French screen legend Alain Delon passes away at 88

Alain Delon, the celebrated actor known for starring in classics such as “Plein Soleil”, “Le Samouraï”, and “Rocco and His Brothers”, has passed away at the age of 88, according to his children.

“Alain Fabien, Anouchka, Anthony, as well as [his dog] Loubo, are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their father. He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family,” they said in a statement, adding the family has asked for privacy.

Associated with the resurgence of French cinema in the 1960s, Delon often played roles of cops, hitmen, and charismatic yet morally ambiguous characters. He worked with some of France’s most renowned directors, including Jean-Pierre Melville, René Clément, and Jacques Deray. Delon also collaborated with international auteurs like Luchino Visconti, Louis Malle, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Jean-Luc Godard, though he never found the same level of success in Hollywood.

Born in 1935 in Sceaux, a suburb of Paris, Delon had a tumultuous earlier life. Expelled from several schools, he left education at 14 to work in a butcher’s shop. After serving in the navy and experiencing combat in France’s colonial war in Vietnam, Delon was dishonorably discharged in 1956 and eventually drifted into acting. Hollywood producer David O Selznick noticed him at Cannes and signed him to a contract, but Delon chose to pursue his career in French cinema.

Delon made his film debut with a small role in Yves Allégret’s 1957 thriller “Send a Woman When the Devil Fails”. His striking good looks quickly earned him lead roles. In 1958, he starred opposite Romy Schneider in “Christine”, which led to a real-life romance between the two and cemented his status as a sex symbol.

In 1960, Delon starred in “Plein Soleil” (AKA “Purple Noon”), a French-language adaptation of “The Talented Mr. Ripley” by Patricia Highsmith. The film turned Delon into a major international star. The same year, he starred in “Rocco and His Brothers”, a saga about a southern Italian peasant family moving to the prosperous north, directed by Luchino Visconti. Another significant collaboration with an Italian auteur was with Michelangelo Antonioni in “L’Eclisse” (1962).

Delon reunited with Visconti for 1963’s “The Leopard” (Il Gattopardo), an epic set during the Italian unification. This elevated his international profile and prompted him to attempt a break into English-language films. He had roles in “The Yellow Rolls-Royce”, “Lost Command”, “Texas Across the River” with Dean Martin, and “Is Paris Burning?” alongside Kirk Douglas. However, these efforts did not lead to sustained success in Hollywood.

Returning to France, Delon starred in the 1967 cult classic “Le Samouraï” directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, where he played a hitman. The film’s success led to a series of crime films, including “The Sicilian Clan” with Jean Gabin, “Borsalino”, and Melville’s “The Red Circle”. During this time, he also appeared in films like “Girl on a Motorcycle” with Marianne Faithfull and “La Piscine” opposite his former lover Schneider, which was later remade as “A Bigger Splash” with Tilda Swinton and Ralph Fiennes.

Delon’s life was not without controversy. The “Markovic affair” brought scandal when his bodyguard Stefan Markovic was found dead in 1968. The investigation led to the discovery of compromising photos of the French elite, but no charges were proved. Delon’s association with questionable figures became widely known.

Throughout the 1970s, Delon continued to make films, though none reached the impact of his earlier works. “Monsieur Klein” won the César for best film in 1977, and Delon won the best actor César for Bertrand Blier’s “Notre Histoire” in 1985. He branched out into producing films, directing, promoting boxing, and designing furniture.

Delon’s output slowed in the 1990s, with a notable role in Jean-Luc Godard’s “Nouvelle Vague” in 1990. He announced his retirement from acting in 1997 but returned in 2008 to play Julius Caesar in the French hit “Asterix at the Olympic Games”.

Delon’s personal life was complicated, with extended relationships with figures like Schneider, Mireille Darc, and Rosalie van Breemen, with whom he had two children. He was married to Nathalie Delon from 1964 to 1968, and they had one child, Anthony. The singer and model Nico also gave birth to a son, Christian, whom Delon denied paternity of but was later adopted by Delon’s mother.

Source: The Guardian, French Media Outlets