Alain Delon: Style, Stardom and Masculinity

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.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Alain Delon, Then and Now Nick Rees-Roberts, University of Bristol, UK, and Darren Waldron, University of Manchester, UK On the Limits of Narcissism: Alain Delon, Masculinity and the Delusion of Agency Darren Waldron, University of Manchester, UK Delon and Performance: Emploi and the Interaction between Individual, Role and Character Laurent Jullier, Université Paris Sorbonne Nouvelle, France, and Jean-Marc Leveratto, Université de Lorraine, France France’s 'New Don Juan': The Representation of Delon’s Youth Gwénaëlle Le Gras, Université Bordeaux Montaigne, France Dubbing Delon: Voice, Body and National Stardom in Rocco and his Brothers Catherine O’Rawe, University of Bristol, UK Delon/Gabin/Verneuil: Modernity within Tradition Leila Wimmer, London Metropolitan University, UK Alain Delon, International Man of Mystery Mark Gallagher, University of Nottingham, UK The Star’s Script: Delon as Director, Producer and Screenwriter Isabelle Vanderschelden, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK The Singing Actor: Delon on Record Barbara Lebrun, University of Manchester, UK Dressed to Kill: Delon as Style Icon Nick Rees-Roberts, University of Bristol, UK Toujours Delon: The Script of Ageing Sue Harris, Queen Mary University of London, UK

About the Author :
Nick Rees-Roberts is Senior Lecturer in Film, Department of French, University of Bristol, UK. Darren Waldron is Senior Lecturer in French Screen Studies, University of Manchester, UK.

Review :
In ten essays from a respected pool of academic writers, [this] book teases out what made Delon such a success ... [A]n interesting read. The book increases significantly the available scholarship on Delon ... and offer[s] unusual and stimulating premises ... which in the long run will prove to be useful take-off points for scholars wishing to further engage with the figure of Delon. Highly engrossing … The use of a wide range of cultural, geographical, and theoretical lenses is not only revolutionary for Delon scholarship, but also has broader implications for star studies and English-language publications on non-Anglo-American stars, further underscoring the importance of this collection’s fascinating exploration of Delon’s style, stardom, and masculinity. [This collection] manages to cover the broad range of Delon’s career and persona in ways that are profoundly illuminating. There are excellent studies of his narcissism, his international profile and its relationship to French culture, his impact on fashion culture, his move into production and directing ... and two fascinating chapters on Delon dubbed in his Italian films, and Delon as singer. A bracing and wide-ranging set of essays on a vital French and international star celebrity. As these expert respondents consider Delon's career -- embodying culture, commerce and history -- they offer a richer understanding not only of this particular icon, but also the possibilities for star studies in general. At last, the best-looking, most charismatic French actor of the post-war period gets the sustained attention he deserves. In Alain Delon, Style, Stardom and Masculinity, Nick Rees-Roberts and Darren Waldron have gathered a splendid collection of texts that illuminate the star in his multifarious dimensions: his roles and career choices, performance, looks, voice, fashion sense and sexual attractiveness. Drawing on insights from a range of international scholars, the book also importantly examines and celebrates his presence not just in famous classics such as Rocco and his Brothers, The Leopard and Mr Klein, but also in popular French cinema, especially the thrillers of Henri Verneuil, Jacques Deray and Jean-Pierre Melville, of which he was a pillar for decades. Fans and students alike will relish a book that explains and documents the enduring appeal of one of the great stars of French and world cinema.