Il gattopardo
English title: The Leopard
Also known as: Guépard (le)
Genre: period drama
With: Burt Lancaster
(Prince Fabrizio Salina), Alain Delon (Tancredi Falconeri, his nephew), Claudia
Cardinale (Angelica Sedara/Bertiana), Paolo Stoppa (Don Calogero Sedara,
Angelica’s father), Rina Morelli (Princess Maria Stella, Fabrizio’s wife),
Romolo Valli (Father Pirrone), Lucilla Morlacchi (Concetta), Terence Hill
(Count Cavriaghi), Pierre Clémenti (Francesco Paolo), Serge Reggiani (Don
Francisco Ciccio Tumeo)
Director: Luchino Visconti
Screenplay: Suso Cecchi D’Amico, Pasquale Festa
Campanile, Enrico Medioli, Massimo Franciosa and Luchino Visconti (based on the
novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa)
Release: 1963
Studio: Titanus, Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma,
Société Générale de Cinématographie
Rating: PG
MBiS score: 9.1/10
‟For everything to remain the same, everything must change!”
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Story-line: the battle
to unify Italy – pitting Garibaldi’s Redshirts, King Victor Emmanuel and other
patriots against occupying foreign forces – has now reached the island of
Sicily. While local aristocrats fear for their lives, Fabrizio Salina, the
aging owner of a vast estate and the head of a well-endowed family, has decided
to hang on, convinced that life won’t change much for his clan.
Pluses: a majestic performance by Burt Lancaster (as
the flawed but increasingly likeable Salina), superior support from Alain Delon
(the opportunistic Tancredi), Claudia Cardinale (as intriguing as she is
lovely) and an excellent cast, immaculate direction that deftly strings
together the pivotal elements of the story (the Battle for Palermo, Salina’s
picnic in the country, the family visit to Donnafugata and an enthralling
47-minute ball sequence), an atmospheric and exquisitely written screenplay that
distills drama, humour, romance and class politics through subtle twists and
incisive dialogues, sumptuous production values (sets, costumes, rugged exteriors)
and magnificent cinematography, Nino Rota’s sublime, quasi-operatic musical
score and an understated, bittersweet ending.
Minuses: if you’re not familiar with the political
context of the times, the above synopsis should suffice... just remember that
Southern Italy was in a state of flux and local players were jockeying for
position in the social order to come. A word of advice: don’t shy away from THE
LEOPARD because of its length... those 186 minutes are entirely worth it.
Comments: the opening travelling shot of Salina’s domain in all its fading glory – notice that partially defaced statue in the garden – sets the tone for this grand story about the decaying of aristocracy and the shifting sociopolitical landscape in Italy circa 1860-1861. THE LEOPARD paints a marvellous portrait of Salina, whose regal sternness slowly gives way to an acceptance of change and a mellowing of opinions... a man’s evolution within a revolution. And Burt Lancaster, who achieves a delicate balance between pride, humility, amusement and disappointment, cuts an especially fine figure as Salina; his dance number with Angelica is so remarkable that other revellers ooh and aah with regret when they finally part... a scene that will etch itself into your memory for all time to come. This very special oeuvre by Luchino Visconti – a Palme d’or winner in Cannes – is a true masterpiece, grandiose and historically powerful, unanimously revered by critics, moviemakers and fans alike. This spectacle of beauty and surprising heft must be seen at least once by all movie buffs.
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