Sworn friends: the scandalous story of the confrontation between Delon and Belmondo - myth or reality?
Sworn friends: the scandalous story of the confrontation between Delon and Belmondo - myth or reality?

Video: Sworn friends: the scandalous story of the confrontation between Delon and Belmondo - myth or reality?

Video: Sworn friends: the scandalous story of the confrontation between Delon and Belmondo - myth or reality?
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Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon

Two of the brightest stars of French cinema - actors Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo - have always attracted the attention of journalists. Disputes of fans about "who is cooler" led to the birth of a legend about the irreconcilable enmity of two talented actors. Is it true that in life they were constant rivals and enmity?

The first joint shooting. Film Be Beautiful and Silent, 1958
The first joint shooting. Film Be Beautiful and Silent, 1958
The two most popular French film actors
The two most popular French film actors

They are actors of the same generation, Jean-Paul Belmondo was born in 1933, Alain Delon in 1935. They are both undeniably talented and equally popular. At times they really quarreled, as they often had to work together, and both were jealous of their profession. "Actors, like princes, do not become, but are born," Belmondo liked to repeat, and Delon was in solidarity with him in this.

Alain Delon congratulates his friend on being awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor, 1980
Alain Delon congratulates his friend on being awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor, 1980
Actors on a joint vacation, 1969
Actors on a joint vacation, 1969
Left - actors on the set of the legendary film Borsalino, 1969. Right - a banquet after filming Borsalino, 1969
Left - actors on the set of the legendary film Borsalino, 1969. Right - a banquet after filming Borsalino, 1969

Belmondo recalled the beginning of their career: “He and I are day and night. From the very beginning, our careers ran in parallel. We both "shot" in 1960: he was in "In the bright sun", I - in "On my last breath." We worked with the same directors. On the set, he was focused, I was relaxed. We were famous and could afford to choose our roles. There was room for both of us in the movies. They often portrayed the same characters - gangsters and loners. " It is interesting that, playing in the same films, they often did not appear together in the same frame - as, for example, in the film "Famous love stories" (1961).

Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo in the film Borsalino, 1970
Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo in the film Borsalino, 1970
Still from the film Borsalino, 1970
Still from the film Borsalino, 1970
Still from the film Borsalino, 1970
Still from the film Borsalino, 1970

Because of such frequent coincidences and intersections, the two charismatic actors, of course, often clashed. They starred together in the gangster film Borsalino. After the premiere, Belmondo filed a lawsuit against Delon, since, contrary to the agreement, the name of a colleague was mentioned on the posters as a producer and actor. According to the contract, it was supposed to look like this: "" Adele Production presents Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon in the film "Borsalino" ". As a result, the signature was left: "Alain Delon presents." By itself, this line meant little - but Belmondo was hurt that he was deceived by a man whom at that time he already considered his friend. He won the lawsuit.

Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon in the film Borsalino, 1970
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon in the film Borsalino, 1970
The two most popular French film actors
The two most popular French film actors
Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo in the film Borsalino, 1970
Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo in the film Borsalino, 1970

Based on this story, journalists have created a legend about the irreconcilable confrontation between the two idols of French cinema. They wrote that, despite the apologies from Delon, Belmondo ignored his attempts to reconcile, did not speak to him for two years and was never able to forgive. And then Belmondo gave an interview in which he argued that this conflict was sucked out of the thumb, and their enmity was inflated by the press: “I am glad to tell you that Alain and I are still friends. We have known each other not for the first day, we have nothing to share, so all attempts to play us off are doomed to failure. " And about the filming of Borsalino, Belmondo said: “Contrary to legend, the filming in Borsalino went well. Alain and I have always been on good terms. It was a pleasure for us to play together and then visit each other. In Marseille, we went around all the taverns. We had a lot in common."

Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon
The two most popular French film actors
The two most popular French film actors

All subsequent years, the actors really remained in warm friendly relations, which made journalists doubt the seriousness of their conflict. Some have suggested that it never happened, and the hype in the press became a PR stunt to attract attention to their film. Be that as it may, the actors continued to compliment each other. “It's a pleasure to play with Delon,” Jean-Paul said. “It's like racing a Ferrari.

Alain Delon, Vanessa Paradis and Jean-Paul Belmondo in One Chance for Two, 1998
Alain Delon, Vanessa Paradis and Jean-Paul Belmondo in One Chance for Two, 1998
Pari Match magazine spread, 1997
Pari Match magazine spread, 1997
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon in One Chance for Two, 1998
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon in One Chance for Two, 1998

Delon did not lag behind: “I admire him. For 30 years we have been running 100 meters together. Brotherhood connects us. My life is his life. And his life is mine. Everything that concerns him also concerns me."

The two most popular French film actors
The two most popular French film actors
Actors in 2000
Actors in 2000
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon
Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon

In his autobiographical book Better to Live a Thousand Lives Than One, Belmondo devoted several pages to their relationship with Delon. He wrote: “We have always had a great relationship. He knew that I was not encroaching on his role, and I understood that he was not interested in what I loved. We had not only a different audience, some love us both, while others hate us. We walked in parallel courses. Some said - Delon is better, others - Belmondo. And we just played different roles and were not jealous of each other. Perhaps there was no rivalry in this long-term friendship?

Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo in the film Borsalino, 1970
Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo in the film Borsalino, 1970

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