At age 19, he became assistant to film director
Marc Allégret, whom he met while working at the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt, and for whom he worked on several screenplays. He was an assistant director on Allegret's
Blanche Fury (1948), a commercially unsuccessful melodrama which Allegret made for a British company in English. Vadim was one of several writers on Allegret's French-British
The Naked Heart (1950), aka
Maria Chapdelaine, starring
Michèle Morgan, as well as serving as assistant director. It was shot in French and English versions.
Blackmailed (1951) was another film Allegret directed in England, starring
Mai Zetterling and
Dirk Bogarde; Vadim was credited as one of the writers. He was also one of several writers on Allegret's,
La demoiselle et son revenant (1952). Vadim did the screenplay and commentary for a documentary,
Le gouffre de la Pierre Saint-Marti (1953), and was assistant director on Allegret's
Julietta (1953), a popular romance with
Jean Marais,
Dany Robin and
Jeanne Moreau. Vadim wrote Allegret's
Loves of Three Queens (1954), with
Hedy Lamarr. Vadim had begun a relationship with model-actress
Brigitte Bardot. She was given a good role in a drama directed by Allegret,
School for Love (1953), aka
Futures Vedettes, starring Jean Marais; Vadim wrote the script with Allegret. The film was a commercial disappointment. However the next collaboration between Allegret, Bardot and Vadim,
Plucking the Daisy (1956), aka ''Mam'selle Striptease
, was a huge success at the French box office. So too was Naughty Girl'' (1956), with Bardot. This allowed Vadim to get backing for his first movie as director. Vadim's first film as director was based on an original story of his,
And God Created Woman (1956). Starring Bardot,
Curt Jurgens and
Christian Marquand and produced by
Raoul Levy it was not only a major success in France, but around the world, and established Bardot as a global icon. Vadim followed it with
No Sun in Venice (1957) starring
Françoise Arnoul and Marquand, produced by Levy, which was considerably less popular than
And God Created Woman. Levy, Vadim and Bardot were to make
Paris by Night with
Frank Sinatra but Bardot refused to spend months in the US and Sinatra felt likewise about filming in France. Instead Vadim made
The Night Heaven Fell (1958), starring Bardot and
Stephen Boyd. He was one of several writers on Allegret's popular comedy,
Be Beautiful But Shut Up (1958), starring
Mylène Demongeot. Vadim's next film was an adaptation of the book
Les liaisons dangereuses (1959), which he wrote and directed. It starred Moreau,
Gérard Philipe (in his final film) and
Annette Stroyberg, a Danish model who became Vadim's second wife. The film became a huge hit in France. Stroyberg was also in the vampire film
Blood and Roses (1960). Vadim was reunited with Bardot for
Please, Not Now! (1961), a popular comedy. He was one of several directors of the anthology film,
The Seven Deadly Sins (1962). Vadim began a relationship with a young
Catherine Deneuve. She starred in a segment of the anthology film
Tales of Paris (1962), which was written by Vadim and directed by Allegret. She starred in a film Vadim helped write and produce,
And Satan Calls the Turns (1962), and was also in
Vice and Virtue (1963), which Vadim directed. Vadim had another success writing and directing for Bardot,
Love on a Pillow (1962), but found less favour with
Nutty, Naughty Chateau (1963) starring
Monica Vitti. Vadim tried another adaptation of a classic erotic text,
La Ronde (1964). He said at the time, "When I make a picture about relations between people, something erotic comes through; I can't help it! But sex has been an inspiration, the greatest inspiration, since art exists." One of the film's many stars was rising American actress
Jane Fonda who began a romantic relationship with Vadim. Vadim devised a vehicle for Fonda,
The Game Is Over (1966), based on a book by
Émile Zola. Shot in French and English versions, it was very popular in France, though less so in the US.
Dino de Laurentiis wanted Fonda to star in a science fiction sex comedy,
Barbarella (1968) and she agreed provided Vadim would direct. Following this he directed Fonda in a segment of the omnibus horror film
Spirits of the Dead (1968) along with her brother
Peter Fonda. During his marriage to Fonda, Vadim would accompany her back to the US periodically while she made movies there. He directed
Pretty Maids All in a Row (1971) for MGM, starring
Rock Hudson and
Angie Dickinson. It was a commercial disappointment. (L-R): (front row)
June Fairchild,
Joy Bang, Aimee Eccles; (middle row)
Joanna Cameron,
Gene Roddenberry,
Rock Hudson, Roger Vadim; (back row)
Margaret Markov,
Brenda Sykes, Diane Sherry, Gretchen Burrell Vadim returned to France. He wrote and directed
Hellé (1972), starring
Gwen Welles, which was a flop. He was reunited with Bardot for
Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman (1973), which was Bardot's penultimate movie and a commercial disappointment. Not particularly successful either were
Charlotte (1974), and
Game of Seduction (1976) with
Sylvia Kristel and
Nathalie Delon. He directed a TV movie
Bonheur, impair et passe (1977), starring
Danielle Darrieux. In the 1980s Vadim based himself in the US. He directed
Night Games (1980), where he attempted to make a star of
Cindy Pickett, with whom he became romantically involved. He directed a caper film in Canada,
The Hot Touch (1981), starring
Marie-France Pisier. Back in France he wrote and directed
Surprise Party (1983). He directed episodes of
Faerie Tale Theatre (1984) and
Deadly Nightmares (1986). Vadim attempted to recapture his former success with a new version of
And God Created Woman (1988), with
Rebecca De Mornay. Very different from the original – it only really used the same title – it failed critically and commercially. His final years were spent working in TV, where he directed
Safari (1991) and wrote and directed
Amour fou (1993), starring
Marie-Christine Barrault who became his final wife. She was also in
La Nouvelle tribu (1996) and its sequel
Un coup de baguette magique (1997), which Vadim wrote and directed. ==Personal life==