The Leopard (1962)

Luchino Visconti’s sumptuous epic portrays the fall of 19th-century Sicilian nobility, its decadent displays of wealth tinged with melancholy.

“Visconti’s magnum opus is one of the most elegantly constructed and opulent films of all time.” Eternality Tan

“For the regal, melancholic charm of Burt Lancaster as the Prince of Salina. For the youthful beauty of Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale set against the crumbling splendour of Sicily. For the image of the aristocratic family sitting in their pews covered in dust and sand. And for that breathtaking ballroom scene, never topped.” Anna Möttölä

“A Hollywood producer of the 1920s said the essential difference between American and European cinema was “Europe has EYES”. The Leopard has American production values and an American star but it lives on the way it looks.” John Baxter

1962 Italy, France
Directed by
Luchino Visconti
Produced by
Goffredo Lombardo
Written by
Suso Cecchi D'amico, Pasquale Festa Campanile, Enrico Medioli, Massimo Franciosa, Luchino Visconti
Featuring
Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale, Alain Delon
Running time
205 minutes

Ranked in The Greatest Films of All Time poll

Sight and Sound

Who voted for The Leopard

Critics

Alberto Anile
Italy
Peter Bagrov
Russia/USA
John Baxter
Australia
Rod Bishop
Australia
Ivo Blom
Netherlands
Sehad Čekić
Montenegro
Louise Dumas
France
Hervé Dumont
Switzerland
Bilge Ebiri
Turkey/USA
Juan Manuel García Ferrer
Spain
Andrea Glawogger
Austria
Laurent Jullier
France
Andreas Kilb
Germany
Michael Koller
Australia
Gábor Köves
Hungary
Natacha Laurent
France
Jean-Marc Leveratto
France
Kjetil Lismoen
Norway
Todd McCarthy
USA
Anna Möttölä
Finland
Charles Ramírez Berg
USA
Jon Robertson
UK
Philippe Rouyer
France
Peter Christian Rude
Denmark
Sheila Schvarzman
Brazil
Oron Shamir
Israel
Kate Stables
UK
Eternality Tan
Singapore
Yann Tobin aka N.T.BINH
France
Casper Tybjerg
Denmark
Ginette Vincendeau
France/UK
John Wyver
UK

Directors

Olivier Assayas
France
James Gray
Mia Hansen-Løve
France
Jim McBride
USA
Martin Scorsese
Nicolas Winding Refn
Denmark