In Bougival Junction, Texas in 1888 the Francophone town is led by Marie Sarrazin. A new family arrives, calling themselves the Millers, but in fact they are the daughters of the hanged outlaw Frenchie King. His eldest daughter Louise seeks to keep her father's name alive by donning men's clothing and continuing his criminal ways. Louise and Marie fight, but when they are jailed, they team up to take revenge on the town's men.[3]
The film was called Love on Horseback. Filming started in June 1971. Finance was partly provided by Hemdale.[5]
Release
The premiere of Les Pétroleuses was on 17 December 1971 at the Balzac cinema in Paris.[6]
Reception
Critical response
The film received generally negative reviews. Bardot's performance in particular was criticised by Jean Loup Passek, who noted how uncomfortable she seemed in the film's outdoors action setting.[7] Writing in Variety Gene Moskowitz dismissed the film as "predictable, naïve and gauche" whilst Tom Milne called it "drearily unfunny".[8]
^Tony Crawley, Bébé: The Films of Brigitte Bardot, London:LSP Books, 1975, p. 230
^"Sellars and Bardot coup by Hemdale". Evening Standard. 13 May 1971. p. 44.
^Petroleuses Premiere. Actresses Claudia Cardinale (left) and Brigitte Bardot at the premiere of 'Les Petroleuses' (aka Petroleum Girls or The Legend of Frenchie King), at the Balzac cinema, Paris, 17 December 1971. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
