Zur Zeit der Einigungsbestrebungen Garibaldis in Italien um die Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts: Ein alter Fürst arrangiert sich oberflächlich mit den aufstrebenden bürgerlich-liberalen Kräften, indem er seinen Neffen mit der Tochter des opportunistischen Bürgermeisters verheiratet. Gleichzeitig aber verweigert er seine Mitarbeit am neuen Königreich Italien. Bei einem Ball begegnen sich schließlich alte und neue Gesellschaft zu einem grandiosen Totentanz. Ein bewegendes historisches und gesellschaftliches Panoramabild von faszinierender Schönheit und analytischer Schärfe. Viscontis Sympathie gilt der überlebten Herrschaftsschicht, die dem Volk nähersteht als die bürgerlichen Emporkömmlinge, die für ihn eine direkte Verbindungslinie zum Mussolini-Faschismus darstellen. Dieser Dialektik entsprechend bewegt sich der Stil des Films zwischen blühender Pracht und morbidem Glanz.
Gesamte Besetzung von Der Leopard
Burt Lancaster
Prince Don Fabrizio Salina
Burt Lancaster delivered a performance of quiet authority and understated pathos as Prince Don Fabrizio Salina in Luchino Visconti's 1963 epic, "The Leopard." His portrayal of the aging Sicilian nobleman, caught in the twilight of his reign during the tumultuous period of the Risorgimento, is a masterclass in subtlety and nuance. Lancaster, with his commanding screen presence, brought a depth of emotion to the role, capturing the internal conflict of a man watching his beloved way of life slip away while grappling with the inevitability of change and the rise of a new social order. His expressive eyes and nuanced facial expressions convey the Prince's melancholy and resigned acceptance of his fate, as well as his fierce love for his family and his ancestral home. Lancaster's performance, though initially an unexpected choice for the role, ultimately proved to be a defining moment in his career, showcasing his remarkable range as an actor and cementing his status as a legend of the silver screen.
Alain Delon
Tancredi Falconeri
Alain Delon's portrayal of Tancredi Falconeri in Luchino Visconti's epic period drama "The Leopard" (1963) is often hailed as one of the most enigmatic and charismatic performances of his career. Delon brings to life the character of the young and handsome Sicilian nobleman with a complex blend of aristocratic charm and a restless, progressive spirit. Tancredi's character arc, from a carefree, womanizing soldier to a man acutely aware of the changing political tides in 19th-century Italy, is navigated by Delon with a nuanced grace. His performance is a study in contradiction—equal parts cynical and idealistic—embodying the paradox of a man who is both a product of his time and an agent of its transformation. Delon's Tancredi is a figure of languid elegance and smoldering intensity, capturing the essence of a character caught between the decaying world of the old aristocracy and the birth of a new Italy. His chemistry with co-stars Burt Lancaster, who plays his uncle Prince Don Fabrizio Salina, and Claudia Cardinale, who plays his love interest Angelica, adds layers of depth to his performance, making Tancredi a memorable character in the annals of cinematic history.
