Indiana Jones – Jacques Dutronc confirms that Steven Spielberg wanted to hire him: “He insisted”

“We had lunch together several times in Paris, and in London (…) I learned my lines, I tried…”, writes the singer about the preparation of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

At 80 years old, Jacques Dutronc published his memoirs And me and me and me published by Le Cherche Midi at the beginning of November 2023. In his story, the artist with many hats looks back on his impressive career, made up of unique artistic opportunities. Initially a musician, this legend of the yéyé years embraced artistic proposals, initially thinking of making his friends laugh. He sang songs like no one else, but he also embraced a brilliant career as an actor.

“Gentleman singer”certainly, but also an actor.

The adventurer dedicated several chapters of his memoirs to his cinematographic journey, involving a surprising encounter, which could have played a determining role in an international career. The Frenchie icon with the most insolent charm was approached to play René Belloq, the French archaeologist and rival of Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Fact, Jacques Dutronc had the opportunity to meet Steven Spielberg Many times :

“In the early 1980s, Spielberg wanted me for The Raiders of the Lost Ark. He had seen me in The important thing is to love And Dirty dreamer. He had gone down to the Plaza Athénée, where he did the castings, and where an innumerable number of actors suddenly made up appointments – in case they bumped into the filmmaker there. I had also been contacted to go there: I had to decline. He insisted, he called me at home: “I would like to see you, alone.” We had lunch together several times in Paris and in London. I can’t repeat all the good things he said about me. I learned my text, I tried, but my English was too bad. I would have slowed down the filming. I have no regrets. More precisely, I am not addicted enough to this profession to regret it.”

It was after seeing Dirty dreamer (1978) and The important thing is to love (1975), with whom he formed a dissonant couple with Nadine, an adrift actress who unfortunately retrains in porn, played by Romy Schneiderthat Steven Spielberg had set his sights on the acting talents of Jacques Dutronc. As the anecdote shows, the Opportunist breaks away from his label and reveals himself to be a shy realist, well aware of his shortcomings.

Steven Spielberg35 years old at the time of making the first part of the saga Indiana Joneshad focused on the qualities of interpreter of Jacques Dutronc In First :

“Jacques Dutronc was my number one choice. For me, he is the first actor in the world and I consider him a real star (…) He could be a bigger international star than Robert Redford, if he wanted to learn English.“, declared the filmmaker.

This ace of the small and big screen was, however, able to showcase the extent of his acting talents in Paradise for all (1982), but especially in Van Gogh (1991) Maurice Pialatfor which he was awarded the César for best actor.

Claude Lelouch in songs – episode 2: Johnny Hallyday and Jacques Dutronc