James David Rodríguez Rubio (born 12 July 1991) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club São Paulo and the Colombia national team. He has been praised for his technique, vision, and playmaking skills, and was often considered the successor to his compatriot Carlos Valderrama.

Starting his career at Envigado, and then moving to Argentina side Banfield, James became well known in Europe during his time at Porto, winning several trophies and individual awards during his three years at the club. In 2014, James moved from AS Monaco to Real Madrid for a transfer fee of £63 million, beating Radamel Falcao as the most expensive Colombian football player and one of the most expensive players at the time. In his debut season, he was named in the La Liga Team of the Season and won La Liga Best Midfielder. In 2017, he signed for German club Bayern Munich on a two-year loan deal. In the summer of 2020, he signed for Premier League club Everton on a free transfer, staying there for one season before joining Qatar's Al-Rayyan and Greece's Olympiacos in 2021 and 2022, respectively. In 2023, 13 years after leaving South America, he returned to the continent by joining Brazilian club São Paulo.

James started his international career with the Colombia under-20 team, with which he won the 2011 Toulon Tournament. He then captained the U-20 team during the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Due to his performance in the tournament, he was regularly called into the senior squad by the age of 20. He played in the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup, winning the Golden Boot in 2014 and being included in the Cup's All Star Team. He also represented his nation at the 2015 Copa América, the Copa América Centenario in 2016, and the 2019 Copa América, winning a third-place medal in 2016.

Club career

Envigado
Born in Cúcuta, Norte de Santander, James spent his childhood in the city of Ibagué, Tolima. He was born to ex-footballer Wilson James Rodríguez Bedoya and Maria Del Pilar Rubio.

James started his professional football career in 2006 with the Colombian second division club Envigado, with which he reached the Colombian first division through the 2007 promotion. He became the second youngest Colombian player to start a professional match, playing his first match on 21 May 2006, at the age of 14.

Banfield

2008
In 2008, he was signed by Argentine team Banfield. He made his first team debut on 7 February 2009, and scored his first goal for the club on 27 February with a long range strike in a 3–1 victory over Rosario Central. He finished his first season with a goal in 11 appearances.

2009
In 2009, he became a regular first-team player, featuring in every game of the Apertura 2009. At just 17, he became the youngest foreigner to score a goal in Argentina. His second goal for Banfield came on 26 September, when he scored with a strike into the top corner from outside of the area in an important 2–1 win against Newell's Old Boys, a victory that helped Banfield win the Argentine championship for the first time in the club's history.

In December 2009, Italian club Udinese planned to make a bid for James for a reported €5 million after the 2010 Copa Libertadores. However, Banfield rejected the bid, labelling it as "insufficient".

For the Clausura 2010, on 13 February 2010, James scored a golazo in the match against archrivals Lanús with a left-footed lob to make the game 2–0 in the final minutes. After the game, daily sports website Diario Olé compared his playing and personal style to Cristiano Ronaldo and nicknamed him the "James Bond of Banfield".

2010
On 10 February 2010, James scored his first Copa Libertadores goal in a 2–1 home victory over Mexican club Monarcas Morelia. James added to his glowing reputation a week later with a goal in a daunting victory over Copa Libertadores group rivals Deportivo Cuenca away from home, scoring the fourth goal of the 4–1 victory with a nice left-footed finish in the box. His wonderful scoring season continued with a brace in the Copa Libertadores group match away to Uruguayan club Nacional on 10 March. James scored first with a diving header and then from the penalty spot in a 2–2 draw. The 18-year-old netted another goal against Brazilian club Internacional on 29 April 2010 in the first leg of the 2010 Copa Libertadores round 16, which Banfield won 3–1. This goal brought his tally to five goals in seven games. However, James' international season ended in defeat as his team went down on away goals with a 0–2 defeat in Porto Alegre in the second leg, in which James was red carded for two fouls.

Porto

2010–11 season

On 6 July 2010, James was signed by Porto for €5.1 million, with 30% economic rights retained by other parties. He signed a four-year contract with a €30 million release clause. Porto later re-sold 10% economic rights to third parties. On 18 July, he played his first game and scored his first goal in a friendly against Ajax. In November, Porto sold 35% economic rights (half of 70%) to Gol Football Luxembourg, S.A.R.L. for €2.5 million.

On 15 December 2010, James scored his first competitive goal during a 3–1 Europa League home victory against Bulgarian club CSKA Sofia. On 17 May, Porto bought the remaining 30% economic rights from Convergence Capital Partners B.V. for €2.25 million and once again hold more than half of the economic rights with 55%. James scored a hat-trick and assisted once against Vitória de Guimarães in the 2011 Taça de Portugal Final, which Porto won 6–2. On 13 June, James signed a new five-year contract in which the release clause increased to €45 million. He finished the 2010–11 season with six goals and eight assists in 31 appearances. He also took home four trophies: the Super Cup title, the league title, the Europa League title, and the Cup title as Porto had a historic season.

2011–12 season
In the 2011–12 season, James scored 14 goals for Porto and delivered 11 assists. In 2011, James won the LPFP Award for Breakthrough Player of 2011–12 Primeira Liga season at age 20, becoming the first Colombian player to do so. He is a two-time winner of the SJPF Player of the Month. James won the Portuguese Golden Ball award in 2012, becoming the second Colombian to win the award after Radamel Falcao as well as the youngest player ever to hold the honour. On 20 September 2011 in a league match against Feirense, he punched Rabiola and was subsequently dismissed, missing the match against Benfica.

2012–13 season
In the 2012–13 season, James was given the number 10 shirt and became a regular starter. Since fellow Colombians Radamel Falcao, Fredy Guarín and Brazilian Hulk left the club during the last two seasons, James was able to start more regularly than before. In a match against Olhanense on 1 September, James scored a chip from a tight angle. In the same game, he assisted compatriot Jackson Martínez with a through ball for an eventual 3–2 win. James scored the team's third goal against Beira-Mar soon after assisting the first two goals in a 4–0 victory on 22 September.

In the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League group stage, he scored against French club Paris Saint-Germain in a 1–0 victory, allowing Porto to top their current group. A few days later, James scored a penalty against rivals Sporting CP. Because of his great start to the 2012–13 season, James won the SJPF Player of the Month award for August/September. In the Champions League against Dinamo Kyiv on 24 October, he assisted Jackson Martínez to an eventual 3–2 home victory. James scored Porto's last two goals in a 5–0 win over Marítimo on 2 November. In the 90th minute against Braga, James scored a goal in an eventual 2–0 away victory.

Prior to the second half of the season, James suffered a hamstring injury causing him to struggle to maintain fitness. In a match against Nacional on 5 January, he injured his hamstring once more and was subsequently substituted after the first half. The injury sidelined him for a month. On 1 February 2013, Porto bought back 35% economic rights of James from Gol Football Luxembourg for €8.75 million (by selling 47.5% economic rights of Diego Reyes for €3.5 million), which Porto sold in November 2010 for €2.5 million.

James made his return at the 70th minute in the 2–0 victory over Beira-Mar on 23 February, his first match since being injured for more than a month. In his second league match since his return, James assisted a goal against Rio Ave with a wonderful cross. On 8 March, he assisted a goal against Estoril from a corner in a 2–0 victory. It was James' first start in two months. James did not start in the second leg of the Champions League match against Málaga until the second half when Porto was down to ten men after the dismiss of a defender. Porto lost the match and coach Vítor Pereira was greatly criticized and questioned why James did not start sooner considering that the player was a key member and Porto could have had a more solid team. James expressed his disappointment, claiming to be "100%" in good health (as well as giving a performance with no struggles shown). However, he also expressed his respect and understanding to the coach's concern. Despite an exit from the Champions League, James went on to become the second-most fouled player in the tournament that year.

Manchester United reportedly made a bid for €30 million to purchase James, though Porto rejected the offer as being too low. James scored his first Taça da Liga goal, a penalty, in the 2012–13 Taça da Liga semi-final against Rio Ave. Porto won the match 4–0 and advanced to the final. In the final on 13 April, Porto lost 1–0 to Braga, with James playing 75 minutes. Five days before the final, James gave a man of the match performance against Braga, scoring the first goal and assisting two in a 3–1 victory.

In the final match of the season against Paços de Ferreira on 19 May, James was tripped inside the box and secured a penalty that was later scored by Lucho Gonzalez, which contributed to the 2–0 victory that led to Porto's third consecutive league title. In all competitions that season, he scored 13 goals and provided 15 assists in 32 appearances. Winning the league title meant that James, at 21, won his eighth trophy since joining the club three years ago.

Monaco
On 25 May 2013, it was announced that James had joined AS Monaco for a transfer fee of €45 million, the second most expensive transfer in Portuguese football behind former teammate Hulk. James subsequently signed a five-year contract that was set to keep him at the club until 2018. This transfer made him not only one of the most expensive transfers in the club's history, but in Ligue 1 history as well, along as one of the highest in world football. James made his Monaco debut against Bordeaux, a game Monaco went on to win 2–0. He then missed Monaco's second league match to avoid a possible injury. On 5 October against Saint-Étienne, James gave a man of the match performance by assisting both goals in a 2–1 victory.

He finally scored his first goal for the club with a free-kick in a 2–0 win over Rennes. James scored another goal in the next match in the fourth minute against Nice, a game Monaco won 3–0. James began the 2014 calendar year by making his Coupe de France debut in a match against Vannes, where he both assisted and scored a goal in a 3–2 victory. James' first double at Monaco came in the match against Bastia, a 2–0 Monaco victory.

In the French media, James was referred to as "perhaps" the best footballer in Ligue 1 due to his impressive debut season with Monaco, although he stated that he still required more time in the league to fully adapt. Following the international break, James scored his first penalty for Monaco against Sochaux in a 2–1 win. James ended his debut season without a trophy, though nonetheless helped Monaco secure a spot in the following season's UEFA Champions League. On an individual level, he earned a spot in the star Ligue 1 XI, and led Ligue 1 in assists for the season.

Real Madrid

In a post-match interview during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, James stated his "love", "admiration" and "passion" for Real Madrid, saying that it would be a "life's dream" to play for them after his performances aroused rumors linking him to the Spanish club.

On 22 July 2014, James signed a six-year contract with the Spanish club for an undisclosed fee, which was reported to be approximately £63 million. At the time, this was the fourth-most expensive transfer in the world, the third-most expensive in Madrid's history, and the most expensive Colombian after surpassing Radamel Falcao's €60 million transfer in 2013. The amount spent on his transfer fee led many to referring James as a Galáctico after he was given the number 10 shirt worn by Madrid legends such as Luís Figo and Ferenc Puskás.

James was greeted by a 45,000 attendance during his presentation. The Colombian ambassador in Madrid made a speech at the event and carried a message from Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos that James was changing the history of Colombian football and that the entire nation is behind him. Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez would follow with a speech of his own, stating that he welcomed James, a "lover" and "long supporter" of the club who will never forget the day he made his dream a reality.

2014–15 season

James made his debut in the UEFA Super Cup at Cardiff City Stadium against Sevilla, in which Real Madrid won 2–0. He played 72 minutes before being replaced by Isco. On 19 August, James scored his first goal for Real Madrid against Atlético Madrid in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup after coming on as a substitute for Cristiano Ronaldo at half-time. James made his Champions League debut for Real in the group stage opening match against Basel, where he scored the fourth goal in a 5–1 victory. James then scored his first league goal days later against Deportivo La Coruña, where he also supplied an assist in an 8–2 victory. James scored a brace in a 4–0 win at Granada on 1 November; his first goal was a dipping volley from a poor angle.

In the match against Sevilla in which he scored the opening goal, James experienced a fracture on the fifth metatarsal in his right foot after being fouled. The injury required surgery and he was out of action for two months. James returned on 5 April in the match against Granada, where he assisted two goals in a 9–1 victory before being subbed at the 60th minute. Days later, James scored his first goal since his injury against Rayo Vallecano in a 2–0 victory.

2015–17
After being left on the bench for his team's season opener, a scoreless draw against Sporting Gijón, James made his first contribution of the season by giving a man of the match performance against Real Betis. The player scored with both a spectacular free-kick and bicycle kick and provided an assist for Gareth Bale. On 8 September 2015, during an international friendly match against Peru, James collided with Peruvian player Juan Manuel Vargas, and though he initially appeared able to continue, James was removed from the game as a precautionary measure. He was diagnosed with a thigh muscle tear, and didn't return to training until 27 October. James played his first match since the injury on 8 November, scoring in a 3–2 loss to Sevilla. On 31 January 2016, James scored and assisted Karim Benzema's goal in a 6–0 thrashing of Espanyol. On 8 March, he scored his first and only goal of the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League, in a 2–0 victory against Roma to help his club get into the quarter-finals. His team eventually won the Champions League, with James making 5 appearances.

James made 22 appearances when Madrid won the 2016–17 La Liga, and six when Madrid won the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League. Despite scoring 11 goals, (including braces against Granada, Deportivo, and Sevilla), as well as providing 13 assists, he failed to gain more playing time under Zidane even with his influence on the pitch, leading him to request a loan transfer for more playing time.

Bayern Munich and final year at Madrid

On 11 July 2017, it was announced that James was loaned to Bayern Munich on a two-year long deal. Bayern paid Real Madrid €13 million as a loan fee for the two season-long loan. With James' loan deal to Bayern, he reunited with his old Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti. Bayern had the option to buy James for €42 million at the end of the loan period. He scored his first goal of his loan spell in a 3–0 away win over Schalke 04. After a slow start to his Bayern career, mainly due to an injury in preseason, James rediscovered his form after Jupp Heynckes was hired as Bayern's manager in October as the club sacked Ancelotti.

On 2 April 2018, Bayern's CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge thanked Ancelotti for bringing James to Bayern. "It was a very, very good transfer and I have to thank Carlo Ancelotti once again," Rummenigge said. In the semi-finals of the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League season, James scored the equalizing goal in a 2–2 draw against his parent club at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, but Bayern failed to reach the final as they lost 3–4 on aggregate. However, James would go on to win the 2017–18 Bundesliga title with Bayern, credited as a key member behind their title defense for his contribution of 7 goals and 11 assists in 23 Bundesliga appearances.

On 15 September 2018, James scored his opening goal of the season in a 3–1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. On 17 March 2019, he scored three goals in a 6–0 league win over Mainz, his first hat-trick since 2011, with Porto. On 18 May, James won his second Bundesliga title as Bayern finished two points above Dortmund with 78 points. A week later, James won his first DFB-Pokal as Bayern defeated RB Leipzig 3–0 in the 2019 DFB-Pokal Final. James did not appear in the match as he was out injured. James appeared in 28 matches and scored seven goals in all competitions. On 5 June, it was announced that Bayern Munich would not pick up the buy option and he would return to Real Madrid.

After his return to Madrid, James made eight appearances during the league season, as Real Madrid won the 2019–20 La Liga.

Everton
On 7 September 2020, James joined  club Everton on a free transfer and signed a two-year deal, with a club option for a third season. The deal once again reunited him with manager Carlo Ancelotti. He made his debut later that month in a 1–0 away win against Tottenham Hotspur in their first game of the 2020–21 Premier League season. The following week he scored his first goal for Everton on his home debut, a 5–2 league win against West Bromwich Albion. James scored two goals and provided an assist for his international teammate Yerry Mina in a 4–2 victory at Goodison Park against Brighton & Hove Albion on 3 October 2020. James added to his goal tally against Manchester United in a 3–3 draw at Old Trafford on 6 February 2021.

Al-Rayyan
On 22 September 2021, James joined Al-Rayyan for an undisclosed fee.
On 17 October 2021, Rodriguez made his debut for Al-Rayyan, in a 3–0 loss against Al-Duhail. He scored his first goal for the team against Al-Sailiya on 26 October 2021.
On 15 September 2022, Al-Rayyan terminated the contract of James Rodriguez by mutual consent.

Olympiacos
On 15 September 2022, James Rodríguez joined Greek Super League champions Olympiacos on a free transfer. Upon arrival, Rodríguez was handed the number 10 jersey, previously worn by Rony Lopes who had departed to play on loan for Ligue 1 side Troyes. He made his league debut on 18 September as a starter against Aris Thessaloniki, a match in which his team lost 2–1 despite being up a goal for the majority of the match.

On 13 April 2023, James' contract with Olympiacos was terminated by mutual consent.

São Paulo
On 29 July 2023, James joined Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club São Paulo, signing a two-year contract.

International career

Youth
James was part of the Colombia U-17 team that finished runners-up in the 2007 South American Under-17 Championships, where he scored three goals. He also helped Colombia advance to the knockout stages during the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where they eventually lost to the winners of the tournament Nigeria.

He was also part of the Colombia under-20 squad in three youth tournaments during 2011: the Toulon Tournament, the South American U-20 Championship and the U-20 World Cup that was held in his homeland Colombia.

James scored two goals and provided three assists during the 2011 Toulon Tournament. This show led him to being voted as the MVP of the tournament where Colombia won the final by defeating France in a penalty shootout. James scored one of the penalties in the shootout.

During the 2011 South American U-20 Championship, he provided three assists. During the 2011 U-20 World Cup, he was named captain of the U20 squad due to his impressive leadership and talent. By scoring three goals and providing three assists in the tournament, he gained international attention as a promising star and made many consider him a potential key member of the Colombian senior squad.

Senior

2014 World Cup qualification and friendlies

On 29 September 2011, James received his first call-up to the Colombia senior side for a match against Bolivia on 11 October 2011. He was selected as the man of match due to his incredible performance including the initiation of the goal scored in the last minute by his former Porto teammate Radamel Falcao which gave Colombia a 2–1 win in La Paz. Under the new manager José Pékerman, he played a crucial part in setting up both goals in a 2–0 victory over Mexico. He scored his first goal for Colombia against Peru. Colombia went on to win the match and boosted its place in the World Cup qualifying table from sixth to fifth.

James assisted two goals in a row from 1–0 to 3–0 In the World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay that eventually ended 4–0. James scored a stunning volley from a 30-yard free kick against Chile, leveling the game to an eventual 3–1 away victory boosting Colombia to the second place in the qualifying stages. In the match against Paraguay, James set up the plays leading towards both goals in a 2–0 victory. In Colombia's last international friendly of the year, James assisted the sole goal allowing Colombia to tie with 2014 World Cup hosts Brazil 1–1.

James played his first match of 2013 in the second half of the CONMEBOL qualifiers against Bolivia where he gave a man of the match performance. He set up the second goal thanks to a free kick that he took. The game ended 5–0 eventually.

Playing against South American leaders Argentina, James suffered an injury in the 30th minute forcing him to be substituted. While the injury was not serious, James was rested and therefore missed the game against Peru days later. James made a good comeback when he scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Ecuador during the final stages of the world cup qualifiers. In a tough match against Chile, James drew both penalties that equalized Colombia from a 1–3 to a 3–3. This drew allowed Colombia to return to the World Cup for the first time in 16 years. Days later, James assisted the first goal with a free-kick while setting up the second in a 2–1 away victory over Paraguay.

James continued his play-making form by assisting the first goal and setting up the second against Belgium in a 2–0 victory. He was later voted man of the match. A few days later, James was praised once more as the man of the match in a 0–0 draw against the Netherlands. James started in Colombia's opening match of 2014 and scored a penalty against Tunisia in a 1–1 draw at Estadio Cornellá-El Prat on 5 March 2014. In the last friendly before the World Cup, James scored yet another penalty against Jordan in a 3–0 victory.

2014 World Cup

On 2 June 2014, James was named in Colombia's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and assigned the number 10 shirt. In the team's opening match of the tournament, James set up the first two goals, scored a last-minute goal with a low shot to seal a 3–0 victory over Greece and was named man of the match by FIFA. In the second match, James continued his form by scoring with a header and setting up a second goal for Juan Fernando Quintero in a 2–1 victory over Ivory Coast and was once again elected as man of the match. In the final group stage match against Japan, James came on as a second-half substitute and assisted two Jackson Martínez goals before scoring the final goal in a 4–1 victory. At the end of the group stage, James was ranked as the best performing player at the tournament by FIFA.

On 28 June, James scored both goals to defeat Uruguay 2–0 at the Maracanã in the round of 16, taking Colombia to its first ever World Cup quarter-finals. These goals made him the first player to score in all of his team's opening matches since Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002. His volleyed opening goal was described as "one of the greatest goals the World Cup has ever seen" by opposing manager Óscar Tabárez, who also called James "the best player in the World Cup". Because of his performance against the Uruguayans, James was named by FIFA as man of the match for the third time in four matches. The volley was later voted as the best goal in the tournament by more than four million people on FIFA's website and won the FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year. In the quarter-final against Brazil, he scored his sixth goal of the tournament, a penalty in Colombia's 2–1 defeat.

A tearful James was consoled by Brazil's David Luiz and stated, "He (David) told me I was a good player. The truth is that having so many superstars hug me did make me happy. We have to raise our heads now and thank Colombia for their support. We are sad because we wanted to keep going and set new records. We gave everything to reach the semi-final, but we have to be proud because we played a great side. I'm crying because we gave everything. We're sad but we also have to feel proud because we left our skin out there." Luiz and Rodríguez also exchanged jerseys. James received a standing ovation from the home crowd, ending his first World Cup campaign with six goals and two assists in five matches. On 11 July, he was named on the 10-man shortlist for FIFA's Golden Ball award for the tournament's best player. He then won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top goalscorer despite being eliminated in the quarter finals. Due to his performances, he was named in the World Cup All Star XI and was also listed in the Cup's star XI by Castrol's index rating system in FIFA's website. Argentina legend Diego Maradona argued that James, rather than Lionel Messi, should have won the tournament's Golden Ball award.

2015 Copa América and Copa América Centenario

James was called up to represent Colombia at the 2015 Copa América in Chile, where his team was eliminated 5–4 on penalties by eventual finalists Argentina on 27 June, following a 0–0 draw.

The following summer, James joined Colombia's squad for the Copa América Centenario and was named the team's captain. On 3 June, he started in Colombia's opening 2–0 win against tournament hosts the United States, scoring his team's second goal from the penalty spot although he was forced off early due to an injury. It was initially feared that he would be unable to feature in his nation's second group match against Paraguay, but he recovered in time to start the match, setting up Colombia's first goal, and later scoring one himself in a 2–1 win which sealed his team a place in the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Colombia would then lose in the semi-finals against eventual and defending champions Chile, before securing a third-place victory against the host nation for Colombia's best result since 2001.

2018 World Cup qualification and friendlies
James made his first direct contribution towards qualification, scoring a goal in a heated duel against Copa America champions Chile, securing a 1–1 away draw. In early 2016, he provided both a goal and assist in a difficult away match against Bolivia resulting in a 2–3 victory. Days later, he assisted another goal in a 3–1 home victory against Ecuador. In early August, he contributed both a goal and an assist in Colombia's 2–0 victory against Venezuela.

Starting off 2017, James scored a late dramatic goal against a defensive Bolivia after missing an earlier penalty. The 1–0 home victory allowed Colombia to move to 4th place within the qualification group. Days later, James would score and provide a goal in an impressive 0–2 victory in Ecuador. For his first friendly of the year, James assisted Radamel Falcao's goal from the corner against European giants Spain. The game would end 2–2. Days later against Cameroon, James would both provide and score a goal in a dominating 4–0 victory. For the last qualification match of the 2018 World Cup, James would score a crucial away goal against South American rival Peru, resulting in a 1–1 draw and granting Colombia the last automatic qualification spot at fourth place. James' last contribution of 2017 for Colombia would be an assist against South Korea, which would end 2–1.

Colombia's World Cup preparations in 2018 began against World Cup favorites France, where James provided two assists towards a comeback of a 2–0 score to a 2–3 victory. This marked the first victory in Colombia's history over France.

2018 World Cup
On 4 June 2018, James was selected in Colombia's 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. James did not start in the opening game against Japan after a calf injury during training. He came as a substitute in the 59th minute for Juan Quintero. On 24 June 2018, he provided two assists in a 3–0 victory over Poland and was named as the Man of the Match. James had to be substituted in the 30th minute in the final match of the group stage against Senegal due to the injury. James played in all three matches during the group phase, but was forced to sit out of Colombia's last 16 match against England. Colombia lost 4–3 on penalties against England and were eliminated from the World Cup. James was unable to score in those three matches.

2019 Copa América
On 30 May 2019, James was included in the 23-man final Colombia squad for the 2019 Copa América. In the quarter-finals of the tournament against defending champions Chile on 28 June, following a 0–0 draw after regulation time, James scored in the resulting penalty shoot-out; however, Colombia were defeated 5–4 and were eliminated from the competition.

2021 Copa América

On 28 May 2021, James was ruled out of the squad for the 2021 Copa América due to his lack of conditioning, i.e. for not having the optimal physical level, as he had recently been recovering from injury.

2022 World Cup
After Colombia's failure to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, James admitted that he was uncertain about his future with the team. "I don't know what's coming regarding the next phases, I don't know if I'm going to be there or not," he told Diario Sport. "What I do know is that it breaks my heart to lose, it bothers me not qualifying and this can't happen again."

Style of play
Once considered to be among the best young players in the world, James is a versatile footballer who can play in several positions across the midfield or front-line, having played as a playmaker, winger, and central midfielder for both club and country, although he has stated in interviews that his preferred role is as an attacking midfielder behind the strikers. Praised for his pace, technical skills, vision, and his ability to create chances for teammates as an advanced playmaker, James' performances as a classic number 10 have led to comparisons with the famous Colombian footballer Carlos Valderrama; Valderrama himself declared James as his "successor".

Although naturally left-footed, James has shown ambidexterity in his dribbling and style of play. His goal scoring abilities were a highlight of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where he managed to claim the Golden Boot despite Colombia's elimination in the quarter finals following a 2–1 loss to Brazil. He is also an accurate free kick taker, and a goal threat from anywhere on the pitch. This has made James recognized for his unpredictability as noted by Marca writer Justin Sherman: "One of the differences that James has with other players is that, apart from being very good outside the area, he is also good inside. He has the qualities of a No. 9 and is capable of finishing with a shot from the head or with either foot with great effectiveness."

Personal life
In 2015, Forbes estimated that James' annual income was $29 million.

James married volleyball player Daniela Ospina, sister of Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina, in 2011. They met while James was playing at Banfield. The two have a daughter named Salome, born on 29 May 2013. On 27 July 2017, it was announced that the couple was in the process of divorcing. On 28 October 2019, James had his first son and second child, Samuel, to a surrogate in Medellín.

James is a devout Catholic.

He acquired Spanish citizenship in 2019.

Sponsorships
During his early days playing in South America, James was approached by Adidas head scout Claus Peter Meyer. He featured occasionally in various adverts for Adidas as well as the Colombian beverage "Pony Malta", Nestlé drink "Milo", and the shampoo "Clear". After the 2014 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top goal scorer with six goals, Adidas took advantage of James' increased exposure and issued him his own custom gold boots to celebrate his achievement and increase the brand's on-pitch association with their new star asset.

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Rodríguez goal.

Honours
Envigado
Categoría Primera B: 2007

Banfield
Primera División Argentina: Apertura 2009

Porto
Primeira Liga: 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
Taça de Portugal: 2010–11
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2012
UEFA Europa League: 2010–11

Real Madrid
La Liga: 2016–17, 2019–20
Supercopa de España: 2019–20
UEFA Champions League: 2015–16, 2016–17
UEFA Super Cup: 2014, 2016
FIFA Club World Cup: 2014, 2016

Bayern Munich
 Bundesliga: 2017–18, 2018–19
 DFB-Pokal: 2018–19

São Paulo
Copa do Brasil: 2023

Colombia U20
 Toulon Tournament: 2011

Colombia
Copa América third place: 2016

Individual
 FIFA U-20 World Cup top assist provider: 2011
 Toulon Tournament Best Player: 2011
 LPFP Primeira Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2011–12
 SJPF Player of the Month: August 2012, September 2012
 Record Team of the Year: 2012
 O Jogo Team of the Year: 2012, 2013
 Portuguese Golden Ball: 2012
 Ligue 1 top assist provider: 2013–14
 UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2013–14
 AS Monaco Player of the Year: 2013–14
 Globe Revelation Player: 2014
 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot: 2014
 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2014
 FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
 FIFA World Cup Goal of the Tournament: 2014
 FIFA Puskás Award: 2014
 La Liga Team of the Season: 2014–15
 La Liga Best Midfielder: 2014–15
 UEFA Team of the Year: 2015
 UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017–18
 Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2017–18
 Facebook FA La Liga Best Goal: 2016
 Copa del Rey top assist provider: 2016–17
 New species of coral named after him, Paragorgia jamesi
 Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2019

References

External links

 Real Madrid official profile

1991 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Cúcuta
Men's association football forwards
Colombia men's international footballers
Colombian expatriate men's footballers
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in Argentina
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in England
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in Monaco
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in Qatar
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in Greece
Colombian expatriate sportspeople in Brazil
Colombian men's footballers
Colombia men's under-20 international footballers
Colombian Christians
Expatriate men's footballers in Argentina
Expatriate men's footballers in England
Expatriate men's footballers in Germany
Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
Expatriate men's footballers in Monaco
Expatriate men's footballers in Spain
Expatriate men's footballers in Qatar
Expatriate men's footballers in Greece
Expatriate men's footballers in Brazil
AS Monaco FC players
Club Atlético Banfield footballers
FC Porto players
Envigado F.C. players
Real Madrid CF players
FC Bayern Munich footballers
Everton F.C. players
Al-Rayyan SC players
Olympiacos F.C. players
São Paulo FC players
Ligue 1 players
Primeira Liga players
Argentine Primera División players
Bundesliga players
La Liga players
Premier League players
Qatar Stars League players
Super League Greece players
2014 FIFA World Cup players
2015 Copa América players
Copa América Centenario players
2018 FIFA World Cup players
2019 Copa América players
UEFA Champions League winning players
UEFA Europa League winning players
Naturalised citizens of Spain
Spanish people of Colombian descent

James Rodríguez


The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy of the United States that was proclaimed in 1823 during the presidency of US President James Monroe but had been the idea of Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. It stated that no European power could colonize any more of the Americas or of the Western Hemisphere in general.

In particular, most of the Spanish Empire in South America had recently become independent because of the Napoleonic Wars against France. Having won the Peninsular War, Spain wanted its empire back, which the Monroe Doctrine stated that the United States would resist. The United Kingdom agreed because it wanted to trade with the newly-independent countries and so it helped enforce the Monroe Doctrine by its powerful Royal Navy.

1823
1820s in the United States
James Monroe

Monroe Doctrine


Calling Dr. Kildare is a 1939 film in the Dr. Kildare series. Directed by Harold S. Bucquet, it stars Lew Ayres as the young Dr. Kildare and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie, his mentor. The second of MGM's series of Kildare films, it introduces Laraine Day as nurse Mary Lamont, the love of Kildare's life.

Plot
Dr. Leonard Gillespie, the crusty senior diagnostician at New York's Blair General Hospital, has a severe disagreement with a pupil, intern James Kildare, over a suspected case of Q fever. He decides to teach his stubborn assistant a lesson in dealing with the emotional causes of his patients' ills, as well as the physical. To accomplish this, he fires Kildare and has him reassigned to work in a neighborhood dispensary with nurse Mary Lamont, whom he enlists with the aid of head nurse Molly Byrd to "stooge" on the intern.

On the day that Kildare begins his new job, young Red enters the dispensary and confidentially asks the intern to help an injured friend, Nick Lewett. He follows Red to a cellar hideout, where he discovers that Nick is suffering from a gunshot wound. Kildare is on the verge of sending Nick on to Blair when Nick's sister Rosalie convinces him not to do so. Against hospital procedure and the law requiring reporting of all gunshots to the police, Kildare continues to treat Nick in the hideout, even after he knows that the boy is wanted for the murder of bookmaker "Footsy" Garson over a gambling debt. Smitten with Rosalie, he tells Mary he knows that she has been reporting back to Gillespie on his activities.

Despite Mary's resistance, Gillespie uses her obvious admiration for Kildare to persuade her to tell him what Kildare is up to, and tries to warn the intern that he is flirting with being an accessory to murder. He tries to persuade Kildare to at least reveal Nick's whereabouts, but Kildare is sure of Nick's innocence and refuses to do so. A worried Gillespie arranges with Kildare's mother to call him home to help his physician father with a difficult patient, but when the intern returns, he is picked up by the police along with Nick. For his involvement, Kildare is yet again suspended from the hospital staff, but remains determined to prove Nick's innocence.

Learning from Nick that he went to see Garson after his friend Tom Crandell accused Garson of maligning Rosalie, Kildare decides to confront Crandell. With the help of ambulance driver Joe Wayman and his persuasive monkey wrench, Kildare compels Crandell into confessing that he killed Garson and shot Nick, suspicious of his relationship with Rosalie, to frame him. After Nick is exonerated, Gillespie visits Rosalie and deduces that she was Crandell's girlfriend. He steers her into admitting to Kildare that her only interest in him was to save her brother, and later confesses to Kildare that he arranged for Nick's arrest, but that Kildare almost ruined the plan by returning from home. A little wiser, Kildare resumes as Dr. Gillespie's assistant and begins to look at Nurse Lamont in a better light.

Cast
 Lew Ayres as Dr. James Kildare
 Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
 Laraine Day as Mary Lamont
 Nat Pendleton as Joe Wayman
 Lana Turner as Rosalie Lewett
 Lynne Carver as Alice Raymond
 Samuel S. Hinds as Dr. Stephen Kildare
 Emma Dunn as Mrs. Martha Kildare
 Reed Hadley as Tom Crandall
 Roger Converse as Dr. Joiner

Release
Calling Dr. Kildare was released in April 1939, the second in MGM's Kildare series.  According to MGM records, the film earned $626,000 in the US and Canada and $266,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $307,000.

New York Times reviewer Frank Nugent, while bemoaning the damage done to artistic values by series pictures, still called it "pleasantly entertaining" and "on the whole, successfully sugar-coated".

Home media
On January 21, 2014, Warner Archive released the film on Region 1 MOD-DVD as part of the "Dr. Kildare Movie Collection", containing all nine films starring Ayres and Barrymore.

References

External links

1939 films
1939 crime drama films
American black-and-white films
American crime drama films
Films about surgeons
Films directed by Harold S. Bucquet
Films set in New York City
Films set in hospitals
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
1930s English-language films
1930s American films

Calling Dr. Kildare


"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men comic-book storyline published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne, the storyline first appeared in X-Men #129 (January 1980). It focuses on the superhero Jean Grey and the cosmic entity Phoenix Force. The storyline commonly refers to the story in Uncanny X-Men #129–138 (January – October 1980) of Jean Grey's corruption by the power of the Phoenix and the Hellfire Club, the destruction she causes, and ultimately her death. Sometimes included is Jean Grey's assumption of the Phoenix power and the repair of the M'Kraan Crystal in Uncanny X-Men #101–108 (October 1976 – December 1977).

"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is one of the most well-known and heavily referenced stories in mainstream American superhero comics, and is widely considered to be a classic storyline by critics.

Since its original introduction in comics, the storyline has been featured in various other Marvel-licensed products. It was adapted for the X-Men: The Animated Series (1992). It was later alluded to in the live-action film X2: X-Men United (2003). The live-action film X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) contains some elements from the saga. The animated series Wolverine and the X-Men (2009) adapted "The Dark Phoenix Saga" at the end of its first season, though it changed many elements of the story. Had there been a fifth season of the animated series X-Men: Evolution (2000), its own version of the four-part Dark Phoenix would have been adapted. The live-action X-Men film Dark Phoenix (2019) is an adaptation of the Hellfire arc of the story.

Summary
Returning from a mission in  space, Jean Grey is exposed to the deadly radiation of a solar flare, and briefly attains her ultimate potential as a telepath and telekinetic. Jean becomes a being of pure thought, and then re-forms herself upon return to Earth with the new costume, identity and power of "Phoenix". It is with this incredible power that Jean repairs the fractured M'Kraan Crystal, but voluntarily restrains her powers afterward in order to keep them under control.

Her vast potential makes her a target for Mastermind, who is attempting to prove himself in order to join the prestigious Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club. Under the identity of Jason Wyngarde, he begins to seduce Jean. With the help of a mind-tap device created by the Club's White Queen, Emma Frost, Mastermind projects his illusions directly into Phoenix's mind. These illusions cause her to believe that she is reliving the memories of an ancestor, Lady Grey, who in Mastermind's illusions was the Hellfire Club's Black Queen and the lover of one of Wyngarde's ancestors. Phoenix eventually accepts the Black Queen as her actual identity, a decadent role that allows her to relish the extremes of human emotion and begins to break down the barriers that she had erected.

She helps the Hellfire Club capture the X-Men, and Jean's true love Cyclops faces Mastermind in a psychic duel. When Mastermind kills Cyclops' psychic image, it breaks his hold over Jean's psyche and shatters the final barriers on her power. Experiencing this power in its totality overwhelms Jean, and she renames herself "Dark Phoenix". Enraged at Mastermind, she uses a telepathic illusion to make him experience godhood, driving him insane. To break her ties with her less powerful identity as Jean Grey, she strikes down the X-Men and departs for a distant galaxy. However, her power proves to be far more limited than she thought; the intergalactic trip leaves her almost completely drained. To recharge, she devours the energy of the nearby D'Bari star, causing a supernova which kills the entire population of the only civilized planet orbiting the star. A Shi'ar vessel attacks to prevent her from destroying other stars. Dark Phoenix easily destroys the vessel, but not before they alert the Shi'ar Empress Lilandra. A council of intergalactic associates is gathered, including the Kree and Skrull empires, and concludes that Dark Phoenix is an even more serious threat than the planet-consuming Galactus and must be destroyed.

On Earth, the X-Men are greeted by Avengers member (and former X-Man) Beast. Dark Phoenix returns to Earth, to her family's home, and finds herself conflicted between her normal feelings for her loved ones and her new destructive impulses as Dark Phoenix. The X-Men attack her but are again defeated. Her mentor, Charles Xavier, arrives, and through a vicious psychic duel, he creates a new set of psychic "circuit-breakers" which reduce her to only her original Marvel Girl powers. This allows Jean's normal personality to reassert control.

The Shi'ar abduct the X-Men, tell them of Dark Phoenix' casual genocide, and declare that she must be put to death. Xavier challenges Lilandra to Arin'n Haelar, a Shi'ar duel of honor that cannot be refused. After conferring with the Kree and Skrulls, Lilandra agrees to Xavier's demand.

The next day, the X-Men and the Shi'ar Imperial Guard are teleported to the Blue Area of the Moon to do battle, with the victors deciding the fate of Phoenix. The Imperial Guard defeat most of the X-Men, leaving Cyclops and Phoenix alone to make a final stand. When Cyclops is seemingly killed, Jean's panic overrides Xavier's psychic restraints and restores her to Dark Phoenix. Lilandra initiates Plan Omega, which would consist of destroying the whole Solar System in hopes of eliminating Dark Phoenix in the process. Xavier orders the X-Men to subdue Jean to preempt Lilandra's emergency measure. They battle her until she regains her senses. Running inside one of the Blue Area's ruins, Jean, struggling to keep control, activates an ancient Kree weapon that disintegrates her after an emotional good-bye to Cyclops. He deduces that Jean had planned her sacrifice from the moment they had landed on the Moon.

The story ends with Uatu the Watcher commenting that "Jean Grey could have lived to become a god. But it was more important to her that she die...a human."

Background and creation

According to Byrne, it had become a problem storywise that Claremont kept writing Phoenix stronger and stronger, making her the dominating element of the X-Men book. Steven Grant then suggested they should make her a villain to solve the issue, and eventually it seemed like the best solution to get the book back on track.

The segment of the saga set at the Hellfire Club (Uncanny X-Men #132–134) was heavily inspired by the Avengers television episode "A Touch of Brimstone", and some of the characters' appearances were modeled after the cast of "A Touch of Brimstone" as a subtle acknowledgment of the inspiration.

The ending of the story was a matter of intense controversy with the editorial staff. Jim Shooter's recollections are that the original intent of the Dark Phoenix storyline was to introduce Dark Phoenix as a cosmic nemesis for the X-Men. This was what had been discussed originally amongst the creative team and Shooter, and this was the story development that had been approved. When Uncanny X-Men issue 135 was in the final artwork stages, Shooter happened to look at the proofs for the issue and noticed that the story included the destruction of an inhabited solar system, with an explicit mention of billions of lives lost. Louise Simonson feels it was Shooter's outrage over this plot element which led to him taking editor Jim Salicrup off the series several issues earlier than he had been scheduled to.

Upon questioning Salicrup about where the plot went from there, he was told that issue 137 ended with Jean being permanently depowered by the Shi'ar and released into the custody of the X-Men. Shooter disagreed with this development both from a storytelling standpoint as well as, secondarily, a moral standpoint, likening the ending to "taking the German army away from Hitler and letting him go back to governing Germany," and finding it out of character for the X-Men to retain friendly relations with a being who had committed genocide. Byrne and Salicrup explained that they had no problem with this resolution because they had always thought of Dark Phoenix as a separate entity who had possessed Jean Grey, with Salicrup drawing an analogy to the film adaptation of The Exorcist: "In the movie there's this little girl who's taken over and several people get killed, but by the end, when the demon's gone no one thinks, 'Let's kill that murderous little girl.'" However, on reading the issues over they agreed with Shooter that from the reader's perspective, she did not seem to be possessed, and Claremont admitted that while writing the Dark Phoenix Saga he was never clear in his own mind whether Jean Grey was possessed or her actions as Dark Phoenix were her own.

Shooter, during a conversation with Claremont, suggested a scenario where Jean would be permanently imprisoned as a compromise, and Claremont responded that such a scenario was unfeasible since in his opinion, the X-Men would want to continually try to rescue Jean from imprisonment. According to Shooter, Claremont out of frustration suggested that they kill off Jean completely. Although Shooter suggests that the proposed plot point was a bluff by Claremont, playing on the unwritten rule that main characters were not to be killed permanently, he accepted it, even over later objections by both Claremont and Byrne. Ultimately, it was decided by Byrne and Claremont to have Jean commit suicide after her Dark Phoenix persona resurfaces at the climax of the fight against the Imperial Guard. Issue 137 was left largely unchanged, but the last five pages were completely rewritten and redrawn for the new ending, and Claremont also took the opportunity to write a second draft of his script. Because of this, comparison of the original and published versions of X-Men #137 reveals numerous differences in the script with no connection to the ending; for instance, in the original version of the day of rest, the individual X-Men are each thinking of their own personal issues, while the published version shows them reflecting on their decision to protect Jean.

The original ending ultimately saw print in 1984 in Phoenix: The Untold Story. Besides the original version of Uncanny X-Men #137, it featured a transcript of a round table discussion between Claremont, Byrne, Simonson, Salicrup, Shooter, and inker Terry Austin, discussing the story behind the original ending and why it was changed.

Jean Grey and Phoenix as separate entities
Shortly before the publication of Uncanny X-Men #137, future freelance writer Kurt Busiek, then still a college student, heard about the upcoming events through the fan grapevine, as did fellow future comics pros Carol Kalish (who would go on to head up Marvel's Direct Sales Department for years) and Richard Howell (artist of the Vision and The Scarlet Witch 12-issue limited series, among others). The three of them also heard that Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter had declared that Jean Grey could not be revived unless it was done in such a way as to render her guiltless of Dark Phoenix' crimes. Taking this as a creative challenge, all three then-fans decided to come up with their own resurrection scenario. Busiek's involved the discovery that Jean Grey was still on the bottom of Jamaica Bay in suspended animation following the original shuttle crash and that the Phoenix entity had used her body and mind as a lens, creating an immensely powerful duplicate of Jean, but one which grew more corrupted and distorted the longer it remained separate from the true Jean.

In 1982, Dark Phoenix resurfaced in the DC/Marvel intercompany crossover one-shot The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans, written by regular X-Men writer Chris Claremont. The story (which is not part of DC or Marvel canon) has the cosmic villain Darkseid resurrect Jean Grey in her Dark Phoenix persona as part of his quest to discover the secret of the Anti-Life Equation. In the end, Dark Phoenix is betrayed by Darkseid and sacrifices her life yet again to stop Darkseid.

Also in 1983, shortly after beginning a freelance writing career, Kurt Busiek attended a comics convention in Ithaca, New York, staying at the home of Marvel writer Roger Stern. In conversation, both writers' longtime interest in the X-Men came up, and Stern expressed regret that there was no way to bring Jean back, not while satisfying Shooter's edict. Busiek told Stern his idea, not expecting it to amount to more than idle conversation. Later, Stern told the idea to John Byrne, then writer/artist of Fantastic Four.

In 1985, Jim Shooter greenlit a new series that would reunite the original X-Men into a new team called X-Factor, to be written by longtime freelancer Bob Layton. Hearing of this, Byrne called Layton and suggested Busiek's idea as a means of raising Jean Grey from the dead while satisfying Shooter's demands for total absolution for Jean.

A three-part crossover was planned to launch X-Factor, involving the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and the debut issue of X-Factor, thus involving Avengers writer Stern, Fantastic Four writer/artist Byrne and X-Factor writer Layton. Busiek, by that time, was working at Marvel as a freelance assistant editor on Marvel Age Magazine. He was paid and credited for the idea, and edited a series of interviews for Marvel Age promoting the new series. Everything in the interviews pertaining to Jean's resurrection was marked out with black tape to create an air of mystery about the revelations that the crossover would involve, and Busiek thus found himself taping over all mention of his idea.

While the retroactive depiction of Jean Grey and Phoenix as separate entities remains canon, later stories have established a middle ground regarding the unique relationship between the two. Claremont would establish an extradimensional mutual home for the two, the White Hot Room, in which both entities reside between resurrections. At the conclusion of the Inferno event, Jean absorbs all the memories of Phoenix's experiences from its first appearance as Jean through the end of the Dark Phoenix Saga. Writer Grant Morrison would ultimately establish that only by merging with Jean at her most powerful as the "One True Phoenix" could the Phoenix realize its full potential in physical form as the White Phoenix of the Crown.

Cultural impact and legacy

Critical response
Jay Edidin of Polygon included "The Dark Phoenix Saga" in their "9 Greatest X-Men Stories of All Time" list, writing, "Ask any fan to pinpoint the classic, iconic X-Men story, and most will send you straight to Uncanny X-Men #129-138: the issues that chronicle the corruption and fall of the cosmically empowered Jean Grey. It's also the story that has seen by far the largest number of (attempted) adaptations over the years, including the upcoming Dark Phoenix. All of that is because The Dark Phoenix Saga is the X-Men at their best: fighting as and for their found family and the fate of the world, backs to the wall, in the face of impossible odds. It's got pretty much everything that makes the X-Men great: not just high-stakes superpowered fights, but also high drama, found family, and some pretty spectacular science fiction." Anubhav Chaudhry of Sportskeeda ranked "The Dark Phoenix Saga" 1st in their "10 Best Comic Book Storylines of Marvel Comics" list, saying, "With stunning artwork and gripping storytelling, The Dark Phoenix Sagais a masterpiece of comic book storytelling that has influenced countless writers and artists in the years since its publication." Pierce Lydon of Newsarama ranked "The Dark Phoenix Saga" 1st in their "Best X-Men Stories" list, asserting, "If there's one story that defines the X-Men above all others, it's 'The Dark Phoenix Saga,' in which Chris Claremont and John Byrne's somewhat tumultuous creative relationship begins to come to an end with one of the greatest superhero stories ever told," while Chris Arrant ranked it 2nd in their "Best Marvel Comics Stories of All Time" list.

David Harth of Comic Book Resources ranked "The Dark Phoenix Saga" 1st in their "X-Men: 10 Story Arcs Every Fan Should Read" list, stating, "The Dark Phoenix Saga introduces so many things to X-Men lore, like the Hellfire Club and Kitty Pryde, concepts that would pay dividends over the years. Claremont and Byrne kill it in this one, presenting a tale that is not only considered the best X-Men story of all time but one of the best comics of all time in general." Joe Garza of /Film ranked "The Dark Phoenix Saga" 1st in their "15 Best X-Men Comics You Need To Read" list, writing, "The "Dark Phoenix Saga" is quite possibly THE signature X-Men storyline, the one that perfectly embodies the heroes' commitment to doing the right thing even when the world (or galaxy, in this case) hates and fears you." Jesse Schedeen of IGN ranked "The Dark Phoenix Saga" 2nd in their "25 Greatest X-Men Stories" list and called it "one of the most iconic Marvel stories of all time," saying, "The sheer variety of this story sets it apart, but not as much as the raw emotion and the satisfaction of seeing Claremont wrap up so many loose ends at once. John Byrne delivered his finest work on the series with this long arc, culminating in the battle royale against the Imperial Guard and the tragic sacrifice of the Phoenix."

David Caballero of Screen Rant asserted, "The storyline remains influential and is one of the most referenced in American superhero comics. Thanks to excellent writing, compelling and flawed characters, inspired and often-imitated artwork, and consequences so extreme they reshaped the entire franchise, The Dark Phoenix Saga remains a watershed moment in pop culture." Will Friedwald of Vanity Fair called "The Dark Phoenix Saga" one of the "classic comic book story arcs that everybody has heard of, even if they haven't read it," saying, "It's no wonder the Dark Saga has inspired so many imitators. It took the big issues of cosmic narrative—even the very nature of existence—and stretched them as far as they would go. It cast a long shadow; later milestone sagas would have to look in a new direction—inward—to examine the meaning of the medium and the inner nature of heroes and villains themselves." Chase Magnett of ComicBook.com wrote, "The reason why the characters and subplots surrounding "The Dark Phoenix Saga" remain so flexible is that the core themes of the story are what continue to resonate after almost four decades. [...] We understand that corruption, power, and monstrosity are truly evergreen themes in literature, not just superhero comics. They serve as the basis for the critical darling Immortal Hulk today. Few superhero stories, if any, have addressed these ideas as well as "The Dark Phoenix Saga" though."

Cover
David Caballero of Screen Rant included the cover of Uncanny X-Men #136 (August 1980) in their "X-Men: The 10 Most Iconic Covers Of All Time" list. Anthony Orlando of BuzzFeed ranked the cover of Uncanny X-Men #135 (July 1980) 8th in their "15 Greatest Covers In All Of Comics" list.

Impact
Redfox #5-10 (September 1986 - July 1987) are officially titled "The Demon Queen Saga," and the plot is essentially the Dark Phoenix Saga translated to a sword-and-sorcery setting.
Army Surplus Komikz #5 (1986) had Cutey Bunny transformed into Dark Cutey due to her magic amulet interacting with Wunner Bunny's magic lasso and other forces. Once transformed she tempts her former friends with the merchandising potential of being "dark" and finally engages in a pie fight with some incompetent super-heroes from WWII.
Southern Knights #30 (December 1988) opens with a four-page parody of the Dark Phoenix Saga, with the character Connie Ronnin wreaking havoc as "Dark Connie."
Power Pachyderms (one-shot, May 1989) had 4 anthropomorphic elephants (born to circus elephants irradiated by a gamma bomb detonation). They are takes on Cyclops (Trunklops), Wolverine (Rumbo), and Colossus (Mammoth), whereas Electralux parodied Electra. In a battle with Clarinetto and his New Musicians, she is buried in radioactive make-up and becomes Rogue Elephant whose song can destroy anything. Her teammates succeed in blowing the make-up off her to return her to herself.
The sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2002) features the character of Willow Rosenberg transforming into "Dark Willow" in a story heavily inspired by the Dark Phoenix Saga. The character of Andrew Wells explicitly compares Willow to Phoenix.
One panel featuring the destruction of the D'Bari system is replicated in the DC/Hanna-Barbera crossover Superman/Top Cat Special (October 2018). This is employed as an ironic twist, since it coincides with the relocation of an alien - the last survivor of his species - to D'Bari by Superman to give him a new, peaceful home.

Sequel
Uncanny X-Men #168 (April 1983) began a subplot which culminated with the apparent reincarnation of Dark Phoenix in Uncanny X-Men #174–175 (October–November 1983). These issues were later collected in trade paperback form under the title From the Ashes.

The story revolves around Cyclops and the newly introduced Madelyne Pryor, a commercial airline pilot who is not only physically identical to Jean Grey, but survived a traumatic airliner crash at exactly the same moment that Jean died. Pryor's transformation into Dark Phoenix is revealed to be an illusion by Mastermind, seeking revenge for what Jean Grey did to him during the Dark Phoenix Saga. In issue #175, Cyclops and Madelyne repeat the dialogue he exchanged with Jean Grey after Professor X locked away her Dark Phoenix powers, marking the parallel with the dissolving of Mastermind's Dark Phoenix illusion.

Collected editions

The story (issues #129–137) was first collected as a trade paperback in 1984. The first edition featured a cover painting by Bill Sienkiewicz.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Phoenix Saga, the storyline was reprinted in an oversized trim hardcover. The X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga hardcover (352 pages, July 2010, Marvel, ) collects The X-Men #129–138, Classic X-Men #43, Bizarre Adventures #27, Phoenix: The Untold Story (one-shot), and What If? #27.

The story (The X-Men #129–137) has been collected into a number of trade paperbacks:
 X-Men Legends, Volume 2: Dark Phoenix Saga (192 pages, August 1990, Marvel, )
 X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga (200 pages, April 2006, Marvel, )

The story is also included in Essential X-Men, Volume 2 (584 pages, October 1997, Panini Comics, ), part of Marvel's Essential series of black-and-white trade paperbacks. The volume collects The X-Men #120–144 and The X-Men Annual #3–4.

The story is included in the hardcover Marvel Masterworks: Uncanny X-Men, Volume 4 (The X-Men #122–131, Annual #3) and Volume 5 (The X-Men #132–140, Annual #4)

The opening of the story is in the final pages of Uncanny X-Men Omnibus, Volume 1, which includes Giant-Size Uncanny X-Men #1, The X-Men Annual #3, and The X-Men #94–131; it concludes in Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Volume 2, which continues through issue #153 and also includes Annual #4–5, Avengers Annual #10, Marvel Fanfare #1–4, Marvel Treasury Edition #26–27, Marvel Team-Up #100, Bizarre Adventures #27, and Phoenix: The Untold Story.

The saga was printed in hardback form for issue 2 of The Official Marvel Graphic Novel Collection, a graphic novel series based in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, in January 2012.

Another omnibus edition, X-Men: Dark Phoenix Saga Omnibus, was published in August 2018, and included Uncanny X-Men #97–105, 107–108, 125–138, Bizarre Adventures #27, Phoenix: The Untold Story, What If? #27, and material from Classic X-Men #6, 8, 13, 18, 24, 43 (688 pages, )

The "Dark Phoenix Saga" was again published in its entirety, Uncanny X-Men #129-138, along with various other issues, including Phoenix: The Untold Story, in X-Men Epic Collection Vol. 7: The Fate of the Phoenix in March 2021.

In other media

Television
 The Dark Phoenix Saga, along with the Phoenix Saga, was adapted in X-Men. During the five-part Phoenix Saga, the X-Men had to help the Shi'ar fight Lilandra's deranged brother, D'Ken. Jean Grey's psionic powers of telekinesis, empathy and telepathy all manifest to tremendously incalculable power-levels during the four-part Dark Phoenix saga, turning her against her comrades. The X-Men, with the help of the Shi'ar, finally succeed in the Dark Phoenix learning the error of her ways and leaving Jean's body to parts unknown.
 The Dark Phoenix Saga was foreshadowed in X-Men: Evolution. In "Power Surge", Jean loses control of her powers, making her dangerous around others. At the end of the episode, Rogue absorbed some of Jean's mind, defeating her. At the end of the series, Professor Xavier saw Jean transforming into the Dark Phoenix when he was under Apocalypse's control. The Dark Phoenix saga was going to be adapted in four episodes of Season Five. However, the saga did not appear after the series was cancelled in 2003.
 In Wolverine and the X-Men, the Dark Phoenix saga was adapted at the three-part season finale "Foresight". In the three-part episode "Foresight", the Hellfire Club kidnaps Jean after the X-Men saved her from the Marauders. Wolverine finds out Emma Frost was in league with the Hellfire Club and locks her in a containment unit. Cyclops releases Frost, enraging Wolverine. While the X-Men go to Genosha to fight the Sentinels, Frost tells Jean about the Phoenix Force. Later, Frost tells Cyclops of Jean's whereabouts when the X-Jet was crashed by the Sentinels. The two go to Jean's location, where the Hellfire Club betrays Frost and imprisons them. Selene reveals to Cyclops that Frost was the one who triggered Jean's dormant Phoenix abilities when the Xavier Institute was destroyed. After the Hellfire Club is defeated at the hands of Jean, she and Scott leave Frost. After saving the X-Men from the Mutant Response Division, Wolverine finds Frost at the Club's hideout. Reluctantly, he releases her, and the two go to find Scott and Jean. After Magneto and the Sentinels are defeated, Jean unleashes the Phoenix Force. Frost absorbs the Phoenix Force into her body, seemingly killing her in the process.

Film
 The Dark Phoenix Saga is alluded to in X2: X-Men United. As Jean Grey's powers expand, a flash can occasionally be seen in her eyes. After Jean supposedly dies while protecting her teammates from drowning, an image of a phoenix can be seen on the surface of Alkali Lake.
 The plot of X-Men: The Last Stand contains elements of "The Dark Phoenix Saga." In this film, the Phoenix is a dual personality of Jean, which Professor X had telepathically repressed during her childhood, fearing its destructive potential. It is awakened after Jean cocoons herself in telekinetic energy to survive the collapse of Alkali Lake. The Phoenix behaves irresponsibly, has no control over her decision-making, exposes her sexual desires for Wolverine, sides with Magneto and even murders Professor X and Cyclops. The Phoenix is destroyed when Jean is euthanized by Wolverine.
 The Dark Phoenix Saga is alluded to in X-Men: Apocalypse. In the final battle against Apocalypse, Professor X encourages Jean to use the full extent of her abilities to defeat Apocalypse. As Jean unleashes her powers, she is engulfed in an aura of flames in the shape of a phoenix.
 Prior to the release of X-Men: Apocalypse, Simon Kinberg talked about redoing the Dark Phoenix Saga story line in a future X-Men film. The 2019 X-Men film is titled X-Men: Dark Phoenix and was released on June 7, 2019.

Novels
 X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga received a prose novelization in mid-2019 written by Stuart Moore to coincide with the release of the Dark Phoenix film.

References

External links

 MarvelDatabase:Dark Phoenix
 MarvelDatabase:Character Gallery Dark Phoenix

Comics by Chris Claremont
Comics by John Byrne (comics)
Marvel Comics adapted into films

The Dark Phoenix Saga


The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (), also known as The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared in the US, is a 2009 comic novel by the Swedish author Jonas Jonasson. The Swedish version was first published on 9 September 2009, and the English version on 12 July 2012.

In 2018, a sequel to the book, The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old Man, was published.

Plot
Allan Karlsson is about to celebrate his hundredth birthday, and his retirement home in Malmköping is planning to throw a party. Allan is not interested. Instead, he climbs out the window and disappears. He walks to the bus station, intending to travel as far as his available cash will allow. There he meets a young man with a suitcase too large to take into the toilet with him. The man goes in, rudely demanding that Allan look after the case. But Allan's bus arrives and he decides to board, taking the case with him. It turns out to be full of illegal drug money, and Allan is chased by the drug gang as well as by the police who are treating him as a missing person. He gets caught up in various criminal activities, eventually escaping when the man from the bus station is accidentally trapped in a freezer, his body ending up in a container destined for Djibouti. An elephant crushes another member of the gang, his remains being inadvertently sent to Latvia in the boot of a Ford Mustang.

In parallel with Allan's adventures as a centenarian, the novel includes flashbacks to increasingly fantastic episodes from his younger days.

As a young man, Allan had worked in a dynamite factory, his expertise taking him to Spain during the civil war, where he accidentally saves General Franco. Moving to the United States he becomes good friends with Harry S. Truman, and helps to make the atom bomb.

After the war, Allan is sent to China to help the Kuomintang fight against the communists, but he loses interest and leaves for Sweden by foot, falling in with a group of communists; they cross the Himalayas to Iran, where Allan is taken into custody. As a ruse, Allan offers to help the Chief of Police in an assassination attempt against Winston Churchill.

On returning to Sweden, Allan finds that the authorities doubt his bomb-making expertise, but the Russians do take him seriously and he is befriended by Yury Popov who takes him to the Soviet Union to meet Stalin. However, Stalin is offended by his saving of Franco's life, and Allen finds himself sentenced to hard labour in a gulag in Vladivostok. There he meets Albert Einstein's fictional half brother, Herbert.

Herbert and Allan escape from the gulag, setting fire to the whole of Vladivostok in the process. Travelling to North Korea during the Korean War, the pair pose as Soviet marshal Kirill Afanesievich Meretskov and his aide, and meet Kim Il Sung and Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung).  Although they are quickly exposed as frauds, disaster is averted when Mao Zedong learns that Allan had saved his wife, Jiang Qing, during the Chinese Civil War. Allan and Herbert are given cash and sent to Bali for a long holiday.

In Bali, Herbert meets an Indonesian waitress, Ni Wayan Laksmi, whom he marries and renames Amanda. She corruptly makes use of the cash for her own political ends, and arranges to get herself appointed as Indonesia's ambassador to France.

In 1968, Amanda, Herbert and Allan travel to France. At the Élysée Palace Amanda and Allan have lunch with Charles de Gaulle and Lyndon B. Johnson who is in Paris for talks on the Vietnam War. Allan identifies the French Interior Minister Christian Fouchet's special advisor as a Soviet spy. This humiliates de Gaulle, but pleases Johnson who later makes Allan a CIA spy. Thanks to Allan's tip-off, the protests in Paris end. Allan is to be awarded a medal, but has already left for Moscow.

In Moscow, Allan is given cover in the American embassy, and is reunited with Popov. The pair decide to write intelligence reports which will please both sides. Their reports result in Richard Nixon visiting Leonid Brezhnev, but also causes both sides to increase spending on their nuclear deterrents. As the Soviet Union starts to collapse, Allan decides to return to Sweden.

Allan settles down to a peaceful life and adopts a cat that he names Molotov. After Molotov is killed by a fox, Allan is unable to resist setting a trap with dynamite, resulting in a huge explosion. Eventually, the authorities decide to send Allan to the Malmköping retirement home from which, on his hundredth birthday, he resolves to escape.

The book concludes with the 100-year-old Allan and his comrades flying to Indonesia, where they spend time at a luxury hotel managed by Amanda and her sons. When he is approached by a representative of the Indonesian government, who is interested in Allan's atomic bomb expertise, he agrees to help, telling himself that at least the Indonesian president, Yudhoyono, is sane – unlike the other leaders he has met in his lifetime.

Release and reception
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared was released as a hardback and audiobook in 2009, and as a paperback in 2010. It became the best selling book in Sweden in 2010, and by July 2012 had sold three million copies worldwide. The audiobook, read by the actor Björn Granath, won the Iris Ljudbokspris award in 2010. The book was published in the United Kingdom by Hesperus Press on 12 July 2012 and in the United States by Hyperion Books on 11 September 2012.

In 2013, it was adapted into a film of the same name.

On 23 August 2017, it was announced that CBS Films will collaborate with Gary Sanchez Productions in order to produce an American adaptation of the book. Will Ferrell will star in the film, and it will be produced by Ferrell along with Adam McKay and Jessica Elbaum. The screenplay will be written by Jason George.

References

2009 Swedish novels
Novels set in Sweden
Novels set in the 20th century
Swedish novels adapted into films
Swedish-language novels
Swedish comedy novels
Cultural depictions of Joseph Stalin
Cultural depictions of Francisco Franco
Works about Falangism
Cultural depictions of Kim Jong Il
Cultural depictions of Mao Zedong
Cultural depictions of Harry S. Truman
Novels about ageing
2009 debut novels

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (Novel)


Alex Gordon Kuziak (October 15, 1908 – May 14, 2010) was an educator, businessman and  politician of Ukrainian descent in Saskatchewan. He represented Canora from 1948 to 1964 in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan as a Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) member.

He was born in Canora, Saskatchewan, the son of Jacob Kuziak and Mary Luchuk, and was educated in Canora, Yorkton and Saskatoon. He attended normal school in Regina and then taught school in Canora for five years. Kuziak next served as secretary-treasurer for the rural municipality of Keys, operated an insurance and real estate business in Canora and was a partner in Canora Electric and Heating. He also was a member of the Canora school board, serving as chairman from 1945 to 1946, and was chairman of the Canora Union Hospital board. In 1935, he married Ann Jarman. Kuziak served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Telephones, as Minister in charge of the Government Finance Office and as Minister of Natural Resources. He was defeated when he ran for reelection to the provincial assembly in 1964. In 1965, he ran unsuccessfully for the Yorkton seat in the Canadian House of Commons. He served on the city council for Yorkton in 1971. He died in Yorkton in 2010.

References

External links

Saskatchewan Co-operative Commonwealth Federation MLAs
20th-century Canadian politicians
1908 births
2010 deaths
Canadian people of Ukrainian descent
Canadian socialists
Canadian socialists of Ukrainian descent
Canadian centenarians
Men centenarians

Alex Kuziak


Andhra Patrika was a Telugu weekly newspaper of the nationalist movement founded by Kasinadhuni Nageswara Rao in 1908. It later transformed into a daily newspaper before it closed down in 1991. It helped to shape both modern Telugu language and an identity that resulted in the creation of the state of Andhra Pradesh.

History
Kasinadhuni Nageswara Rao founded the weekly as he recognized the need for a Telugu language journal to campaign effectively for the Indian freedom struggle and founded the weekly, and the newspaper wandered all over the territories in which the Telugu language was spoken. Rao moved the newspaper to Madras in 1914 to get closer to Telugus, and after a few years turned it into the first enduring daily in Telugu.

Gaining a reputation even among the British as the most efficiently managed Telugu newspaper, it backed the Gandhian nationalist movement from 1920, and Nageswara Rao served as president and treasurer of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee, the chief organizational body of the national movement in the Telugu areas. According to a British official, Andhra Patrika became "the most evil influence in the Telugu country". Dubbed "Viswa Datha" ("donor to the world"), Nageswara Rao put money and effort into his newspaper. He introduced good quality news photos from 1928 and is said to have distributed 800 copies of the paper free to village libraries. In 1931, in the heat of the civil-disobedience movement against the British, Andhra Patrika's circulation reached 10,000.

At the time of Indian independence, it was the largest, best- known Telugu daily. Its proprietors joined forces with others like them from around India when they joined the Audit Bureau of Circulations formed in 1948. The ABC was intended to certify and guarantee circulation figures and thereby reassure and encourage advertisers. Andhra Patrika was the 33rd member, not far behind major English-language dailies like the Hindu of Madras (No 16) and ahead of the Statesman of Calcutta (No 57).

Decline of the Journal
Andhra Patrika published only from Madras city until about 1969 when it started an edition from Vijayawada and established an office in New Delhi under the leadership of T. V. Krishna. Ten years earlier, it had been passed in circulation by Andhra Prabha, which was published from towns inside Andhra Pradesh from the 1950s. In 1960, Andhra Prabha's circulation was 53,000 for its two editions from Vijayawada and Chittoor. Andhra Patrika's sole edition from Madras sold 48,000 copies. Ten years later, Andhra Prabha, then publishing from Vijayawada and Bengaluru, reached 1,16,000; Andhra Patrika remained at 48,000.

After Nageswara Rao's death in 1938, his son-in-law, Sivalenka Sambhu Prasad took over the operations. After Sambhu Prasad' s death, his successors closed the Madras edition and began publishing from Vijayawada and later Hyderabad, the capital of Undivided Andhra Pradesh. Circulation declined, and when the new Telugu daily Eenadu made its first appearance in the Audit Bureau lists in 1976, Andhra Patrika was down to 41,000. Eenadu was audited at 60,000. Ten years later, Andhra Patrika had fallen to 24,000; Eenadu had risen to 2,82,000 and was publishing from four centres. Subsequently, Andhra Patrika closed in April 1991. With circulation at less than 20,000, the descendants of Nageswara Rao and Sambhu Prasad stopped paying their dues to the ABC in 1988 and sold the indebted newspaper in 1989. A dispute then arose over whether the purchaser had acquired full legal control of the company. Lawsuits and questions in the legislature followed, and employees were no longer paid. Towards the end of its life, the newspaper could not be brought out on certain days for "want of money to buy newsprint."

Contributors
Some of the noted people who worked for the daily include Krishnam Raju, Maa Telugu Talli poet, Sankarambadi Sundaraachari, Puripanda Appala Swamy, Veturi, Chirala Rama Rao, Goparaju Venkatanandam etc.

The editors include:
 Kasinadhuni Nageswara Rao (1909–1938)
 Penumudi Raghava Rao
 G. Harisarvottamarao
 C. Seshagirirao
 Sivalenka Sambhu Prasad
 Polavarapu Sriramulu (1944–1969)

Revival
In 1990s, liquor businessman and Telugu newspaper patron, Magunta Subbarama Reddy purchased the property and tried to revive the daily. But after he was killed by the Naxalites in 1995, the effort did not succeed.

All the journals and newspaper were digitized and stored at Gowthami Grandhalayam, Rajamahendravaram.

Book
 Andhra Patrika Charitra by C.V. Rajagopalarao (2004)

References

Weekly newspapers published in India
Telugu-language newspapers
Defunct newspapers published in India

Andhra Patrika


Fahrenheit 451 is a 1966 British dystopian drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Julie Christie, Oskar Werner, and Cyril Cusack. Based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Ray Bradbury, the film takes place in a controlled society in an oppressive future, in which the government sends out firemen to destroy all literature to prevent revolution and thinking. This was Truffaut's first colour film and his only non French-language film. At the 27th Venice International Film Festival, Fahrenheit 451 was nominated for the Golden Lion.

Plot
In the future, a totalitarian government employs a force known as Firemen to seek out and destroy all literature. They have the power to search anyone, anywhere, at any time, and burn any books they find. One of the firemen, Guy Montag, meets one of his neighbours, Clarisse, a young schoolteacher who may be fired due to her unorthodox views. The two have a discussion about his job, where she asks whether he ever reads the books he burns. Curious, he begins to hide books in his house and read them, starting with Charles Dickens's David Copperfield. This leads to conflict with his wife, Linda, who is more concerned with being popular enough to be a member of The Family, an interactive television programme that refers to its viewers as "cousins".

At the house of an illegal book collector, the fire captain, Beatty, talks with Montag at length about how books make people unhappy and make them want to think that they are better than others, which is considered anti-social. The book collector, an old woman who was seen with Clarisse a few times during Montag's rides to and from work, refuses to leave her house, opting instead to burn herself and the house, so that she can die with her books.

Returning home that day, Montag tries to tell Linda and her friends about the woman who martyred herself in the name of books and confronts them about knowing anything about what's going on in the world, calling them zombies and telling them that they're just killing time instead of living life. Disturbed over Montag's behaviour, Linda's friends try to leave, but Montag stops them by forcing them to sit and listen to him read a novel passage. During the reading, one of Linda's friends breaks down crying, aware of the feelings she repressed over the years, while Linda's other friends leave in disgust over Montag's alleged cruelty and the sick content of the novel.

That night, Montag dreams of Clarisse as the book collector who killed herself. The same night, Clarisse's house is raided, but she escapes through a trapdoor in the roof, thanks to her uncle. Montag breaks into Beatty's office, looking for information about the missing Clarisse, and is caught but not punished.

Montag meets with Clarisse and helps her break back into her house to destroy papers that would bring the Firemen to others like her. She tells him of the "book people", a hidden sect of people who flout the law, each of whom has memorised a book to keep it alive. Later, Montag tells Beatty that he is resigning but is convinced to go on one more call, which turns out to be Montag's own house.

Linda leaves the house, telling Montag that she couldn't live with his book obsession and leaves him to be punished by the Firemen. Angrily, he destroys the bedroom and television before setting fire to the books. Beatty lectures him about the books and pulls a last book from Montag's coat, for which Montag kills him with the flamethrower. He escapes and finds the book people, where he views his "capture" on television, staged to keep the masses entertained and because the government doesn't want it to be known that he is alive. Montag selects a book to memorise, Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe, and becomes one of the book people.

Cast

 Oskar Werner as Guy Montag
 Julie Christie as Linda Montag/Clarisse
 Cyril Cusack as Captain Beatty
 Anton Diffring as Fabian/Headmistress
 Jeremy Spenser as Man with the Apple
 Bee Duffell as Book woman
 Alex Scott as Book Person: The Life of Henry Brulard
 Gillian Lewis as Cousin Midge on TV

Production

Casting
Truffaut kept a detailed diary during the production and later published in both French and English (in Cahiers du Cinéma in English). In this diary, he called Fahrenheit 451 his "saddest and most difficult" film-making experience, mainly because of intense conflicts between Werner and himself.

The film was Universal Pictures' first European production. Julie Christie was originally cast as just Linda Montag, not both Linda and Clarisse. The part of Clarisse was offered to Jean Seberg and Jane Fonda. After much thought, Truffaut decided that the characters should not have a villain/hero relationship but rather be two sides of the same coin and cast Christie in both roles, although the idea came from the producer, Lewis M. Allen.

In an interview from 1998, Charles Aznavour said that he was Truffaut's first choice to play the role given to Werner; Aznavour said that Jean-Paul Belmondo was the director's second choice, but the producers refused on the grounds that both of them were not familiar enough for the English-speaking audience. Paul Newman, Peter O'Toole and Montgomery Clift were also considered for the role of Montag; Terence Stamp was cast but dropped out when he feared being overshadowed by Christie's dual roles in the film. Laurence Olivier, Michael Redgrave and Sterling Hayden were considered for the role of the Captain, before Cyril Cusack was cast.

Filming
The film was shot at Pinewood Studios in England, with the monorail exterior scene taken at the French SAFEGE test track in Châteauneuf-sur-Loire near Orléans, France (since dismantled). The film featured the Alton housing estate in Roehampton, south London, and also Edgcumbe Park in Crowthorne, Berkshire. The final scene with the "Book People" reciting their chosen books was filmed at Black Park near Pinewood, in a rare and unexpected snowstorm that occurred on Julie Christie's birthday, 14 April 1966.

Production notes
 The production work was done in French, as Truffaut spoke virtually no English but co-wrote the screenplay with Jean-Louis Richard. Truffaut expressed disappointment with the often stilted and unnatural English-language dialogue. He was much happier with the version that was dubbed into French.

 The movie's opening credits are spoken rather than displayed in type, which might be the director's hint of what life would be like in an illiterate culture. Tony Walton did costumes and production design, while Syd Cain did art direction.

 In 1971, some scenes from Fahrenheit 451 were used in The Different Ones, an episode of Rod Serling's Night Gallery television show, including the monorail and the flying policeman.

 Fahrenheit 451 came out in 1966, one year after a dystopian film named Alphaville was released, directed by Truffaut's friend and fellow filmmaker Jean Luc Godard. Truffaut wrote in a letter, "You mustn't think that 'Alphaville' will do any harm whatsoever to 'Fahrenheit'", but he was mistaken. Truffaut's adaptation differed from the novel by portraying Montag and Clarisse falling in love. Another notable aspect of the film is that Julie Christie plays two characters, Clarisse and Montag's wife Mildred, whose name was changed to Linda in the adaptation.

Soundtrack
According to an introduction by Ray Bradbury to a CD of a rerecording of the film score by William Stromberg conducting the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Bradbury had suggested Bernard Herrmann to Truffaut. Bradbury had visited the set of Torn Curtain, meeting Alfred Hitchcock and Herrmann. When Truffaut contacted Bradbury for a conference about his book, Bradbury recommended Herrmann, as Bradbury knew that Truffaut had written a detailed book about Hitchcock. When Herrmann asked Truffaut why he was chosen over modern composers, such as the director's friends Pierre Boulez or Karlheinz Stockhausen, the director replied that "They'll give me music of the twentieth century but you'll give me music of the twenty first!" Herrmann used a score of only string instruments, harp, xylophone, vibraphone, marimba and glockenspiel. As with Torn Curtain, Herrmann refused the studio's request to do a title song.

Reception

Critical reception
The film had a mixed critical reception upon release. Time magazine called the film a "weirdly gay little picture that assails with both horror and humor all forms of tyranny over the mind of man"; it "strongly supports the widely held suspicion that Julie Christie cannot actually act. Though she plays two women of diametrically divergent dispositions, they seem in her portrayal to differ only in their hairdos." They also noted that the film's "somewhat remote theme challenged [Truffaut's] technical competence more than his heart; the finished film displays the artisan more than the artist".

Bosley Crowther called the film a "pretentious and pedantic production" based on "an idea that called for slashing satire of a sort beyond [Truffaut's] grasp, and with language he couldn't fashion into lively and witty dialogue. The consequence is a dull picture—dully fashioned and dully played—which is rendered all the more sullen by the dazzling color in which it is photographed." Leslie Halliwell described it as "1984 stuff, a little lacking on plot and rather tentatively directed, but with charming moments".

It has gained significant critical acclaim over the years. On the review aggregator web site Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 82% positive rating among top film critics based on 33 reviews. The critical consensus reads: "Fahrenheit 451 is an intriguing film that suffuses Truffaut's trademark wit and black humor with the intelligence and morality of Ray Bradbury's novel." Martin Scorsese has called the film an "underrated picture", which had influenced his own films.

Response by Ray Bradbury
Author Ray Bradbury said in later interviews that, despite its flaws, he was pleased with the film. He was particularly fond of the film's climax, where the Book People walk through a snowy countryside, reciting the poetry and prose they've memorised, set to Bernard Herrmann's melodious score. He found it especially poignant and moving. However, alluding to a possible remake, Bradbury said in a 2009 interview, "The mistake they made with the first one was to cast Julie Christie as both the revolutionary and the bored wife."

Awards and nominations

Spanish broadcast
Despite the totalitarian overtones in the plot, the film was broadcast uncensored on Spanish state television (RTVE) in the early 1970s at a time when Spanish dictator Francisco Franco was still in power.

References

Bibliography

External links

 Fahrenheit 451 at the British Film Institute

1966 films
1966 drama films
1960s British films
1960s dystopian films
1960s English-language films
1960s science fiction drama films
British science fiction drama films
Films about bibliophilia
Films about censorship
Films about totalitarianism
Films based on American novels
Films based on science fiction novels
Films based on works by Ray Bradbury
Films directed by François Truffaut
Films scored by Bernard Herrmann
Films set in the future
Films shot at Pinewood Studios
Films with screenplays by François Truffaut

Fahrenheit 451 (1966 film)