Review of The Leopard (1963) by Guillaume H — 17 Feb 2013

Magnanimous in one word..I am quite enchanted with the storyline,the screenplay,the cinematography,the dialogues & Of course with Visconti's brilliant portrayal of how a man,who at first opposed the new change fearing the downfall of aristocracy and adopted different ways in compulsion & confusion just to save the aristocracy but all throughout the process emerges out as the real 'Leopard'----The only Leopard who finally understands and realizes how crude they actually are as even for the sake of their own country,Sicily,they are not ready or unable to sacrifice their grandeur,power,dignity,etc.

.The scenes With Don Ciccio & Don Calogero & The Chevalier are so brilliantly portrayed,so great in quality that its hard to single out 1..my favourite are 1) the partin scene around 15 secs with Don Ciccio & 2) When the Chevalier proposes the offer of the senator to 'The Leopard'.

...Both Of The scenes Underline The Film's core hidden meaning wonderfully and delicately...The Ballroom sequence is a trademark long last sequence of Visconti..Its in that sequence when Angelica proposes 'The Leopard' to dance with him,at that point u understand that the film is actually a detailed study of the minuets of aristocracy.

... Eventually Visconti focuses on the main character 'The Leopard' and thru him has shown the personal confusions, the political turmoil,the aristocracy,etc..prevalent in mid 19th century.The 40 minute long ballroom sequence acts as a great build up to the eventual climax.

.But it is more than that...It has so many elements,personally I could relate to it as a bit of Godard;s Breathless,a bit of Renoir's 'The Rules Of The Game', a bit of Bertolucci's 'The Conformist'.

..& also Renoir's 'La Grande Illusion' ..he he..But to conclude,'The Leopard' is a unique masterpiece,an epic period piece...Wish people understood this movie,though I admit its not that easy.

..and I hope next year the AFFI wil place it in the Top 50s of all time atleast...Its the first film for which I realy cried for its greatness....An Unbelievable Achievement.The greatest film of self-realization and self-suffering.

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