The Leopard (1963 film)

Written by Visconti, Suso Cecchi d'Amico, Enrico Medioli, Pasquale Festa Campanile, and Massimo Franciosa, the film is an adaptation of the 1958 novel of the same title by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa.[4] Burt Lancaster stars as Don Fabrizio Corbera, an aging Sicilian prince caught up in the sociopolitical turmoil of the Risorgimento (Italian unification) during the mid-19th century, with Alain Delon as his opportunistic nephew Tancredi, and Claudia Cardinale as his goddaughter.Paolo Stoppa, Rina Morelli, Romolo Valli, Serge Reggiani, and Terence Hill play supporting roles.A new national assembly calls a plebiscite and the nationalists win 512–0, thanks to the corruption and support of the town's leading citizen, Don Calogero Sedara.The Prince sees the wisdom of the match because he knows that, due to his nephew's vaulting ambition, Tancredi will be in need of ready cash, which Angelica's father will happily provide.Noticing Tancredi shift his allegiance from Garibaldi to King Victor Emmanuel's newly-formed army, the Prince wistfully judges that his nephew is the kind of opportunist who will flourish in the new Italy.However, the Prince demurs and refuses this invitation, observing that, in his view, Sicily prefers its traditions to the delusions of modernity because its people are proud of their ancient heritage.The Corberas, including Tancredi, attend a great ball at the villa of a neighbouring prince, and the event marks the debut of Angelica in high society.[13] Visconti was told by producers that they needed to cast a star in order to ensure they would earn enough money to justify the big budget.[15] Lancaster said he had been "long fascinated" with The Leopard, even before being offered the role, saying: "I think it is the best written and most perceptive study of a man and his background that has appeared for many years."[32] The New York Times wrote: "The reappearance of this enchanting work proves that, under the right circumstances, two decades make no difference whatsoever but 25 minutes can transform a very good film into a possibly great one.[7] On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 98% based on 50 reviews, with an average score of 9.1/10; the site's "critics consensus" reads: "Lavish and wistful, The Leopard features epic battles, sumptuous costumes, and a ballroom waltz that competes for most beautiful sequence committed to film.[38] The original 8-perforation Technirama camera negative for The Leopard survives and was used by The Criterion Collection to create their video master for DVD and Blu-ray, with color timing supervised by the film's cinematographer, Giuseppe Rotunno.
From left to right: Claudia Cardinale as Angelica, Burt Lancaster as Don Fabrizio, and Alain Delon as Tancredi.
The ballroom of Palazzo Valguarnera-Gangi, where the ballroom sequence was shot.
Villa Boscogrande, one of the film's primary locations.
Visconti and Lancaster behind the scenes
ItalianLuchino ViscontiSuso Cecchi d'AmicoEnrico MedioliPasquale Festa CampanileMassimo FranciosaThe LeopardGiuseppe Tomasi di LampedusaGoffredo LombardoBurt LancasterClaudia CardinaleAlain DelonPaolo StoppaRina MorelliRomolo ValliSerge ReggianiTerence HillGiuseppe RotunnoMario SerandreiNino RotaTitanusPathé20th Century FoxrentalsServalhistorical dramaadaptationof the same titleSicilianRisorgimentointernational co-productionPalme d'Or1963 Cannes Film Festival the greatest movies ever madeItalian Ministry of Cultural Heritage100 Italian films to be savedSicilyFrancis II of the Two SiciliesredshirtsGiuseppe GaribaldiPalermoGaribaldi's armyBourbonsplebisciteKing Victor EmmanuelKingdom of SardiniaKingdom of Italyhigh societynouveau richelast ritesIvo GarraniLeslie FrenchPierre ClémentiLucilla MorlacchiGiuliano GemmaredshirtIda GalliOttavia PiccoloAnna Maria BottiniLola BracciniMarino MaséRina De LiguoromajordomoOlimpia CavalliTomasiStrega PrizeEttore GianniniWarren BeattyLaurence OlivierSpencer TracyGregory PeckAnthony QuinnPalazzo Valguarnera-GangiCorrado GaipaCarlo SabatiniArchibald ColquhounRené Barjavelworkprinttheatrical rentalsNewsweekClarence DayLife with FatherThe New YorkerTime MagazineNew YorkSenses of CinemaMartin ScorseseSydney PollackBritish Film Institutereview aggregatorRotten TomatoesMetacritica list of important filmsAcademy AwardBest Costume Design, ColorPiero TosiDavid di DonatelloBest ProducerGolden Globe AwardNew Star of the Year – ActorNastro d'ArgentoBest DirectorBest Supporting ActorBest Supporting ActressBest ScreenplayMario GarbugliaSant Jordi AwardsNational Board of ReviewCannes Film FestivalTechniramaThe Criterion Collectioncolor timingCineteca di BolognaL'Immagine RitrovataThe Film FoundationTwentieth Century FoxBFI VideoPeter CowieVarietyAFI Catalog of Feature FilmsChicago TribuneCorriere della SeraThe New York TimesNewspapers.comSight and SoundLos Angeles TimesCanby, VincentFandangoU.S. Conference of Catholic BishopsCriterion CollectionOssessioneLa Terra TremaBellissimaWhite NightsRocco and His BrothersSandraThe StrangerThe DamnedDeath in VeniceLudwigConversation PieceThe InnocentAppunti su un fatto di cronacaWe, the WomenBoccaccio '70The WitchesThe Professor and the SirenThe Last LeopardThe Prince's ManuscriptDi Lampedusa strategyAlexandra von Wolff-StomerseeCannes Film Festival Palme d'OrUnion PacificBrief EncounterThe Last ChanceThe Lost WeekendMaría CandelariaMen Without WingsNeecha NagarPastoral SymphonyThe Red MeadowsRome, Open CityTormentThe Turning PointAntoine and AntoinetteCrossfireZiegfeld FolliesThe Third ManMiracle in MilanMiss JulieOthelloTwo Cents Worth of HopeThe Wages of FearGate of HellThe Silent WorldFriendly PersuasionThe Cranes Are FlyingBlack OrpheusLa dolce vitaThe Long AbsenceViridianaO Pagador de PromessasThe Umbrellas of CherbourgThe Knack ...and How to Get ItThe Birds, the Bees and the ItaliansA Man and a WomanBlowupif....M*A*S*HThe Go-BetweenThe Mattei AffairThe Working Class Goes to HeavenThe HirelingScarecrowThe ConversationChronicle of the Years of FireTaxi DriverPadre PadroneThe Tree of Wooden ClogsApocalypse NowThe Tin DrumAll That JazzKagemushaMan of IronMissingThe Ballad of NarayamaParis, TexasWhen Father Was Away on BusinessThe MissionUnder the Sun of SatanPelle the ConquerorSex, Lies, and VideotapeWild at HeartBarton FinkThe Best IntentionsFarewell My ConcubineThe PianoPulp FictionUndergroundSecrets & LiesThe EelTaste of CherryEternity and a DayRosettaDancer in the DarkThe Son's RoomThe PianistElephantFahrenheit 9/11L'EnfantThe Wind That Shakes the Barley4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 DaysThe ClassThe White RibbonUncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past LivesThe Tree of LifeBlue Is the Warmest ColourWinter SleepDheepanI, Daniel BlakeThe SquareShopliftersParasiteTitaneTriangle of SadnessAnatomy of a Fall