VENTURA, LINO

(1919-1987)

Actor. Lino Ventura was born Angelo Borrini in Parma, Italy. His family immigrated to France in 1927. He was a professional wrestler before he debuted inJacques Becker's gangster film,Touchez pas au grisbi(1954). His second role was in Henri Decoin's crime drama,Razzia sur la Chnouf(1955). Both films starJean Gabin, who is considered to be Ventura's acting mentor. In the 1950s, Ventura would work with Gabin in Georges Lampin'sCrime et châtiment(1956), Gilles Grangier'sLe rouge est mis(1957), andJean Delannoy'sMaigret tend un piège(1957). Ventura also had a small role inLouis Malle'sAscenseur pour l'échafaud(1957).At this point in his career, he mostly played hard-boiled characters in crime and detective films.

Ventura's status as a French film star was launched with his role in Bernard Borderie'sLe Gorille vous salue bien(1958). He later led the casts in some of France's most popular films of the 1960s such asClaude Sautet'sClasse tous risques(1960), Denys de la Patellière'sUn taxi pour Tobrouk(1961),George Lautner'sLes Tontons flinguers(1963),Henri Verneuil'sCent mille dollars au soleil(1964), Robert Enrico'sLes Grandes gueules(1965), and Verneuil'sLe Clan des Siciliens(1969). Ventura played in a number of films by Italian directors, including Luciano Emmer'sLa Ragazza in vetrinaand Vittorio De Sica'sIl Giudizio universale(1961). He also acted in German director Wolfgang Staudte'sDie Dreigroschenoperand Spanish director Carlos Saura'sLlanto por un bandido(1964). He starred in two 1960s films byJean-Pierre Melville:Le deuxième souffle(1966) andL'Armée des ombres(1969). In the 1970s, Ventura remained a frequent lead in box-office successes such asClaude Lelouch'sL'aventure c'est l'aventure(1972),Edouard Molinaro'sL'Emmerdeur(1973), andClaude Pinoteau'La Gifle(1974). He often worked in films by the same directors, appearing in Enrico'sBoulevard du rhum(1971), Pinoteau'sLes Silencieux(1972), Lelouch'sLa Bonne année(1973), and Pierre Granier-Deferre'sLa Cage(1975) andAdieu poulet(1975). He acted in the Italian filmsUomini Duri(1974), by Duccio Tessari, andCadaveri eccelenti(1975), by Francesco Rosi. Ventura appeared in Anglophone films as well, most notably Terence Young'sThe Valachi Papers(1972) and Jack Gold'sThe Medusa Touch(1978).

In the 1960s and 1970s, Ventura ranked among France's most successful actors in top-selling features. In the 1980s, Ventura's image did not frequent the movie posters for France's most commercially profitable hits, yet arguably, he delivered two of his best performances. He received aCésarnomination for his role as Jean Valjean inRobertHossein'sLes Misérables(1982) and has been lauded for his performance in Miller'sGarde à vue(1981). In addition, he played leading roles in Yves Boisset'sEspion,lève-toi(1982), José Giovanni'sLe Ruffian(1983), and Pinoteau'sLa 7ème cible(1984). He also appeared in Michael Anderson's television film,Sword of Gideon(1986).