to say so much about her character.

The movie focuses on the rivalry of these two women, culminating in a physical fight.

But the movie also has a bunch of asshole men characters, so occasionally the movie is about getting back at them.

There’s potential for a good movie here. You have the building blocks of an enjoyable buddy comedy. But there aren’t really any funny moments to add to that, and that’s really the problem.

Rating: 4/10