Life as a movie: 10 masterpieces of French cinema with Alain Delon

The French actor Alain Delon, who died on August 18 at the age of 88, was a legend not only in his homeland but throughout Europe. He fascinated the audience with his incredible performance and appearance, which made him a sex symbol of the 60s and 80s cinema.

His body of work includes more than 100 different roles, and up to six films with his participation were released per year. This makes it clear that from a young age, Alain Delon almost lived by acting. Paris Match has collected 10 cult films of the movie star that everyone should watch.

Before his career as an actor, Delon worked as a loader in the port of Le Gallé. Then actor Jean-Claude Brialy noticed the young man's appearance and invited him to the Cannes Film Festival. It was there that he received his first film projects. In 1957, Alain Delon played his first role in the film Quand la femme s'en mêle (literally translated as When a Woman Intervenes).

1. Plein Soleil (1960)

This film was one of the very first works in which Alain Delon participated. In particular, it was the first leading role for the actor, Mr. Tom Ripley, who repeatedly breaks the law for his own benefit. Film critics gave the movie a 7.7 rating on IMDb.

2. Rocco e i suoi fratelli (1960)

This masterpiece was in incredible demand in Italy, where it was filmed. The movie has been watched more than ten million times.

The crime drama tells the story of the Parondi brothers, who go to Milan in the hope of a better life, but face continuous troubles and clashes with each other.

3. L'eclisse (1962)

Alain Delon plays the role of a broker who thinks only of his own enrichment. The movie reveals his personality through his relationship with a girl who accidentally got on the stock exchange.

4. Il Gattopardo (1963)

The actor played the young and energetic nephew of a prince. The film won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1963 and became one of the pinnacles of world cinema.

5. The Samurai (1967)

This movie became one of the best films Delon has ever made. It was rated at 8 points on IMDb. The film tells the story of a professional killer and the Parisian commissioner who tries to catch him.

6. La Piscine (1969)

After a breakup, Alain Delon persuades his ex-girlfriend Romy Schneider, who has decided to quit acting, to star in a movie with him.

The plot focuses on a young couple who spend their vacation in a villa near Saint-Tropez, enjoying a luxurious and carefree life by the pool. Their idyll is disrupted when they are joined by the protagonist's longtime friend and the girl's ex-lover.

7. Le Clan des Siciliens (1969)

The plot centers on the Sicilian mafia family Managlio. They are joined by an escaped prisoner, Roger Sarthe, who plans to rob a jewelry exhibition in Rome. To do this, they decide to hijack a plane carrying diamonds and replace the real jewels with fakes.

8. Borsalino (1970)

The plot centers on two gangsters, Rock Siffredi and François Capella, who meet in Marseille in the 1930s. They seize control of Marseille's underworld by engaging in various illegal activities such as alcohol trafficking, gambling, and racketeering. The attention of the police and competitors ends badly for the men.

9. Monsieur Klein (1976)

The film is set in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Robert Klein is a successful Parisian merchant who leads a carefree life, taking advantage of the plight of Jews who are forced to sell their valuables at a reduced price. His life changes when he receives a newspaper sent to his name, in which the Jewish surname Klein is highlighted as suspicious.

10. Notre histoire (1984)

In the film, Alain Delon plays an unusual role for himself, that of an alcoholic Robert, who is torn between his love for drink and for a woman. However, Donna is not a simple girl. The relationship with her turns out to be more complicated than Robert could have imagined.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote how Alain Delon supported Ukraine: he talked to Volodymyr Zelensky, recited Ukrainian poems, and admired our people and military.

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