She finds herself unprepared for life in the real world. She is befriended by Mona Lisa (Annie Giardot) a happy-go-lucky prostitute who lets her room with her for free. However, as Agnes soon discovers she has no marketable job skills, the financial burden of caring for friend begins to weigh on Mona Lisa. To make ends meet, Sister Agnes becomes a prostitute, but it quickly becomes apparent that she's awful at even that.

Les Novices is a French sexy comedy that shows its age. Although the French are usually known for their comedies, this movie isn't very funny. In fact, it's a bit slow and drawn out. The humor in Mona Lisa trying to train the naive Sister Agnes to be a streetwalker was only moderately amusing at best.

I actually found some scenes that were meant to be funny to have the opposite effect. I was kind of disturbed when Sister Agnes turns to Mona Lisa and asks "What should I do with my first one? Should I tell him it's my first time?" referring to losing her virginity. Mona Lisa laughs and tells her not to. "Most will never believe you anyway."

The idea of this naive girl, a former nun, resorting to prostitution out of desperation was a bit sad. I didn't enjoy watching old men push themselves on her.

The movie dumbs down the gritty reality of prostitution and shamelessly glamorizes it. Prostitutes are depicted like chorus girls, getting dressed up, wearing wigs and jewelry and walking the streets. Contrast this portrayal with films like Samaria which is very much an in-your-face depiction of the trade.

Les Novices was strangely tame in the sex department as well. This is a bit jarring considering that the star is none other than Brigitte Bardot in the prime of her life. However, seeing nuns on the beach in one-piece bathing suits isn't anything you can get on an episode of Baywatch. The prostitute costumes are more comical than sexy. They look more like clowns than vamps.

When Agnes and Mona Lisa strip down to panties and lacy see-through bras in the movie's finale, it's really too little, too late. Considering the rampant nudity and sexual frankness in Joe D'Amato films like Images in a Convent or Convent of Sinners, this final scene is tame and disappointing.

In the end of the movie, Sister Agnes has proven to be a far worse prostitute than a nun and she actually ruins the streetwalking career of Mona Lisa. Through some strange leap of logic, Mona Lisa joins Agnes in the convent. They're still misfits, but at least they have each other.

Now strangely enough, the biggest selling point of the film -- Brigitte Bardot's nude scene -- is nowhere to be found in the movie! You can only see her naked here, on Nunsploitation.Net!