The best films of Gerard Depardieu: the history of a film career

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Gerard Depardieu is one of the few French actors who has managed to achieve incredible success around the world. He is loved at home and in Europe, he is admired in Russia, he is invited to the United States. Films with Gerard Depardieu, the list of which includes more than 150 films, were shot by a variety of companies and in different parts of the world. And certainly the French actor cannot be called a hostage of one role, the richness and variety of genres of his work is simply amazing. He is equally good at playing in comedies and melodramas, he organically looks in adventure and historical films. As a world-class star, Depardieu also plays leading roles and does not hesitate to make small cameos, one way or another, he always attracts the attention of the audience.

Gerard Depardieu's first films

The 60s of the last century are considered to be the beginning of the film career of the French actor. Depardieu made his debut in the title role in the short film The Beatnik and the Dude. And already in 1971played in the film adaptation of the novel by the popular writer Francoise Sagan "A little sun in cold water." In 1972, the young Gerard appeared in many films, but only in episodic roles. The scandalous tape of 1974 called "W altzers" brought him real fame - outrageous and provocative. Only the lazy did not talk about her, respectively, and everyone's attention was riveted to the actors. Our hero was lucky to play a character very similar to himself in his youth, so his Jean-Claude turned out to be very realistic. Since then, new films with Gerard Depardieu have been released one after another, the list has been replenished with at least three films a year.

Becoming a dramatic actor

In the 70s, the French actor tried himself in new roles. Choosing a variety of genres, he honed his skills and revealed his talent. Already in 1975, the crime-psychological drama Seven Deaths by Prescription was released, where Depardieu appeared in a completely new image, which was highly appreciated by critics, and even received his first nomination for the prestigious Cesar film award for best male role. Other dramatic films by Gerard Depardieu followed, thanks to which he increasingly won the hearts of the audience. The epic drama The Twentieth Century in 1976, where Robert De Niro was his partner on the set, is considered one of the pearls in the filmography of the French star. In 1977 and 1978, Depardieu was again nominated for the Cesar Award for his roles in the drama The Last Woman and the melodramatic thriller Say I Loveher . And in the same 1978, the comedy-drama Get the Handkerchiefs Ready, starring Gerard, won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film.

Critical acclaim

Thus, in the late 70s and early 80s, the popularity of the French actor stepped far beyond the borders of his native country. Depardieu continues to play in dramas, his "Lulu" in 1980 even had every chance to get the Cannes "Palme d'Or". And in 1981, Gerard finally received a well-deserved award and won the Cesar Award for his role in the historical film The Last Metro, where he played with Catherine Deneuve. After that, the actor tries himself in a new role - comedy, which makes him even more popular and in demand. In 1981, in the film "The Unlucky" for the first time, a breathtaking tandem appeared: Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieu. Films with a French actor automatically became successful. Such tapes as "The Neighbor", "Choice of Weapons", "Danton", "Moon in the Gutter" were consistently highly appreciated by critics, received various nominations and awards. They were also warmly received by the audience.

Great success

Soon two more comedies came out: “Papas” (1983) and “Runaways” (1986), in which the audience was again amused and fascinated by Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieu. The films of the comedy genre, in which the actor starred in the 80s, did not damage his reputation as a serious dramatic actor, which the Frenchman successfully proved in 1987, when the film adaptation of the novel by J. Bernanosa's Under the Sun of Satan starring Depardieu won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. And four years later, in the same place, the actor himself received a silver award for best male role in the film Cyrano de Bergerac, which impressed critics of all stripes and earned a lot of various awards. Also for this role, Gerard Depardieu received his first and so far only Oscar nomination.

In Hollywood

In the 90s, American filmmakers became interested in the successful French actor and began to offer participation in their projects. Already in 1991, Depardieu received an important award in the United States - the Golden Globe - for his role in the comedy melodrama Residence Permit. Films by Gerard Depardieu of the Hollywood period, such as the historical "1492: The Conquest of Paradise", the detective story "Reading the Formality", the drama "Plucking the Stars", the comedy "Bogus", the thriller "Secret Agent", "Hamlet" and the love movie "She's Beautiful", did not prevent the actor from acting successfully in his homeland as well. The crime fantasy comedy of 1995 Between an Angel and a Demon, where the star duet was complemented by Christian Clavier, captivated the audience and became one of the most famous films of the 90s in France. Pretty Women, starring Gérard Depardieu, was also very well received by the audience, and this comedy melodrama with a light plot was also a hit in theaters.

Peak of popularity

In the late 90s, the Frenchman gained fame as a world-class actor. In 1998, the co-production of France, Germany and Italy launched a new project. seri althe film "The Count of Monte Cristo" with Gerard Depardieu in the title role was a new experience for the actor and was a huge success. In the same year, the Frenchman was again lucky to play in the adaptation of Alexandre Dumas - an adventure film based on the works of the famous writer "The Man in the Iron Mask". Another joint project of the three main countries of the European Union is an exciting franchise that began in 1999 with the adventure comedy "Asterix and Obelix against Caesar", where Depardieu played one of the main roles.

Creativity without stopping

In addition to continuing the adventures of two brave Gauls in 2002 and 2008, the most famous films of Gerard Depardieu over the past fifteen years: "Les Miserables" (mini-series), "Vidok", "Napoleon" (mini-series), " The French Job, The Unlucky Ones, One Million Years B. C., Paris I Love You, Life in Pink, The Blank Slate, Unexpected Love, Life of Pi, and Rasputin "".