DEWAERE, PATRICK

(1947-1982)

Actor. Patrick Dewaere was born Jean-Marie Patrick Bourdeau in Saint-Brieuc. He made his first screen appearance at the age of four inHenri Diamant-Berger'sMonsieur Fabre(1951) and later appeared in Jean Boyer'sLa Madelon(1955) and Victor Vicas'sJe reviendrai à Kandara(1956) under the name Patrick Maurin. He used the name Maurin for several years in films such asHenri-Georges Clouzot'sLes Espions(1957) and Robert Darène'sMimi Pinson(1958). He also appeared in the television seriesJean de la tour miracle(1967). In the late 1960s, Dewaere established himself as an actor at the Café de la Gare, where he worked with figures likeGérard Depardieuand his future costar and wife,Miou-Miou. His adult screen-acting career included small roles inJean-Paul Rappeneau'sLes mariés de l'an II(1971) and Claude Faraldo'sThemroc(1973).

Dewaere's breakthrough role came in 1974 inBertrand Blier'sLes Valseuses(1974). It costarred Depardieu, with whom he would also pair in Blier's Oscar-winningPréparez vos mouchoirs(1978). AfterLes Valseuses, Dewaere landed significant roles in two Maurice Dugowson films:Lily,aime-moi(1975) andF. comme Fairbanks(1976), both featuring Miou-Miou. He later starred inClaude Miller'sLa Meilleure façon de marcher(1976), Yves Boisset'sJuge Fayard dit Le Sheriff(1977) andLa Clé sur la porte(1978), Jean-Jacques Annaud'sCoup de tête(1979), Didier Haudepin'sPaco l'infaillible(1979), and Alain Corneau'sSérie noire(1979).He also acted in films by Italian directors: Marco Bellocchio'sMarcia trionfale(1976), Dino Risi'sLa Stanza del vescovo(1977), and Luigi Comencini's international production,L'Ingorgo,Una storia impossible(1979). His ability to portray gentle and emotional, yet decidedly masculine characters earned him a vast array of roles in comedies, dramas, and crime films. Dewaere, with his colleague Depardieu, was one of the most popular French actors in the 1970s.

In the 1980s, Dewaere remained active. He starred inClaude Sautet'sUn mauvais filsin 1980 and led the cast ofPhilippe de Broca'sPsyin 1981. He collaborated again with Blier inBeau-père(1981) and shortly thereafter starred in Luc Béraud'sPlein sud(1981),André Téchiné'sHôtel des Amériques(1981), andHenri Verneuil'sMille milliards de dollars(1982). His last completed role was in Alain Jessua'sParadis pour tous(1982). It is perhaps ironic that Dewaere's character inParadis pour touscommits suicide, because shortly after the film's release, Deware took his own life. He was, at the time, working inClaude Lelouch'sEdith and Marcel.

No doubt because of his standing in French cinema, Dewaere has continued to be something of an icon long after his death. In 1992, director Marc Esposito made a documentary about Dewaere's life,Patrick Dewaere. The film aptly features Blier and Miou-Miou. A second documentary, this time for television, was made in 2003 by director Alexandre Moix. This documentary was titledPatrick Dewaere,l'enfant du siècleand featured Blier, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Yves Boisset, Dewaere's daughter Lola Dewaere, andVincent Cassel, among others.