Clint Eastwood, centre background, poses for photographers with his wife Dina, right background, his daughters and Cannes Film Festival president Gilles Jacob, left, after receiving a special Pame D'Or award earlier this year. (Thibauld Camus/Associated Press)

Clint Eastwood was made a commander in France's Legion of Honour on Friday, recognizing his contributions to cinema over the course of his long career.

At the awards ceremony in Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed the 79-year-old American actor as a symbol of the type of United States that the French adore.

Eastwood, who may be best known for his roles as taciturn gunmen and hardboiled detectives, has been honoured several times in France.

Two years ago, he was made a knight in the Legion of Honour. Friday's accolade was a promotion to the third level of the Legion's five grades.

Last February, he received an honorary Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement from the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival.

"I love France, I love movies, and I love the appreciation that the French people have for movies," Eastwood said after Friday's presentation.

He recently finished making the thriller Hereafter in France.

Eastwood came to prominence as an actor in the 1966 film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Shortly after, he began directing, and he has made such films as Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby, both of which won him Oscars for best direction and best picture.

His latest movie, Invictus, is scheduled for release next month. It's about Nelson Mandela and stars Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.

The Legion of Honour award was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte to recognize outstanding military, cultural, scientific and social contributions to France, including those made by people who are not French citizens.

With files from The Associated Press