Mireille Darc (; 15 May 1938 – 28 August 2017) was a French actress, director, photographer, singer and model. She appeared as a lead character in Jean-Luc Godard's 1967 film Weekend. Darc was a Knight of the Legion of Honour and Commander of the National Order of Merit. Alain Delon was her longtime co-star and companion.
Early years Born Mireille Christiane Gabrielle Aimée Aigroz in Toulon, she attended the Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Toulon and moved to Paris in 1959.
Career
Darc's debuted in Claude Barma's television drama Du côté de l'enfer (aka, La Grande Brétèche, 1960). Her first leading role came in another production for French television, Jean Prat's Hauteclaire (1961). She starred in Jean-Luc Godard's film Weekend (Week-end, 1967) as Corinne, her highest profile role for international critics; as Christine in The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe (Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire, 1972) and The Return of the Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe (Le retour du grand blond, 1974) and alongside Alain Delon and Louis de Funès in several films: Pouic-Pouic (1963), High Lifers (How to Keep the Red Lamp Burning (1965), Jeff (1969), Borsalino (uncredited, 1970), The Love Mates (Madly, 1970), Icy Breasts (Les Seins de glace, 1974), Death of a Corrupt Man (Mort d'un pourri, 1977), Man in a Hurry (L'Homme pressé, 1977), and the television series (2003).
Darc had a heart condition from childhood, which required open-heart surgery in 1980. She was seriously injured in a car accident on 7 July 1983, in a tunnel in the Aosta Valley, Italy, suffering a fractured spine and other injuries that required three months of immobilization in a hospital in Geneva, Switzerland.
Although they had recently separated about two weeks prior to the accident after a fifteen-year relationship, Delon rushed to Aosta when he heard about the accident, and left separately for Geneva by automobile during the night.
She quit her film career, but she returned to television in the 1990s. In 2006, French President Jacques Chirac awarded Darc the Legion of Honour.
Health and death
In 2013, Darc underwent further open heart surgery, and during 2016 she suffered several hemorrhages. She died on 28 August 2017 in Paris in a coma at the age of 79.
Theatre Year Play Author Director Theatre2007Sur la route de Madison Robert James Waller Anne Bourgeois Théâtre Marigny1984Chapitre II Neil Simon Pierre Mondy Théâtre Édouard VII1965Pieds nus dans le parc Neil Simon Pierre Mondy Théâtre de la Madeleine1964Photo-Finish Peter Ustinov Peter Ustinov Théâtre des Ambassadeurs1962Les Femmes aussi ont perdu la guerre Curzio Malaparte Raymond Gérôme Théâtre des Mathurins
Filmography Feature films Year Title Director Role Notes1960Les distractions Jacques Dupont Maïa 1961Please, Not Now! Roger Vadim Marie-Jeanne Mourir d'amour José Bénazéraf, Mariette Les Nouveaux Aristocrates Francis Rigaud Milou Rivoire ¿Pena de muerte? José María Forn Lina 1962The Devil and the Ten Commandments Julien Duvivier Une amie de Mauricette (deleted segment "L'oeuvre de chair ne désireras qu'en mariage seulement"), UncreditedVirginie Jean Boyer Brigitte 1963People in Luck Philippe de Broca, Jean Girault, Jack Pinoteau Jacqueline (segment "Le manteau de vison")Pouic-Pouic Jean Girault Patricia Monestier 1964Monsieur Jean-Paul Le Chanois Suzanne Salad by the Roots Georges Lautner Rockie La Braise Jack Pinoteau Josette Male Hunt Edouard Molinaro Georgina The Great Spy Chase Georges Lautner Amaranthe 1965How to Keep the Red Lamp Burning Gilles Grangier, Georges Lautner Marie Cruchet known as "Eloise" (segment "Bons vivants, Les")1966 Georges Lautner Galia The Upper Hand Denys de La Patellière Lili Princesse Balearic Caper José María Forqué Polly Ne nous fâchons pas Georges Lautner Eglantine Michalon Living It Up Pierre Gaspard-Huit Eva Ritter 1967 Georges Lautner Salene Casino Royale John Huston Jag UncreditedThe Blonde from Peking Nicolas Gessner Christine Olsen Georges Lautner Catherine Weekend Jean-Luc Godard Corinne Durand 1968Summit Annie 1969Jeff Jean Herman Eva Monte Carlo or Bust! Ken Annakin Marie-Claude 1970Elle boit pas, elle fume pas, elle drague pas, mais... elle cause ! Michel Audiard Francine Borsalino Jacques Deray Prostitute UncreditedMadly Agatha 1971Fantasia chez les ploucs Gérard Pirès Caroline Georges Lautner Carla 1972 Georges Lautner Christine L'Humeur vagabonde Édouard Luntz Le Grand Blond avec une chaussure noire Yves Robert Christine 1973Il n'y a pas de fumée sans feu André Cayatte Olga Leroy Georges Lautner Françoise 1974 Mélissa Les Seins de glace Georges Lautner Peggy Lister Borsalino & Co Jacques Deray prostitute in the street UncreditedDis-moi que tu m'aimes Michel Boisrond Victoire Danois Le retour du grand blond Yves Robert Christine 1975 The Pink Telephone Édouard Molinaro Christine 1976L'Ordinateur des pompes funèbres Gérard Pirès Charlotte 1977The Passengers Serge Leroy Nicole Man in a Hurry Édouard Molinaro Edwige Mort d'un pourri Georges Lautner Françoise 1978Les Ringards Robert Pouret Annie Garmiche 1981Pour la peau d'un flic Alain Delon La Grande sauterelle Uncredited1982Jamais avant le mariage Daniel Ceccaldi Elisabeth 1983L'Été de nos 15 ans Marcel Jullian Hotel customer UncreditedSi elle dit oui... je ne dis pas non Claude Vital Catherine 1984Réveillon chez Bob Édouard Molinaro Madeleine 1986La Vie dissolue de Gérard Floque Georges Lautner Jocelyne Domange
Short films Year Title Director Role1962Lettres de Provins Jean Dasque Voice only1960La Revenante Jacques Poitrenaud
As director
Feature Year Title Featuring1989La Barbare Murray Head
Documentaries +YearTitleChannel1992La Deuxième VieFrance 21996Brève RencontreFrance 21996Le Doute et L'esperanceFrance 32002De L'ombre a La LumièreFrance 32004Jeunesse ÉternelleFrance 22004Une Nuit Sous Les MersFrance 22005L'ostéoporose2005Une Vie Classée XFrance 32006Les Liserons d'EauFrance 22006Vivre d'AmourFrance 52008Voyage Vers L'inconnueFrance 22011Pas Sur La BoucheFrance 32012PardonnerFrance 22015Elles sont des dizaines de milliers sans abriFrance 22017Excision, Le Plaisir InterditFrance 2
French-language dubbing
Year Title Actress1963L’Ile aux Filles Perdues Marisa Belli1963Foudres sur Babylone Jose Greci1962L’Effroyable secret du Dr Hichcock Barbara Steele1961Soliman le Magnifique Georgia Moll1961Les Vikings Attaquent Franca Bettoja1961Le Boucanier des Iles ( Il Giustiziere dei Mari ) Marisa Belli1960L'Esclave du Pharaon Vira Silenti1960Les Légions de Cléopâtre Linda Cristal1960Le Géant de Thessalie Ziva Rodann1960Toryok la furie des Barbares Ljubica Jovic1958La Charge des Cosaques Georgia Moll
Bibliography 2008: Mon Père 2005: Tant que battra mon coeur (Autobiography) 1982: Jamais avant le mariage
Decorations Officer of the Legion of Honour (2015), (Knight in 2006) Commander of the National Order of Merit (2009)
References
External links
Mireille Darc Official Site