The Leopard

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2:40

The Leopard

PG

Released Jul 15, 1963

2h 45m

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

51 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

As Garibaldi's troops begin the unification of Italy in the 1860s, an aristocratic Sicilian family grudgingly adapts to the sweeping social changes undermining their way of life. Proud but pragmatic Prince Don Fabrizio Salina (Burt Lancaster) allows his war hero nephew, Tancredi (Alain Delon), to marry Angelica (Claudia Cardinale), the beautiful daughter of gauche, bourgeois Don Calogero, in order to maintain the family's accustomed level of comfort and political clout.

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Critics Consensus

Lavish and wistful, The Leopard features epic battles, sumptuous costumes, and a ballroom waltz that competes for most beautiful sequence committed to film.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

Here is a work of a type we rarely see anymore -- a sweeping popular epic, with obvious similarities to Gone with the Wind.

Sep 11, 2023

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Scott Tobias

AV Club

The film aches with regret over a crumbling empire, but its feelings are complicated by the wise prince, who recognizes his place on the wrong side of history.

Dec 11, 2013

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

A magnificent film, munificently outfitted and splendidly acted by a large cast dominated by Burt Lancaster's standout stint in the title role.

Feb 23, 2012

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Matthew Wilder

Nashville Scene

"A picture in which all of experience seems shot through with the sweetness of the dearly departed, the already mourned."

Oct 23, 2024

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Justine Smith

Vague Visages

Claudia Cardinale's entrance into the film immediately notes a change in The Leopard's atmosphere of desire.

Jun 5, 2024

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Penelope Gilliatt

Observer (UK)

It gives you an extraordinary sense of the texture of a grand family's life in Sicily during the Risorgirnemo. Visconti accumulates details like a Russian novelist.

Mar 6, 2024

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Judith K

This is a masterpiece. Luchino Visconti was forced to use Burt Lancaster as his star, but Burt did a fabulous job of acting, even though his words were dubbed! The film is more subtle and nuanced than the current miniseries on Netflix. It is reminiscent of Gone With the Wind, in that it's a character study of a waning ruling class that is about to lose power due to major political changes. This is a film that is beautifully directed, written, and acted, and well worth watching if you love Italian movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/11/25

Full Review

Juan Sebastian M

Como todas las películas de Luchino Visconti, es una joya del cine, posee unos diálogos encomiables, la escenografía es perfecta y es una película fiel a la historia.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/18/24

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Todor V. D

Absolutely cinematic pleasure. Luciano Visconti at his best. It's a timeless classic.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/14/24

Full Review

Rory M

Quite simply amazing. Gorgeous setting, filming, cast, and costumes. All the beauty is perfectly matched with brilliant dialogue. A joy to soak in the atmosphere of 1860s Sicily. Burt, Claudia and Alain are exquisitely cast and embody the piece with a radiance to match the beaming mid day sun. 'if we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change' Change comes to all of our lives. Watching the Prince navigate the tectonic changes of the Risorgimento is a wonderful meditation on the human journey through the shifting sands of time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/19/24

Full Review

Lanfranco C

Everything changes, but nothing changes!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/18/24

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Steve D

Lumbers for about 3 hours too long.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/14/24

Full Review

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Luchino Visconti

Director

Burt Lancaster

Prince Don Fabrizio Salina

Claudia Cardinale

Angelica Sedara

Alain Delon

Tancredi Falconeri

Paolo Stoppa

Don Calogero Sedara

Rina Morelli

Princess Maria Stella Salina

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The Leopard: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

As Garibaldi's troops begin the unification of Italy in the 1860s, an aristocratic Sicilian family grudgingly adapts to the sweeping social changes undermining their way of life. Proud but pragmatic Prince Don Fabrizio Salina (Burt Lancaster) allows his war hero nephew, Tancredi (Alain Delon), to marry Angelica (Claudia Cardinale), the beautiful daughter of gauche, bourgeois Don Calogero, in order to maintain the family's accustomed level of comfort and political clout.

Director: Luchino Visconti
Producer: Goffredo Lombardo
Screenwriter: Suso Cecchi d'Amico, Pasquale Festa Campanile, Enrico Medioli, Massimo Franciosa, Luchino Visconti
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Titanus
Rating: PG
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: Italian
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 15, 1963, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Runtime: 2h 45m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm

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