"Nobody stood a chance with Alain" - Iconic Alain Delon and Mick Jagger photo goes viral in wake of French star's death at 88

Veteran French actor Alain Delon passed away on August 18, 2024, at the age of 88. While the exact cause of his demise remains undisclosed, his family issued a statement in the wake of his death:

"Alain Fabien, Anouchka, Anthony, as well as (his dog) Loubo, are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their father. He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family," it read.

Meanwhile, an old photograph featuring Alain Delon, English rock singer Marianne Faithfull, and her former musician partner Mick Jagger has resurfaced online, dating back to 1967. It showed the Purple Noon star seated on a couch next to Faithfull, with both sharing a conversation and laughter; while Jagger, her then-boyfriend, sat next to her, keeping to himself and holding a cigarette.

Social media users are now having varied reactions to the old picture that has reemerged in the wake of Alain Delon’s demise. For instance, X user @spignal shared the iconic photograph and captioned it, “RIP Alain Delon. Even Mick Jagger didn't stand a chance.” Another user @Renatapadovani6 agreed with him and wrote in the comments section:

“Nobody stood a chance with Alain.”

Several others joined the conversation on the platform and shared similar opinions as to why Marianne Faithfull was seemingly more interested in Alain Delon than Mick Jagger in the picture.

“He was older than Mick by 6 years, established, and spoke French!” a person said.

“There was no contest. Delon had 4 years of military experience in the French Navy under his belt including a stint on land during the First Indo-China War. AFAIK Jagger never served,” one person wrote.

Others turned the debate into an Anglo-French contest between Delon and Jagger.

“Perhaps one of the very few the French won,” a netizen wrote.

“Decisive French victory,” one netizen wrote.

“Let’s be honest though, Mick Jagger will always be infinitely cooler than Alain Delon,” another netizen wrote.

Meanwhile, some simply praised the photograph and highlighted its iconic nature.

“An incredible photograph,” an individual wrote.

“You could build a career explaining the body language in that photo! Wow,” another individual wrote.

Notably, years later, in response to English fashion label The Vampire’s Wife founder Susie Cave’s query about the photograph, Marianne Faithfull said in an email that it was a “strange picture.”

“Those 2 very different sex symbols, & me, in the middle, reveling in it! Mick was very jealous & possessive at that moment; unusual for him; not like that (all our friends were gay, except Keith, so… but I didn’t fancy Delon; not my type at all, so no worries,” the As Tears Go By songstress shared.

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Alain Delon and Marianna Faithfull shared the screen in The Girl on a Motorcycle

Alain Delon starred opposite Marianne Faithfull in the French-British 1968 erotic romantic drama film The Girl on a Motorcycle. Directed by English filmmaker Jack Cardiff, the movie was based on the 1963 French novel La Motocyclette written by Andre Pieyre de Mandiargues.

Alternatively titled, N*ked Under Leather, the film was the first to release in the USA with an X rating, which the distributor Warner Brothers later edited and gave an R rating.

Faithfull, who was primarily a singer, made her acting breakthrough through this movie and turned the leather jacket into a signature outfit for motorcyclists through her portrayal, in which she wore a sleek leather bodysuit.

The film revolves around her character Rebecca, who, unhappy with her marriage, goes on a motorcycle adventure to look for her former lover Daniel (Delon’s character) and soon starts an affair with him.

As for Marianne and Mick, they were in a highly publicized relationship between 1966 and 1970.