Jean-Paul Belmondo became one of the actors in world cinema who fundamentally turned over the usual ideas of the audience about the appearance of the main character. He was far from handsome, but the undoubted charm and charisma of the “bad guy” did their job, and he became the favorite of millions. Films with the participation of Jean-Paul Belmondo instantly became successful, he was equally appreciated by critics and ordinary viewers. Leaving a bright mark in the culture of the twentieth century, he retired to retire, occasionally appearing in public.
early years
Jean-Paul Belmondo was born in the town of Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, in 1933. The future star of French cinema was lucky to be born in a bohemian family, which largely determined his future fate. His father, Paul Belmondo, was a famous sculptor. Mom Madeleine was known as a good artist and had extensive connections in the theatrical environment.
According to eyewitnesses, in childhood, little Jean was a charming child, his father even sculpted sculptures of angels from him. However, in reality, a real imp was hidden behind the cherub's appearance. He spent all his free time in the yard, chasing a soccer ball and breaking glass to his neighbors. A caring mother tried to change her son’s inclinations and often took him to performances at the Comedy Frances Theater.
Nevertheless, despite all the efforts of his mother, the biography of Jean-Paul Belmondo could have turned out differently, he seriously engaged in sports and reached certain successes as a teenager. At first he was fond of football, then he was eager to become a boxer and even won the Paris welterweight championship.
Choice of a way and study
Concerned about what to do next, Jean-Paul Belmondo decided to serve in the army, where he caught a mild form of tuberculosis. Restoring his health in a small village, he made his final choice of his future profession and decided to become an actor.
To this end, he arrives in Paris and enters the Higher National Conservatory of Dramatic Art, where Pierre Duchs and Rene Girard became his teachers. Boxing classes left their mark on the appearance of Jean Paul, and the teachers were skeptical about his prospects on the stage and on the screen.
Throughout his studies, Belmondo experienced serious problems with discipline, he was a notorious rowdy and truant, only a clear dramatic talent saved the dissolute student from the final expulsion.
In parallel with his studies, he achieved a place in the theater and regularly went out to play on stage. By the end of his studies, Jean-Paul Belmondo became one of the best students on the course, and only the scandalous reputation prevented him from receiving the special award “Best Actor”.
First work
In 1956, the sculptor's son graduated from the conservatory and began to storm the cinema peaks. The first of the films of Jean-Paul Belmondo was the short film "Moliere", where the debutant played a small role. However, fans of the actor will vainly look for their favorite when viewing this long-standing picture, since during the installation all the scenes with the participation of Jean-Paul were cut out.
Nevertheless, the talent of the young actor was obvious, and he was often invited to shoot. He received his first significant role in the film Be Beautiful and Shut Up. Curiously, this picture became a launching pad for another future idol of French women - Alain Delon.
Such not similar to each other, but equally bright, they became friends on the set, which did not prevent them subsequently fiercely competing for the title of best actor in the country.
In addition, from the early films of Jean-Paul Belmondo, one can note the psychological drama “On a Double Turn of the Key”, the comedy “Mademoiselle Angel”, where Romy Schneider, the melodrama “The Only Angel on Earth” became his partner.
Breakthrough
The youth of the actor successfully coincided with the creative heyday of the directors of a new wave of European cinema, who made a revolution in the ossified genre. One of them was the French master Jean-Luc Godard. One of the best films of Jean-Paul Belmondo is considered to be the first picture of the master “In the Last Breath”.
Here Jean-Paul plays the role of the negative character of Michel Poitard. Unlike the usual stereotypes, the hero, who openly spits on the norms of society and openly rebels against him, wins the hearts of the audience and makes him watch himself with excitement.
The film itself was shot in an innovative manner, the director did not have a specific script, there were only general outlines of scenes, improvisation on the set decided a lot. Some episodes, including the famous walk along the Champs Elysees, were shot entirely by a hidden camera.
“In the last breath” became a real gift for the actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, it was after the release of this film that truly world fame fell on the young actor. According to the movie star, his phone was bursting with calls, all the directors dreamed of seeing him in their paintings.
On the wave of success
Having become the idol of millions, Jean-Paul could forget about the supporting roles in the passage pictures. From now on, he could only be the main character. For several years, the filmography of Jean-Paul Belmondo was replenished with such paintings as “Monkey in the Winter”, “Leon Moren”, “Snitch”, “Banana Peel”. Together with the charming Claudia Cardinal, the actor starred in the historical adventure film “Cartouche”, which was very popular in the vastness of the USSR.
Nevertheless, until a certain point, Jean-Paul Belmondo did not want to become a participant in commercial projects alone, from time to time paying attention to serious copyright projects. One of them was a new painting by Jean-Luc Godard “Mad Pierrot”. Here, the audience is not at all the charming adventurer to whom they are so accustomed. Belmondo plays the role of a desperate, deceived person and does it very soulfully and convincingly. The film received a well-deserved portion of praise and was nominated for the main award of the Venice Film Festival.
Golden years
Over the years, the popularity of Jean-Paul Belmondo did not decrease, he focused on work in commercially successful films and in the seventies and eighties confidently took a place among the main movie stars. Among the main successes of the actor, one can distinguish the film “Is Paris Burning, ” where he played a member of the Resistance Yves Morand.
In the gangster action movie Borsalino, Jean-Paul Belmondo once again met on the set with his rival friend Alain Delon. According to witnesses of those days, Jean-Paul was furious that Delon’s name appeared on his movie posters.
The film "Magnificent" was very popular in the USSR, where the big actor played two roles - the notorious writer Franus Merlin and the hero of his books, the spy Bob Sinclair, who became a clear parody of James Bond.
In 1981, one of the most important films of Jean-Paul Belmondo - Professional was released. The role of special agent Zhosslen Beaumont became the real calling card of the actor, for many the image of the actor and his hero merged into a single whole.
The final shots of the “Professional” by Jean-Paul Belmondo have become classics of world cinema, the same can be said about the music for the film, authored by Ennio Morricone.
Avoiding vigorous activity
After the “Professional” a number of successful works of a great French actor followed, among which were “Robbery”, “Alone”, “Out of Law”. However, at some point, Jean-Paul Belmondo was tired of the busy schedule of filming and decided to return to the theater stage, where he had not been seen for almost thirty years. In the production of “Kin, or Genius and Dissoluteness, ” the legendary actor played a crazy genius, as always, perfectly coping with his tasks.
Belmondo even thought about finally saying goodbye to the cinema, but he succumbed to the entreaties of Claude Lelouch and starred in his film “The Minion of Fate”. Nevertheless, shortly before his sixtieth birthday, he publicly announced that he was ceasing to play the roles in which he was accustomed to seeing him - policemen, bandits, adventurers.
According to him, he is not going to make a laughingstock anymore and turn into a “flying grandfather” of French cinema.
Last years
In 2001, Jean-Paul Belmondo suffered a stroke and recovered for a long time after it. All these years he could walk, only leaning on a cane. Nevertheless, the actor has not yet said his last word - in 2008 he reappeared on the screens in the film "Man and Dog". Belmondo's character in this picture was completely different from his previous heroes. Before the audience he appeared in the image of a sick, feeble old man who was left without a house, the only companion of which was his dog.
According to the actor, he was happy to accept the new challenge and turn over the prevailing stereotypes about him. The film caused a storm of discussion, not everyone liked to see their idol in this state, but this role was included in the list of the actor’s best works.
