Il Gattopardo (1963)

Directed by Luchino Visconti. Starring Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Paolo Stoppa, Claudia Cardinale, Romolo Valli, Rina Morelli, Terrence Hill, Serge Reggiani, Pierre Clémenti, Lucilla Morlacchi, Leslie French.

Long, lavish historical epic set in 19th-century war-torn Sicily, a story of class upheaval and the fading aristocracy seen primarily through the eyes of Lancaster’s gallant, carefree prince, Don Fabrizio Corbera, as he gradually becomes disenchanted with the kingdom’s traditions of wealth and social status. A mournful elegy and showcase for scenic grandeur, told on a sweeping Technicolor canvas, meditative of its sea change politics and energetic with its punches of humor and earthy beauty, best exemplified by ravishing Cardinale, the mayor’s daughter coveted by both Don Fabrizio and his fiery rebel nephew (Delon). Although some big scenes tend to run on during the first two hours, the extended opulent ball sequence near the end, spanning the better part of an hour, is too moving and mesmerizing to even notice length. The on-the-nose visual symbolism of the final shot is so perfectly lit and composed, you won’t mind. Lancaster’s larger-than-life (and very American) presence isn’t the detriment one might assume, as even with an Italian actor providing his voice, the movie star’s bright, eloquent emotions are readily readable in his expressive face and authoritative body language. Winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or. Initially released in the U.S. in a truncated (and much-maligned) form with English dubbing under the translated title, The Leopard.

90/100