Belmondo: 6 Must-See Movies

Jean-Paul Belmondo left us a year ago at the age of 88. Take a look back at this legend’s career with six films every good cinephile should see at least once in their lifetime.

Breathless (1960)

Breathless is a film that, like François Truffaut’s Quatre Cent coupe, launched a new wave in France in the early 1960s. A real revolution in the cinematic landscape, which was then dominated by a certain academicism. Here it is an art of immediacy, spontaneity served by an explosive story – about a doomed relationship between two lovers – a quasi-documentary approach to the setting of Paris and an unprecedented freedom of tone. In front of the genius Godard’s camera, we meet Jean Seberg, stunning with novelty, and the fiery Jean-Paul Belmondo, an actor who soon called for a move to more popular cinema.

Brilliant (1973)

The Magnificent is a fast-paced comedy with an inventive script that hilariously combines the exotic adventures of agent Bob St. Clair with the bitter reality experienced by its author Francois Merlin. One of the best Belmondos and one of the most beautiful jewels of French popular cinema of the 1970s, which owes us to the pope of entertainment, Philippe de Broca. It is hard to imagine that Francis Weber refused to be credited as a screenwriter.

Fear on the Town (1975)

Henri Vernoil’s urban thriller Peur sur la ville is an Inspector Harry set in France, built entirely on Belmondo’s stunt talent. Certain chase scenes have entered into action movie legend, such as the one where he wanders dizzyingly across the rooftops of Paris buildings or on an operating metro train. So many pieces of bravery cannot be filmed in real conditions today.

Incorrigible (1975)

The Broca/Belmondo tandem, to whom we owe The Man from Rio and The Magnificent, reform for this raunchy comedy adapted from the novel. Oh… friend! by Alex Varu and cleverly put into dialogue by Michel Audiard. Steeped in an almost hysterical mythomania, the incorrigible Bebel reproduces ambiguity and improbable characters with genuine communicative delight.

The Professional (1981)

With its amazing score, The Professional makes a certain and positive mark in the filmography of our national baby. The latter still uses the same mechanics, but in a darker and more realistic atmosphere than usual. And we’ll fully appreciate the spaghetti western note brought by Ennio Morricone’s score and the mythical duel with Robert Hossain.

Ace of Aces (1982)

Despite the staging and interpretation, which are quite dated, this huge success of French popular cinema (more than 5 million screenings when it was released in cinemas in 1982) by Gérard Oury is still a pleasant comedy with a good pace of adventure. humor. All this is enhanced by the randomness and determination of ace Belmondo, who, as usual, does not shine with some masterful tricks, including this memorable chase through the winding roads of Bavaria.

(Re)discover the trailer for ‘L’As des As’…