Alain Delon: Style, Stardom and Masculinity

by Nick Rees-Roberts (Editor), Darren Waldron (Editor)

Few European male actors have been as iconic and influential for generations of filmgoers as Alain Delon. Emblematic of a modern, European masculinity, Delon's appeal spanned cultures and continents. From his breakthrough as the first on-screen Tom Ripley in Purple Noon in 1960, through two legendary performances in Rocco and His Brothers and The Leopard in the early 1960s, to his roles in some of Jean-Pierre Melville's most celebrated films noirs, Delon came to embody the flair and stylishness of the European thriller as one of France's most recognizable film stars.

This collection examines the star's career, image and persona. Not only focusing on his spectacular early performances, the book also considers less well documented aspects of Delon's long career such as his time in Hollywood, his work as director, producer and screenwriter, his musical collaborations, his TV appearances, and his enduring role as a fashion icon in the 21st century. Whether the object of reverence or ridicule, of desire or disdain, Delon remains a unique figure who continues to court controversy and fascination more than five decades after he first achieved international fame.

Genres: Biography, Film

216 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2014

Reviews

[. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn’t a biography, to warn anyone who may want to read an English-language book on Alain Delon. With that said, I find the book an overall nice read. Some chapters are better than others, but anyone interested or fascinated in Delon will enjoy this book. I’d recommend someone already be somewhat familiar with Delon and have seen a decent amount of his films before reading! Some of the chapters probably would be confusing if unfamiliar with his work.

[Christine Mathieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it's not really a biography (which I was hoping for) and some of the texts are very hard to read for people whose native language is not English, but it contains pics and enough focus on my favorite Delon movie "Plein soleil" (the best of all Tom Ripley movies) to be of interest for me.
Plus "Fabio Montale" is mentioned, a truly great TV threeparter filmed in and near Marseille in the gorgeous Calanques.
So it was worth getting the book, but I am still hoping that in the future a real biography on Delon will be translated into English. There are several books on his life in French.