The Leopard

The Palme d’Or-winning film adaptation of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s novel, published in 1958. Set in the era of Italian Risorgimento, the film tells the story of the final days of the aristocracy, slowly ceding the power to the wealthy bourgeoisie. However, this isn’t just a story about the decline of a social class, but also about the ageing of one individual. The Sicilian prince Salina, played by Burt Lancaster, learns first-hand that in order for things to stay the same, everything must change. Visconti, who somewhat saw himself in Salina, recreates the dying world of the aristocracy with a certain amount of nostalgia, but remains critical of it. The beauty of the cinematography, the rich costumes, carefully produced set design, and the music by Nino Rota make The Leopard one of the most spectacular costume films in the history of cinema.

Robert Birkholc

Restored in association with Cineteca di Bologna at L’Immagine Ritrovata, Pathé, Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé, Twentieth Century Fox, and Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia-Cineteca Nazionale. Restoration funding provided by Gucci and The Film Foundation.