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.

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.

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