Jean Paul Belmondo at 88 Years old – 2021
(Thief of Paris, directed by Louis Malle)
Jean Paul Belmondo, born 9 April 1933
Son of Paul Belmondo, a French sculptor of Italian descent.
This fast-moving spoof of Bond-type movies features striking location photography of Rio de Janeiro, Oscar Niemeyer’s nascent Brasília and Paris of the time. In 1964 the film was nominated for the Oscar for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay.
“Léon Morin, Priest” in English — was Melville’s sixth feature and almost the exact midpoint between early successes like “Bob le Flambeur” (1956), about a gentleman thief organizing the heist of a lifetime, and “Army of Shadows” (1969), his late-career masterpiece about the Resistance. Given his interest in the war, it’s understandable that he was drawn to “Léon Morin” and its story of life during the occupation.
In the interview included on this disc, Melville says he was sitting on it for eight years but never started because he couldn’t find an actor right for the part of Morin, and that it was only after watching Breathless that he decided to try and get Belmondo, who was initially reluctant and had to be convinced by Melville.
Two Women, directed by Vittorio De Sica (Sophia Loren won an Oscar for best actress)
(Is Paris Burning – Alain Delon and Belmondo directed by Rene Clement)
(Stavisky directed by Alain Resnais)
Paris Journal on Stavisky (Jonathan Rosenbaum – see more photos here)