Jean-Paul Charles Belmondo (; 9 April 19336 September 2021) was a French actor and producer. Initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s, he was a major French film star for several decades from the 1960s onward. His best known credits include '' Breathless'' (1960), '' That Man from Rio'' (1964), '' Pierrot le Fou'' (1965), ''

Borsalino Borsalino is the oldest Italian company specializing in the manufacture of luxury hats. Since 1857, the manufacture has been based in Alessandria, Piedmont. The founder, Giuseppe Borsalino, is remembered for creating a particular model of felt ...

'' (1970), and '' The Professional'' (1981). He was most notable for portraying police officers in action thriller films and became known for his unwillingness to appear in English-language films, despite being heavily courted by

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

. An undisputed box-office champion like

Louis de Funès Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza (; 31 July 1914 – 27 January 1983) was a French actor and comedian. He is France's favourite actor, according to a series of polls conducted since the late 1960s, having played over 150 roles in fil ...

and

Alain Delon Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; born 8 November 1935) is a French actor and filmmaker. He was one of Europe's most prominent actors and screen sex symbols in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In 1985, he won the César Award for Best Actor for h ...

of the same period, Belmondo attracted nearly 160 million spectators in his 50-year career. Between 1969 and 1982, he played four times in the most popular films of the year in France: '' The Brain'' (1969), '' Fear Over the City'' (1975), ''

Animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage in ...

'' (1977), '' Ace of Aces'' (1982), being surpassed on this point only by Louis de Funès. During his career, he was called the French counterpart of actors such as

James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, '' Rebel Without a Caus ...

, Marlon Brando, and

Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Ins ...

. Described as an icon and national treasure of France, Belmondo was seen as an influential actor of French cinema and an important figure in shaping European cinema. In 1989, Belmondo won the

César Award for Best Actor This is the list of winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Actor (french: César du meilleur acteur). History Superlatives Winners 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s Multiple wins and nominations The following indivi ...

for his performance in '' Itinéraire d'un enfant gâté''. He was nominated for two

BAFTA Awards The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...

throughout his career. In 2011 and then in 2017, he received a lifetime achievement honor: the Palme d'honneur during the Cannes Film Festival and a César d'honneur 42nd César Awards.

Early life

Jean-Paul Belmondo was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a suburb of Paris, on 9 April 1933. Belmondo's father,

Paul Belmondo Paul Alexandre Belmondo (born 23 April 1963) is a French racing driver who raced in Formula One for the March and Pacific Racing teams. He was born in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, the son of actor Jean-Paul Belmondo and grandson of scu ...

, was a ''

Pied-Noir The ''Pieds-Noirs'' (; ; ''Pied-Noir''), are the people of French and other European descent who were born in Algeria during the period of French rule from 1830 to 1962; the vast majority of whom departed for mainland France as soon as Alg ...

'' sculptor who was born in Algeria of Italian descent, whose parents were of Sicilian and

Piedmontese Piedmontese (; autonym: or , in it, piemontese) is a language spoken by some 2,000,000 people mostly in Piedmont, northwestern region of Italy. Although considered by most linguists a separate language, in Italy it is often mistakenly regard ...

origin. His mother, Sarah Madeleine Rainaud-Richard, was a painter. As a boy, he was more interested in sport than school, developing a particular interest in boxing and soccer. Belmondo made his amateur boxing debut on 10 May 1949 in Paris when he knocked out René Desmarais in one round. Belmondo's boxing career was undefeated, but brief. He won three straight first-round knockout victories from 1949 to 1950. "I stopped when the face I saw in the mirror began to change", he later said. He did his National Service in French North Africa where he hit himself with a rifle butt to end his military service. Belmondo was interested in acting. His late teenage years were spent at a private drama school, and he began performing comedy sketches in the provinces. He studied under Raymond Giraud and then attended the Conservatoire of Dramatic Arts when he was twenty. He studied there for three years. He would probably have won the prize for best actor, but participated in a sketch mocking the school, which offended the jury; this resulted in his only getting an honourable mention, "which nearly set off a riot among his incensed fellow students" in August 1956, according to one report. The incident made front-page news.

Career

1950s

Belmondo's acting career properly began in 1953, with two performances at the Théâtre de l'Atelier in Paris in Jean Anouilh's ''

Médée ''Médée'' is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Pierre Corneille in 1635. Summary The heroine of the play is the sorceress Médée. After Médée gives Jason twin boys, Jason leaves her for Creusa. Médée ex ...

'' and

Georges Neveux Georges Neveux (1900–1982) was a French dramatist and poet. Neveux's first notable work was the play ''Juliette ou la clé des songes (Juliet or the key to dreams)'', written in 1927 and produced in 1930. It became the basis of Theodor Scha ...

's ''Zamore''. Belmondo began touring the provinces with friends including

Annie Girardot Annie Suzanne Girardot (25 October 193128 February 2011) was a French actress. She often played strong-willed, independent, hard-working, and often lonely women, imbuing her characters with an earthiness and reality that endeared her to women und ...

and

Guy Bedos Guy Bedos (; né Guy René Bédos, ; 15 June 1934 – 28 May 2020) was a French screenwriter, stand-up comedian and actor (mostly known for his part in the film '' Nous irons tous au paradis''). He was a French man born in Algeria , a former ...

. Belmondo first appeared in the short ''Moliere'' (1956). His first film role was a scene with

Jean-Pierre Cassel Jean-Pierre Cassel (born Jean-Pierre Crochon; 27 October 1932 – 19 April 2007) was a French actor. Early life Cassel was born Jean-Pierre Crochon in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, the son of Louise-Marguerite (née Fabrègue), an opera sin ...

in ''

On Foot, on Horse, and on Wheels ''On Foot, On Horse and On Wheels'' is the US title for the 1957 French comedy film, ''À pied, à cheval et en voiture''. It marked the film debut of Jean Paul Belmondo. The movie was a massive hit at the French box office with admissions of 3,48 ...

'' (1957), which was cut from the final film; however he had a bigger part in the follow up ''

A Dog, a Mouse, and a Sputnik A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

'' (1958). Belmondo had a small role in the comedy '' Be Beautiful But Shut Up'' (1958), appearing with

, followed by a role as a gangster in '' Young Sinners'' (1958), directed by Marcel Carné. Belmondo supported

Bourvil André Robert Raimbourg (; 27 July 1917 – 23 September 1970), better known as André Bourvil (), and mononymously as Bourvil, was a French actor and singer best known for his roles in comedy films, most notably in his collaboration with Louis ...

and

Arletty Léonie Marie Julie Bathiat (15 May 1898 – 23 July 1992), known professionally as Arletty, was a French actress, singer, and fashion model. As an actress she is particularly known for classics directed by Marcel Carné, including '' Hotel du N ...

in ''

Sunday Encounter ''Sunday Encounter'' is the US title for a 1958 French comedy-drama film, ''Un drôle de dimanche''. It was directed by Marc Allégret and stars Arletty, Bourvil and Danielle Darrieux with Jean-Paul Belmondo making an early appearance. Plot Cast ...

'' (1958). Jean-Luc Godard directed him in a short, '' Charlotte and Her Boyfriend'' (1958), where Belmondo's voice was dubbed by Godard after Belmondo was conscripted into the army. As part of his compulsory military service, he served in Algeria as a private for six months. Belmondo's first lead role was in '' Les Copains du dimanche'' (1958). He later had a supporting part in '' An Angel on Wheels'' (1959) with Romy Schneider then appeared in '' Web of Passion'' (1959) for

Claude Chabrol Claude Henri Jean Chabrol (; 24 June 1930 – 12 September 2010) was a French film director and a member of the French New Wave (''nouvelle vague'') group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s. Like his colleagues an ...

. He played D'Artagnan in ''The Three Musketeers'' (1959) for French television.

1960s

Belmondo starred in '' Consider All Risks'' (1960), a gangster story with

Lino Ventura Angiolino Giuseppe Pasquale Ventura (14 July 1919 – 22 October 1987), known as Lino Ventura, was an Italian actor who grew up in France and starred in many French films. Born in Italy, he was raised in Paris by his mother. After a first care ...

. He then played the lead role in Jean-Luc Godard's '' Breathless'' (''À Bout de Souffle'', 1960), which made him a major figure in the French New Wave. ''Breathless'' was a major success in France and overseas and launched Belmondo internationally and as the face of the New Wave – even though, as he said "I don't know what they mean" when people used that term. In the words of '' The New York Times'' it led to his having "more acting assignments than he can handle." He followed it with ''

Trapped by Fear ''Trapped by Fear'' is a 1960 French film originally entitled ''Les distractions'' starring Jean Paul Belmondo and directed by Jacques Dupont. It had admissions in France of 955,037.Letters By a Novice'' (1960). With Jeanne Moreau and director

Peter Brook Peter Stephen Paul Brook (21 March 1925 – 2 July 2022) was an English theatre and film director. He worked first in England, from 1945 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, from 1947 at the Royal Opera House, and from 1962 for the Royal Shak ...

he made '' Seven Days... Seven Nights'' (1961) which he later called "very boring." Belmondo appeared as a

gigolo A gigolo () is a male escort or social companion who is supported by a person in a continuing relationship, often living in her residence or having to be present at her beck and call. The term ''gigolo'' usually implies a man who adopts a lifest ...

in the anthology film ''

Love and the Frenchwoman ''Love and the Frenchwoman'' is the US title of a 1960 French anthology film originally entitled ''La française et l'amour''. It starred Jean-Paul Belmondo and Dany Robin. The movie was a big hit in France with admissions of 3,056,736.

'' (1960). Then he made two Italian films, supporting

Sophia Loren Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress. She was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood cin ...

in ''

Two Women ''Two Women'' ( it, La ciociara , rough literal translation "The Woman from Ciociaria") is a 1960 war drama film directed by Vittorio De Sica from a screenplay by Cesare Zavattini and De Sica, based on the novel of the same name by Alberto Mo ...

'' (1961) as a bespectacled country boy ("It may disappoint those who've got me typed" said Belmondo. "But so much the better."), then opposite

Claudia Cardinale Claude Joséphine Rose "Claudia" Cardinale (; born 15 April 1938) is an Italian actress. She has starred in some of the most iconic European films of the 1960s and 1970s, acting in Italian, French, and English. Born and raised in La Goulette, a ...

in '' The Lovemakers'' (1961). ''Two Women'' and ''Breathless'' were widely seen in the United States and the UK. In 1961, ''The New York Times'' called him "the most impressive young French actor since the advent of the late Gérard Philipe". He was reunited with Godard for ''

A Woman Is a Woman ''A Woman Is a Woman'' (french: Une femme est une femme) is a 1961 French musical romantic comedy film written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, Anna Karina and Jean-Claude Brialy. It is a tribute to American musical com ...

'' (1961) and made another all-star anthology comedy, '' Famous Love Affairs'' (1961). Later, he acted in Jean-Pierre Melville's philosophical movie ''

Léon Morin, Priest ''Léon Morin, Priest'' (french: Léon Morin, prêtre) is a 1961 French drama film directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. It was adapted by Melville from Béatrix Beck's novel '' The Passionate Heart'' (French: ''Léon Morin, prêtre''), which won the ...

'' (1961), playing a priest. He was a retired gangster in '' A Man Named Rocca'' (1962), then had a massive hit with the swashbuckler ''

Cartouche In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a cartouche is an oval with a line at one end tangent to it, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name. The first examples of the cartouche are associated with pharaohs at the end of the Third Dynasty, but the fe ...

'' (1962), directed by

Philippe de Broca Philippe de Broca (; 15 March 1933 – 26 November 2004) was a French movie director. He directed 30 full-length feature films, including the highly successful '' That Man from Rio (''L'Homme de Rio'')'', '' The Man from Acapulco (Le Magnifique) ...

. Also popular was '' A Monkey in Winter'' (1962), a comedy where he and Jean Gabin played alcoholics.

François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more tha ...

wanted Belmondo to play the lead in an adaptation of '' Fahrenheit 451''. This did not happen (the film was made several years later with Oskar Werner); instead Belmondo made two movies with Jean-Pierre Melville: the

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarde ...

crime film '' The Fingerman'' (''Le Doulos'', 1963) and ''

Magnet of Doom ''Magnet of Doom'' (french: L'Aîné des Ferchaux, "The Elder Ferchaux"), also known as ''An Honorable Young Man'', is a 1963 French film, directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, based on the novel of the same title by Georges Simenon. Synopsis In Pari ...

'' (1963). He co-starred with Gina Lollobrigida in '' Mad Sea'' (1963) and appeared in another comedy anthology, ''

Sweet and Sour Sweet and sour is a generic term that encompasses many styles of sauce, cuisine and cooking methods. It is commonly used in East Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been used in England since the Middle Ages. Dickson Wright, Clarissa (2011) ''A Histo ...

'' (1963). There was some controversy when he was arrested for insulting a policeman, when the policeman was charged with assaulting Belmondo. ''

Banana Peel A banana peel, called banana skin in British English, is the outer covering of the banana fruit. Banana peels are used as food for animals, an ingredient in cooking, in water purification, for manufacturing of several biochemical products as w ...

'' (1963), with Jeanne Moreau, was a popular comedy. Even more successful was the action-adventure tale '' That Man from Rio'' (1964), directed by

- a massive hit in France, and popular overseas as well. A 1965 profile compared him to

and

. It stated Belmondo was:

A later manifestation of youthful rejection... His disengagement from a society his parents made is total. He accepts corruption with a cynical smile, not even bothering to struggle. He is out entirely for himself, to get whatever he can, while he can. The Belmondo type is capable of anything. He knows he is defeated anyway... He represents something tough yet vulnerable, laconic but intense, notably lacking in neuroses or the stumbling insecurities of homus Americanus. He is the man of the moment, completely capable of taking care of himself - and ready to take on the girl of the moment too.

Belmondo's own tastes ran to

Tintin Tintin or Tin Tin may refer to: ''The Adventures of Tintin'' * ''The Adventures of Tintin'', a comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé ** Tintin (character), a fictional character in the series ** ''The Adventures of Tintin'' (film), 2011, ...

comics, sports magazines, and detective novels. He said he preferred "making adventure films like ''Rio'' to the intellectual movies of

Alain Resnais Alain Resnais (; 3 June 19221 March 2014) was a French film director and screenwriter whose career extended over more than six decades. After training as a film editor in the mid-1940s, he went on to direct a number of short films which included ...

Alain Robbe-Grillet Alain Robbe-Grillet (; 18 August 1922 – 18 February 2008) was a French writer and filmmaker. He was one of the figures most associated with the '' Nouveau Roman'' (new novel) trend of the 1960s, along with Nathalie Sarraute, Michel Butor and ...

. But with

I'd be willing to try." His fee was said to be between US$150,000-$200,000 per film. Belmondo said he was open to making

films but he wanted to play an American rather than a Frenchman and was interested in

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one of ...

type roles instead of James Dean/Bogart ones. Belmondo made ''

Greed in the Sun ''Greed in the Sun'' (french: Cent mille dollars au soleil) is a 1964 French-Italian adventure film directed by Henri Verneuil. The film was entered into the 1964 Cannes Film Festival. Plot The forwarder Castigliano instructs Steiner to drive a ...

'' (1964) with

for director

Henri Verneuil Henri Verneuil (; born Ashot Malakian; 15 October 1920 – 11 January 2002) was a French-Armenian playwright and filmmaker, who made a successful career in France. He was nominated for Oscar and Palme d'Or awards, and won Locarno Internationa ...

, who said Belmondo was "one of the few young actors in France who is young and manly." '' Backfire'' (1964) reunited him with

Jean Seberg Jean Dorothy Seberg (; ; November 13, 1938August 30, 1979) was an American actress who lived half of her life in France. Her performance in Jean-Luc Godard's 1960 film ''Breathless'' immortalized her as an icon of French New Wave cinema. Seb ...

, his ''Breathless'' co-star. After a role in '' Male Hunt'' (1964) he played the lead in '' Weekend at Dunkirk'' (1965), another big hit in France. Belmondo dominated the French box office for 1964 – ''That Man from Rio'' was the fourth most popular movie in the country, ''Greed in the Sun'' was seventh, ''Weekend at Dunkirk'' ninth, and ''Backfire'' 19th. '' Crime on a Summer Morning'' (1965) was less successful, though it still performed well on the strength of Belmondo's name. ''

Up to His Ears ''Up to His Ears'' (french: Les Tribulations d'un Chinois en Chine or in English, "Tribulations of a Chinaman in China") is a 1965 French=Italian international co-production adventure comedy film starring Jean Paul Belmondo and Ursula Andress. It ...

'' (1965) was an attempt to repeat the popularity of ''That Man Rio'', from the same director, but did less well. There were Hollywood offers, but Belmondo turned them down. "He won't make films outside of France", said director Mark Robson, who wanted him for ''

Lost Command ''Lost Command'' (aka ''Les Centurions'') is a 1966 American war film directed and produced by Mark Robson and starring Anthony Quinn, Alain Delon, George Segal, Michèle Morgan, Maurice Ronet and Claudia Cardinale. It is based on the best-sel ...

'' (1966). "He has scripts stacked up and he doesn't see why he should jeopardise his great success by speaking English instead of French." Belmondo was reunited with Godard for '' Pierrot le Fou'' (1965) then made a comedy, '' Tender Scoundrel'' (1966). He had small roles in two predominantly English speaking films, '' Is Paris Burning?'' (1966) and '' Casino Royale'' (1967). After making '' The Thief of Paris'' (1967) for Louis Malle, Belmondo took an acting hiatus for over a year. "One day it seemed that life was passing me by", he said. "I didn't want to work. So I stopped. Then one day I felt like starting again. So I started." Belmondo spent three months of that time off in Hollywood but did not accept any offers. He did not want to learn English and appear in English-language films:

Every Frenchman dreams of making a Western, of course but America has plenty of good actors. I'm not being falsely modest but why would they need me? I prefer a national film to an international film. Something is lost. Look at what happened to Italy when they went international.

Belmondo returned to filmmaking with the crime movie, ''

Ho! ''Ho!'' ( it, Criminal Face - Storia di un criminale) is a 1968 French-Italian crime film directed by Robert Enrico and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo. It is based on the 1964 novel ''Ho!'' by José Giovanni. The film recorded admissions of 1,774,340 ...

'' (1968), then had a massive hit with a comedy co-starring David Niven, '' The Brain'' (1969). He later appeared in ''

Mississippi Mermaid ''Mississippi Mermaid'' (french: La Sirène du ) is a 1969 French romantic drama film written and directed by François Truffaut and starring Catherine Deneuve and Jean-Paul Belmondo. Adapted from the 1947 novel ''Waltz into Darkness'' by Cornell ...

'' (1969) for

with

Catherine Deneuve Catherine Fabienne Dorléac (born 22 October 1943), known professionally as Catherine Deneuve (, , ), is a French actress as well as an occasional singer, model, and producer, considered one of the greatest European actresses. She gained recogni ...

and the romantic drama ''

Love Is a Funny Thing ''Love Is a Funny Thing'' (french: Un homme qui me plaît, a.k.a. ''A Man I Like'') is a 1969 French romantic drama film directed by Claude Lelouch. Plot An accidental meeting in the United States between an actress and a composer, both French. L ...

'' (1969).

1970s

Belmondo starred alongside

in ''

'' (1970), a successful gangster film. The latter produced the film and Belmondo ended up suing Delon over billing. '' The Married Couple of the Year Two'' (1971) was also popular; even more so was ''

The Burglars ''Le Casse'' (US title: ''The Burglars'') is a 1971 French-Italian neo noir crime film directed by director Henri Verneuil and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Omar Sharif. It is based on the 1953 novel by David Goodis and revolves around a team ...

'' (1971). Inspired by the success Alain Delon had producing his own films, Belmondo formed his own production company, Cerito Films (named after his grandmother, Rosina Cerrito), to develop movies for Belmondo. The first Cerito film was the black comedy ''

Dr. Popaul ''Dr. Popaul'' is a 1972 French black comedy film directed by Claude Chabrol. also known under the titles ''High Heels'' and ''Scoundrel in White''. Based on the 1969 novel ''Murder at Leisure'' by Hubert Monteilhet, it tells the story of an inve ...

'' (1972), with

Mia Farrow Maria de Lourdes Villiers "Mia" Farrow ( ; born February 9, 1945) is an American actress. She first gained notice for her role as Allison MacKenzie in the television soap opera '' Peyton Place'' and gained further recognition for her subsequen ...

, the biggest hit to date for director

. ''

La scoumoune ''La Scoumoune'' (''"Bad luck"'') is a 1972 French film directed by José Giovanni, starring Jean Paul Belmondo, Claudia Cardinale and Michel Constantin. It is an adaption of Giovanni's novel ''L'Excommunié''. ''La Scoumoune'' is a remake of a 1 ...

'' (1972) was a new version of '' A Man Named Rocca'' (1961). ''

The Inheritor ''The Inheritor'' (french: L'Héritier) is a 1973 French film starring Jean-Paul Belmondo. Plot Hugo Cordell, media and industrial tycoon, dies when his plane explodes between Geneva and Paris. Examination of the plane's debris cannot establish ...

'' (1973) was an action film; ''

Le Magnifique ''Le Magnifique'' (literally ''The Magnificent''; also known as The Man from Acapulco) is a French/Italian international co-production released in 1973, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jacqueline Bisset and Vittorio Caprioli that was directed by P ...

'' (1974), a satiric action romance reunited him with Philippe de Broca. He produced as well as starred in ''

Stavisky ''Stavisky...'' is a 1974 French biographical drama film based on the life of the financier and embezzler Alexandre Stavisky and the circumstances leading to his mysterious death in 1934. This gave rise to a political scandal known as the Stavisk ...

'' (1974). Then he made a series of purely commercial films: ''

Incorrigible Incorrigible may refer to: * Incorrigibility * Incorrigible (1946 film) * Incorrigible (1975 film) ''Incorrigible'' ( French: ''L'Incorrigible'') is a 1975 French comedy film directed by Philippe de Broca and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, Genevi� ...

'' (1974), '' Fear Over the City'' (1975; one of Belmondo's biggest hits of the decade and the first time he played a policeman on screen), '' Hunter Will Get You'' (1976), and ''

Body of My Enemy ''Le Corps de mon ennemi'' (also known as ''Body of My Enemy'' ) is a 1976 French crime film directed by Henri Verneuil. Plot After François Leclercq seduces the young and rich Gilberte Beaumont-Liégard, she introduces him to her family. Throu ...

'' (1977). ''

'' (1977) cast him as a stuntman opposite Raquel Welch and he starred as a policeman in '' Cop or Hood'' (1979).

1980s

In 1980, Belmondo starred in another comedy, '' Le Guignolo''. He was a secret service agent in '' The Professional'' (1981) and a pilot in '' Ace of Aces'' (1982). "What intellectuals don't like is success", said Belmondo. "Success in France is always looked down on, not by the public, but by intellectuals. If I'm nude in a film, that's fine for the intellectuals. But if I jump from a helicopter, they think it's terrible." Belmondo kept to commercial films: '' Le Marginal'' (1983) as a policeman, ''

Les Morfalous Les Morfalous (literally ''The Greedy-Guts'', in French argot ; English title: ''The Vultures'') is a 1984 French adventure film, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and directed by Henri Verneuil, featuring the French Foreign Legion during the Second Worl ...

'' (1984) as a sergeant in the

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...

, '' Hold-Up'' (1985) as a bank robber, and ''

Le Solitaire ''The Loner'' ( French: ''Le Solitaire'') is a 1987 French crime film directed and co-written by Jacques Deray, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean-Pierre Malo, Michel Beaune and Pierre Vernier. It was the last in a series of commercial action films ...

'' (1987), again playing another policeman in the last one, the latter one was a big box office disappointment and Belmondo returned to theatre shortly afterwards. In 1987, he returned to the theatre after a 26-year absence in a production of ''Kean'', adapted by Jean-Paul Sartre from the novel by

Alexandre Dumas Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...

. "I did theatre for 10 years before going into movies and every year I planned to go back", he recalled. "I returned before I became an old man." For Claude Lelouch, Belmondo starred in and co-produced ''

Itinerary of a Spoiled Child ''Itinerary of a Spoiled Child'' or ''Itinéraire d'un enfant gâté'' is a French film directed by Claude Lelouch in 1988. Synopsis A foundling, raised in the circus, Sam Lion becomes a businessman after a trapeze accident. However, when he reach ...

'' (1988). For his performance in the film, also titled as '' Itineraire d'un Enfant Gate'', he won a César. Belmondo claimed there were "several reasons" why he made fewer films in the 1980s. "I'm now a producer so it takes time to organise things", he said. "But it's also difficult to find good screenplays in France. We have serious writing problems here. And I'd prefer to do theatre for a long time than take on a mediocre film."

1990s and later career

In 1990, he played the title role in ''

Cyrano de Bergerac Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac ( , ; 6 March 1619 – 28 July 1655) was a French novelist, playwright, epistolarian, and duelist. A bold and innovative author, his work was part of the libertine literature of the first half of the 17th cen ...

'' on the stage in Paris, another highly successful production. He had a small role in ''

One Hundred and One Nights ''One Hundred and One Nights'' (french: Les cent et une nuits de Simon Cinéma) is a 1995 French comedy film directed by Agnès Varda. A light-hearted look at 100 years of commercial cinema, it celebrates in vision and sound favourite films fro ...

'' (1995) then the lead in Lelouch's version of ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origina ...

'' (1995). He also appeared in the comedy '' Désiré'' (1996), ''

Une chance sur deux ''Une chance sur deux'' is a French film directed by Patrice Leconte, released in 1998, and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon and Vanessa Paradis. Synopsis Alice (Vanessa Paradis) leaves prison after having served an eight-month sentenc ...

'' (1998), and in the science fiction comedy ''

Peut-être ''Peut-être'' (''Maybe''; ''Perhaps'') is a 1999 French science fiction comedy film. Directed by Cédric Klapisch with a budget of 75 million franc, the film runs for 109 minutes. It featured Romain Duris, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Géraldine Pailhas ...

'' (1999). In 2009, Belmondo starred in ''

A Man and His Dog ''A Man and His Dog'' (''Un Homme et Son Chien'') is a 2008 French film directed by French director Francis Huster, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, based on the 1952 film ''Umberto D.'' directed by Vittorio De Sica, and written by Cesare Zavattini. ...

'' ("Un homme et son chien"), his final film role. Despite his difficulty in walking and speaking, he played a character who had the same disability. Following this film he was forced into retirement in 2011 having earlier suffered a stroke in 2001.

Honours and awards

In 1989, Belmondo won the

for his performance in '' Itinéraire d'un enfant gâté''. Belmondo was made a ''Chevalier'' (Knight) of the

Ordre National du Mérite The Ordre national du Mérite (; en, National Order of Merit) is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason for the order's esta ...

, promoted to ''Officier'' (Officer) in 1986 and promoted to ''Commandeur'' (Commander) in 1994. He was also made a ''Chevalier'' (Knight) of the Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur, promoted ''Officier'' (Officer) in 1991, and promoted to ''Commandeur'' (Commander) in 2007. During his career, he was nominated for two

BAFTA awards The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...

. Belmondo received several honorary awards – Palme d'Or at the

2011 Cannes Film Festival The 64th Cannes Film Festival was held from 11 to 22 May 2011. American actor Robert De Niro served as the president of the jury for the main competition and French filmmaker Michel Gondry headed the jury for the short film competition. South Ko ...

, Golden Lion at the 2016 Venice Film Festival, and César in 2017. In 2009, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association gave him a career achievement award. In 2017, he was received a lifetime achievement honor at the 42nd César Awards accompanied by a two-minute standing ovation.

Personal life and death

On 4 December 1952, Belmondo married Élodie Constantin, with whom he had three children: Patricia (1953–1993), who was killed in a fire, Florence (born 1958), and

Paul Paul may refer to: * Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chr ...

(born 1963). Belmondo and Constantin separated in 1965. She filed for divorce in September 1966, and it was finalised on 5 January 1968. He had relationships with

Ursula Andress Ursula Andress (born 19 March 1936) is a Swiss-German actress, former model and sex symbol who has appeared in American, British and Italian films. Her breakthrough role was as Bond girl Honey Ryder in the first James Bond film, '' Dr. No'' (1962 ...

from 1965 to 1972,

Laura Antonelli Laura Antonelli ( Antonaz; 28 November 1941 – 22 June 2015) was an Italian film actress who appeared in 45 films between 1964 and 1991. Early years Antonelli was born Laura Antonaz in Pola, Kingdom of Italy (in Croatian, Pula), former capit ...

from 1972 to 1980, Brazilian actress and singer Maria Carlos Sotto Mayor from 1980 to 1987, and Barbara Gandolfi from 2008 to 2012. In 1989, Belmondo was in his mid-50s when he met 24-year-old dancer Natty Tardivel. The couple lived together for over a decade before marrying in 2002. On 13 August 2003, Tardivel gave birth to then 70-year-old Belmondo's fourth child, Stella Eva Angelina. Belmondo and Tardivel divorced in 2008. Belmondo was a supporter of football club

Paris Saint-Germain Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris, Paris SG or simply PSG is a professional football club based in Paris, France. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. As ...

. Belmondo died on 6 September 2021 at his home in Paris, aged 88. He had been in failing health since he suffered a stroke a decade before. A national tribute was held on 9 September in Hôtel des Invalides.

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Emmanuel Macron called Belmondo a "national hero". The last tribute melody was " Chi Mai" by Ennio Morricone (from The 1981 film '' The Professional''). The next day, 10 September, his funeral took place at the Saint-Germain-des-Prés church in the presence of relatives and family. The actors Alain and

Anthony Delon Anthony Delon (born September 30, 1964) is a French-American actor, and son of actors Alain Delon and Nathalie Delon. Biography Delon is the former boyfriend of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco. He married Sophie Clerico on June 27, 2006; they separ ...

also were present. His remains were cremated at the

Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (french: Cimetière du Père-Lachaise ; formerly , "East Cemetery") is the largest cemetery in Paris, France (). With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Notable figur ...

, and his ashes are buried alongside his father, the sculptor Paul Belmondo, at the Montparnasse Cemetery.

Legacy

Throughout his career, he was called the French counterpart of actors such as

, Marlon Brando, and

. On the day of his death, television channels in France altered their schedules to add screenings of his films, which drew over 6.5 million viewers cumulatively. For his performances as a police officer in many films, the National Police said that "Even if it was just cinema you were in a way one of us, Mr. Belmondo". Throughout his career, he was regarded as an influential French actor and was often seen as the face of the French New Wave. Belmondo was described as the "figurehead" of the French New Wave, with his acting techniques often seen as capturing the style and imagination of France in the 1960s. Many of his film roles, especially as Michel Poiccard, were regarded as "legendary" and highly influential. Despite his reluctance to learn English, many often believed had he accepted offers from

, his success there would have been comparable to that of French actors

Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...

or Maurice Chevalier. In an obituary for '' The Guardian'', they hailed Belmondo as an "integral part of the history of French cinema, and France itself". He was described as the "epitome of cool". American film director Quentin Tarantino cited Belmondo as an influence and called Belmondo "a verb that represents vitality, charisma, a force of will, it represents super coolness". English director Edgar Wright said that "cinema will never be quite as cool again" following Belmondo's death. He was described as an icon of French cinema and being influential in shaping modern European cinema.

Selected filmography

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Belmondo, Jean Paul 1933 births 2021 deaths People from Neuilly-sur-Seine French male film actors French male stage actors French film producers Best Actor César Award winners Commanders of the Ordre national du Mérite Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur French people of Italian descent French people of Sicilian descent People of Piedmontese descent 20th-century French male actors 21st-century French male actors French National Academy of Dramatic Arts alumni Burials at Montparnasse Cemetery

Early life

Career

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s and later career

Honours and awards

Personal life and death

Legacy

Selected filmography

See also

References

External links