Jan Decleir
Encyclopedia
Jan Decleir is a prolific Belgian (Flemish
) movie and stage actor
born in Niel
, Antwerp (Flanders, Belgium).
He had his first big role in Fons Rademakers "Mira
" (1971) and has since then appeared in countless Flemish and Dutch films and tv productions. He starred in Academy Award
winning movies as Karakter
and Antonia and the Oscar-nominated social drama Daens
. More recently he turned down roles in Stanley Kubrick
's Eyes Wide Shut
(due to commitments to other projects) and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough
.
In 2003
he had the starring role in the critically acclaimed thriller The Memory of a Killer (The Alzheimer Case) of which the leading American critic Roger Ebert
wrote in his review: "Jan Decleir never goes for the easy effect, never pushes too hard, is a rock-solid occupant of his character. Everything he has to say is embodied, not expressed. Talks are under way for a Hollywood remake, but this performance will not be easily equaled. Gene Hackman, maybe. Morgan Freeman. Robert Mitchum, if he were alive. Decleir is the real thing."
He is also known from Flemish TV series such as:
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
) movie and stage actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
born in Niel
Niel
Niel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality only comprises the town of Niel proper. On January 1, 2006 Niel had a total population of 8,798. The total area is 5.27 km² which gives a population density of 1,669 inhabitants per km².-Famous inhabitants:* Jan...
, Antwerp (Flanders, Belgium).
He had his first big role in Fons Rademakers "Mira
Mira (film)
Mira is a 1971 Dutch-Belgian drama film directed by Fons Rademakers. It was entered into the 1971 Cannes Film Festival. The film was selected as the Dutch entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 44th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee....
" (1971) and has since then appeared in countless Flemish and Dutch films and tv productions. He starred in Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
winning movies as Karakter
Character (1997 film)
Character is a 1997 Dutch/Belgian film, based on the best-selling novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk and directed by Mike van Diem. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 70th Academy Awards...
and Antonia and the Oscar-nominated social drama Daens
Daens (film)
Daens is a 1992 Belgian film directed by Stijn Coninx. This 1992 drama starring Jan Decleir, Gérard Desarthe, Antje de Boeck and Michael Pas, tells the true story of Adolf Daens, a Catholic priest in Aalst who strives to improve the miserable working conditions in the local factories...
. More recently he turned down roles in Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
's Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama film based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle . The film was directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, and was his last film. The story, set in and around New York City, follows the sexually-charged adventures of Dr...
(due to commitments to other projects) and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough
The World Is Not Enough
The World Is Not Enough is the nineteenth spy film in the James Bond film series, and the third to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Michael Apted, with the original story and screenplay written by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Bruce Feirstein. It...
.
In 2003
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
he had the starring role in the critically acclaimed thriller The Memory of a Killer (The Alzheimer Case) of which the leading American critic Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
wrote in his review: "Jan Decleir never goes for the easy effect, never pushes too hard, is a rock-solid occupant of his character. Everything he has to say is embodied, not expressed. Talks are under way for a Hollywood remake, but this performance will not be easily equaled. Gene Hackman, maybe. Morgan Freeman. Robert Mitchum, if he were alive. Decleir is the real thing."
Filmography
- Heeft geleden onder Pontius Pilatus (1966)
- Geboorte en dood van Dirk Vandersteen jr. (1968)
- Het huis met de maskers (1968)
- De meeuw (1968)
- Klucht van de brave moordenaar (1969)
- Koning Lear (=King Lear) (1969)
- Het Helleschip (1969)
- Zeven miljoen molekulen (1970)
- De Familie Tot (1971)
- MiraMira (film)Mira is a 1971 Dutch-Belgian drama film directed by Fons Rademakers. It was entered into the 1971 Cannes Film Festival. The film was selected as the Dutch entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 44th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee....
, aka Mira of de teleurgang van de waterhoek (1971) - August, August, August (1971)
- Rolande met de bles (1972)
- De LotelingThe ConscriptThe Conscript is a 1974 Belgian drama film directed by Roland Verhavert. It was entered into the 24th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Jan Decleir - Jan Braems* Ansje Beentjes - Katrien* Gaston Vandermeulen - Grootvader...
(The Conscript) (1973) - De Vrek (1974)
- Verloren maandag (1974)
- Verbrande burg (Burned bridge) (1975)
- Pallieter (1976)
- De man in de rok en de man zonder (1976)
- Niet alle dieven komen ongelegen (1976)
- Als schilders konden spreken (1976)
- Une page d'amourOne Page of LoveOne Page of Love is a 1978 French-Belgian film directed by Maurice Rabinowicz. It was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival.-Cast:* Ève Bonfanti - Anna* Adrian Brine - Policier* Geraldine Chaplin - Lise...
(=one page of love) (1978) - Doodzonde (=Mortal Sin) (1978)
- De proefkonijnen (1979)
- Grueten broos (1979)
- Le Grand Paysage d'Alexis DroevenLe Grand Paysage d'Alexis DroevenLe Grand Paysage d'Alexis Droeven is a 1981 Belgian drama film directed by Jean-Jacques Andrien. It was entered into the 31st Berlin International Film Festival where it won an Honourable Mention.-Cast:* Jan Decleir - Jacob* Nicole Garcia - Elizabeth...
(1981) - Twee vorstinnen en een vorst (=Two contessas and a count) (1981)
- Tijd om gelukkig te zijn (=Time to be happy) (1982)
- Het verleden (1982)
- Toute une nuit (=A Whole/Entire Night) (1982)
- Maria Danneels (of het leven dat we droomden) (1982)
- Zware jongens (1984)
- De Loteling (1984)
- John The Fearless (1984)
- De Leeuw van Vlaanderen (= the Flemish lion) (1985)
- Het gezin van Paemel (=The Van Paemel family) (1986)
- De Tijger (1988)
- Het eerste mirakel van kindeke Jesus (1988)
- Het Sacrament (1990)
- Koko Flanel (1990)
- Dilemma (1990)
- AnchoressAnchoress (film)Anchoress is a 1993 British drama film directed by Chris Newby. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival....
(1993) - DaensDaens (film)Daens is a 1992 Belgian film directed by Stijn Coninx. This 1992 drama starring Jan Decleir, Gérard Desarthe, Antje de Boeck and Michael Pas, tells the true story of Adolf Daens, a Catholic priest in Aalst who strives to improve the miserable working conditions in the local factories...
(1993) - Beck - De gesloten kamer (1993)
- Antonia (=Antonia's line) (1995)
- Camping CosmosCamping CosmosCamping Cosmos is a Belgian 1996 film, sequel to La Vie sexuelle des Belges 1950-1978, directed by Jan Bucquoy. It stars Claude Semal, Lolo Ferrari , Noël Godin , Herman Brusselmans and Arno ....
(1996) - Karakter (=Character) (1997)
- S. (1998)
- Taming the Floods (1999)
- Retour Den Haag (1999)
- Molokai: The Story of Father DamienMolokai: The Story of Father DamienMolokai: The Story of Father Damien is a 1999 biopic of Father Damien, who was a Belgian priest working at the Kalaupapa Leprosy Settlement on the Hawaiian island of Molokai...
(aka Molokai: the forbidden island) (1999) - Shades (1999)
- Kruimeltje (=Little crumb) (1999)
- Running FreeRunning Free (film)Running Free is a 2000 film about a horse born into slavery during the Great War. The film began production in 1999 and was released in the US in 2000. It was directed by Sergei Bodrov, written and produced by Jean-Jacques Annaud and distributed by Columbia Pictures.-Plot summary:Running Free takes...
(2000) - Lijmen/Het BeenLijmen/Het BeenLijmen/Het Been is a Dutch movie adapted from short stories by Willem Elsschot and directed by Robbe De Hert, starring Mike Vedrengh and Koen De Bouw. The movie was coproduced by Belgian and Dutch filmcompanies....
(=The publishers) (2000) - Mariken (2000)
- De omweg (2000)
- De verlossing (=Closure aka The other life) (2001)
- Villa des RosesVilla des RosesVilla des Roses is a 2002 film by Frank Van Passel, adapted from the 1913 novella by Belgian writer Willem Elsschot and starring Julie Delpy, Shaun Dingwall, Shirley Henderson, Timothy West and Harriet Walter...
(2002) - Hop (2002)
- Brush with Fate (2003)
- Rosenstrasse(2003) (=Rosenstraße)
- SuperTex (= Supertex - Eine Stunde im Paradies)
- Till Eusterspiegel (=Jester Till) (2003)
- Vlucht der verbeelding (2003)
- De Zaak Alzheimer (2003)
- L'Autre (=The missing) (2003)
- De passievrucht (=Father's affair) (2003)
- Edelweißpiraten (=Edelweiss pirates) (2004)
- De kus (=The Kiss) (2004)
- Off screen (2005)
- Een Ander Zijn Geluk (2005)
- Verlengd weekend (2005)
- (2005)
- Crusade in JeansCrusade in Jeans (film)Crusade in Jeans is a 2006 Dutch film, an adaptation of the first half of the book Crusade in Jeans by Thea Beckman. The film was directed by Ben Sombogaart. It is unknown whether a sequel, based on the second half of the book, will be produced....
(=Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek) (2005) - Wolfsbergen (2007) - see Nanouk LeopoldNanouk LeopoldNanouk Leopold is a Dutch film maker. She graduated from Dutch film school in 1997, starting off by making films for Dutch television...
- Man zkt vrouw (A Perfect Match) (2007)
- LoftLoft (2008 film)Loft is a 2008 Belgian thriller directed by Erik Van Looy, starring an ensemble cast of notable Flemish actors. The script was written by Bart De Pauw.-Synopsis:...
(2008) - De schaduw van Bonifatius (2010)
He is also known from Flemish TV series such as:
- Keromar (1971)
- Sil de strandjutter (1976)
- Adriaen Brouwer (1986)
- Klein Londen, Klein Berlijn (1988)
- Moeder, waarom leven wij? (1993)
- Dag Sinterklaas (1993)
- Ons geluk (1995)
- Gaston BerghmansGaston BerghmansGaston Berghmans is a Flemish actor and comedian. He and Leo Martin formed a comic duo called Gaston and Leo.-Youth:...
Show (1995) - Kulderzipken (1996)
- Diamant (1997)
- Grote boze wolf show (2000)
- Stille waters (2001)
- De 9 dagen van de gier (2001)
- Meiden van De Wit (2002)
- Koning van de wereld (2005)
- Als 't maar beweegt (2005)
- De kavijaks (2005)