The Leopard
Il gattopardo
Directed by:
Luchino ViscontiCinematography:
Giuseppe RotunnoComposer:
Nino RotaCast:
Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale, Alain Delon, Paolo Stoppa, Rina Morelli, Romolo Valli, Pierre Clémenti, Terence Hill, Giuliano Gemma, Evelyn Stewart (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard (Il Gattopardo) is an epic on the grandest possible scale. The film recreates, with nostalgia, drama, and opulence, the tumultuous years of Italy's Risorgimento - when the aristocracy lost its grip and the middle classes rose and formed a unified, democratic Italy. Burt Lancaster stars as the aging prince watching his culture and fortune wane in the face of a new generation, represented by his upstart nephew (Alain Delon) and his beautiful fiancée (Claudia Cardinale). Awarded the Palme d’Or at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival, The Leopard translates Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa's novel, and the history it recounts, into a truly cinematic masterpiece. (Criterion)
(more)Reviews (2)
A very long showcase of beautiful images and actors that speaks volumes about the historical era it covers and abounds in almost poetic dialogues of considerable depth, but that as a whole only left me again with Claudia Cardinale’s eyes. The first two hours were still interesting, and I was curious about the fate of the characters, but Visconti deals mostly with the era and the manners of the aristocrats, without bothering to let the viewer get close to the characters. The ending didn’t interest me and the last hour was so tiring that I don’t think I will ever give it another chance. 70%
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A magnificent and truly beautifully shot film, which has captivating colors that were not so typical for Italian cinematography and yet suited it so well. However, it is not a big drama, it is still a human drama, focused on individual characters and how their destinies change and how they themselves must change.
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