Jacques Brel

singer, songwriter, actor, and the director of two films, Jacques Brel was an international star. As a musician, the native of Brussels was known for writing poetic songs protesting the power of the bourgeoisie and for those paying tribute to his beloved Belgium. In 1966, Brel created his famed stage show, Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. That same year, Brel ended his singing career and became an actor. He made his directorial debut in 1972 with Franz, a serio-comic love story in which he also starred. The film received critical praise, but was a box-office failure. The following year, Brel directed Le Far West (1973), a lighthearted portrait of those seeking to create the Old West in modern America. Brel’s portrayal of Native Americans caused controversy and this film also did poorly. Though he continued his acting career through the mid-’70s, he never directed again. —allmovie guide