Terry Ito Column Vol.34 Alain Delon, the century's leading man, passes away

French actor Alain Delon passed away on August 18, 2024, surrounded by his family in Dauchy, France. He was 88 years old. Whenever Alain Delon is introduced, he is always referred to as the "gorgeous actor of the century." And rightly so. He was an exceptionally handsome man. Every country in the world has handsome men. Japan, America, Britain, Italy, India, South Korea, and other countries also have handsome men who are quite good-looking. But France's Alain Delon is in a class of his own. If a global Olympics for handsome men were held, he would undoubtedly win the gold medal. With his delicate, clear gaze exuding ambition, his supple physique, and his perfectly shaped, sweet face, he truly possessed the perfect looks bestowed upon him by God.

This charm was beautifully brought out in the 1960 film "Plein Soleil," directed by Rene Clement. Alain Delon plays Tom, a poor and lonely young man who is treated like a slave by the son of a millionaire and eventually develops murderous intent. The shocking final scene is still talked about by movie fans today. The combination of the Neapolitan sea, the sunshine, Nino Rota's theme song, and the fresh performance of Alain Delon, just 25 years old, as he climbs his way up in life, made the film a huge hit around the world. Even now, many people rate this film as the best in French film history.

He became hugely popular in Japan, with Alain Delon appearing on the covers of every film magazine at the time and remaining the "undisputed number one" in popularity polls every year. But that wasn't enough. His first visit to Japan caused an incredible stir. Even in an era before the Internet, news got out and Haneda Airport was filled with chaos with young women. The Japanese entertainment world wasn't silent either. Film companies welcomed him with such enthusiasm, sending young actresses to greet him in traditional Japanese clothing. The only other time there was such a frenzy over a foreign star was when The Beatles came to Japan afterwards.

However, there was no way that an average man could become Alain Delon, and by that time he had given up. In 1971, the fashion brand "Renown" selected Alain Delon as its image character and released the men's clothing line "Durban." It was a huge hit, with people thinking, "Maybe I can become Alain Delon too!" In addition, the Borsalino hat he wore in the 1970 film "Borsalino" is still a dream for men. Even if he can't become the handsome man of the century, at least he can have that kind of vibe, and his influence remains undiminished.

The amazing thing about Alain Delon was that he remained handsome until the day he died. He maintained his beauty through all ages. He's probably in heaven right now, drinking wine and talking all night about the movies of his youth and his days as a popular man with his ally Jean-Paul Belmondo. Or maybe the two of them are swimming in the sea in Naples in bikini shorts.

Terry Ito (director)

Born in Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1949. After attending Waseda Jitsugyo Junior and Senior High School, he graduated from Nihon University's School of Economics.
In March 2023, he completed the Master's program at the Graduate School of Media and Governance at Keio University.
He joined the television production company IVS Television, where he worked on variety shows such as "Tensai Takeshi's Genki ga Deru TV" and "Neruton Benikujidan."
He then went independent and worked on planning and directing a number of television programs, including TV Tokyo's "Asakusabashi Young Clothing Store."
His book "Comedy North Korea" became a bestseller, and he subsequently made numerous media appearances under the name Terry Ito.
In addition to his work as a director, he is also active in a variety of fields as a producer, entertainer, and commentator.
YouTube channelTerry Ito's Comedy Backdrop'
Currently writing a column in LALALA USA
https://lalalausa.com/archives/category/column/terry