Jean-Pierre Melville (1917-1973)
Dan Fainaru
Donning a cowboy hat and dark Ray Bans, cruising around town in a big Cadillac – in real-life, Jean-Pierre Melville used to look just like a character from one of his own films. A firm believer in “larger than life” figures, he fashioned his appearance to resemble his movie heroes – those he met in the countless American adventure yarns he watched through long sleepless nights, when, as an adolescent, he was getting acquainted to a world that he later infused, once he began making movies, with a unique French flavor.