Alain Delon

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 <i>Purple Noon </i>in 1960 through two legendary performances in <i>Rocco and His</i> <i>Brothers </i>and <i>The Leopard </i>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. <br/><br/>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.