French Cinema Icon Alain Delon Passes Away at 88

French film legend Alain Delon, a star revered by some as a sex symbol and criticized by others as a chauvinist, passed away at the age of 88, his children announced Sunday in a statement to AFP.

The actor, renowned for his roles in “Purple Noon” (1960) and “Le Samurai” (1967), died early in the morning. His son Anthony disclosed that Delon had been battling lymphoma. “Alain Fabien, Anouchka, Anthony, as well as (his dog) Loubo, are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their father. He passed away peacefully at home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and family,” the statement read, amid months of public family disputes regarding the actor’s declining health.

An iconic figure, Delon’s career attracted millions of fans worldwide who viewed him as a genius, although he also faced significant backlash, notably from feminists who were outraged when he received a lifetime achievement award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019.

In his later years, Delon retreated from the public eye, leading a reclusive life. Despite rare on-screen appearances since the 1990s, his personal life continued to generate headlines. In 2023, his three children filed a complaint against his live-in assistant Hiromi Rollin, accusing her of harassment and threatening behavior. This led to a public battle over the actor’s health status, which had been precarious since a 2019 stroke.

Delon’s controversial relationships with women included allegations of domestic violence by his sons. While he denied these claims, he admitted to slapping women during quarrels. He had numerous high-profile relationships, referring to German actor Romy Schneider as the “love of my life” following their affair in the 1960s.

Velvet Underground singer Nico claimed Delon was the father of her son, Christian Aaron Boulogne, but the actor denied this up until Boulogne’s death in 2023 from a heroin overdose. Delon’s 1964 marriage to Nathalie Delon ended in a tempestuous divorce in 1969. Other notable romantic involvements included pop diva Dalida and model-turned-actor Mireille Darc.

French President Emmanuel Macron hailed Delon as a “French monument” who “played legendary roles and made the world dream.”

Far from practicing method acting, Delon was celebrated as an instinctive genius. Gilles Jacob, former president of the Cannes festival, commemorated him as “a lion… an actor with a steely gaze.”

Delon’s looks were cinematic gold during the 1960s, often cast as charming but dangerous characters. He set the standard for a popular cinematic trope—the enigmatic, silent killer—most notably in Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Le Samurai” (1967). Directors like Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Hong Kong’s John Woo have acknowledged Delon’s influence on their portrayals of stylish killers, although Delon never achieved major success in Hollywood.

The actor’s last significant public appearance was at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2019, where he received an honorary Palme d’Or. “It’s a bit of a posthumous tribute, but from my lifetime,” he commented while receiving the award. “I am going to leave, but I won’t leave without thanking you.”

Delon spent his final years at his home in a small village in northeast France, planning to be buried near his beloved dogs.

His former partner, Darc, described him in 2015, saying, “Alain is in a deep, chosen solitude, in another world, in the past with people he very much loved.” Fellow 1960s icon Brigitte Bardot once commented on his 80th birthday, describing him as “The best and the worst, both inaccessible and so close, cold and hot.”

Delon faced criticism for his political affiliations, particularly his support for Jean-Marie Le Pen, the far-right National Front leader known for controversial views on the death penalty and homosexuality. Despite being mocked for his ego and tendency to talk about himself in the third person, fans will fondly remember his iconic line from “Le Samurai”: “There is no deeper solitude than that of the samurai, except that of a tiger in the jungle.”

Delon’s legacy is complex and controversial, embodying both the best and the worst aspects of his era. Despite the criticisms, his contributions to cinema and his influence on future generations of filmmakers remain undeniable.

Source: AFP