Picture: Netflix
After a classic book and a cult movie, acclaimed as one of the best Italian movies of all time, comes a new modern adaptation of The Leopard in six episodes. The project was first announced in 2022 as part of an official unveiling of Netflix’s headquarters in Roma, with the promise of big premium projects. This particular adaptation has been more than 60 years in the making, as the first adaptation for the big screen, directed by Luchino Visconti and starring Burt Lancaster as an aging Sicilian prince, Alain Delon and a very young Claudia Cardinale, is widely considered as one of the most epic Italian movies ever made.
For those unfamiliar with the history of Italy, The Leopard unfolds while General Garibaldi tries to take over the kingdom of Sicily, ruled by the Bourbon dynasty, in 1860. As Italy is then unified as a kingdom, the local aristocracy, its power and its privileges are under threat. It’s in this context of unrest that The Leopard (Il Gattopardo) closely follows the manoeuvers of prince Fabrizio of Salina (Kim Rossi Stuart), who watches as his nephew Tancredi (Saul Nanni) goes on the front and sides with the Garibaldi rebels, much to the dismay of the family and the criticism of Fabrizio’s son and heir apparent Paolo. While war rages on and Fabrizio’s land ownership is under scrutiny, he decides to make a deal with don Calogero while on summer vacation in his luxurious property of Donnafugata: marry his gorgeous adopted daughter Angelica (Deva Cassel, daughter of screen superstar Monica Bellucci and Vincent Cassel) with Tancredi. But in doing so, he might attract the wrath of his daughter Concetta (Benedetta Porcaroli, seen in the Italian original Baby), who is secretly in love with Tancrédi.
Deva Cassel reprises the role of Angelica. Cr : Lucia Iuorio/Netflix.
This summary is merely the beginning of a dense saga, first published by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa in 1958, and the story is closely followed by a mostly British team of screenwriters, Richard Warlow and Benji Walters, and directed by Tom Shankland, who was at the helm of The Serpent for the streamer a couple years ago. (The production crew is composed mainly of Italians, as an Italian and British company coproduces the project.)
That gives ample opportunity to turn The Leopard from a portrait of a complex and dignified aristocrat whose family woes and political tumult will lead to isolation and deep despair in his old days (the focus of the movie) to a more full-fledged family saga. And that’s where it seems to shine: it doesn’t have the splashy twists of Bridgerton or some other period dramas, or the depth and intimacy in the lives of powerful individuals of a project like The Crown – after all, the Prince of Salinas only ever reigns with an iron fist upon his tribe – but it gives more than enough family intrigue to keep the viewership interested.
Benedetta Porcaroli overall shines as Concetta, Prince Fabrizio’s favorite daughter. Cr : Lucia Iuorio/Netflix.
Even though it strives to appear as luxurious as its movie counterpart, one of the most stylish and richly decorated masterpieces in all Italian cinema, The Leopard seems to fall short in some war scenes and crowd scenes that seem either understaffed in extras or CG-enhanced. But it more than makes up for it with sun-drenched exteriors and palace and ballroom scenes that seem straight out of a Sicily postcard. That way, it succeeds in immersing the viewer within 19th century Italy – and joins the dazzling scope of another book adaptation that recently premiered on Netflix, 100 Years Of Solitude.
Kim Rossi Stuart is the main attraction here as Fabrizio, even though the focus is not always on him; his political chops and moral complexity, including his priest-sanctioned adultery, make his performance more nuanced than just a despicable noble figure that is prone to tantrums. But this Leopard develops rather brilliantly the female protagonists of the story and delves into the passions and frustrations of the love triangle between Tancredi, Concetta, and new wife Angelica. If Saul Nanni can’t really bring the magnetism and brazen ambition to the screen as Alain Delon did in Visconti’s movie, he still delivers an enjoyable performance. But Benedetta Porcaroli’s character Concetta is given a true developed arc here. As an aristocrat’s daughter whose passions are compromised by an arranged marriage, and who seems on the backseat of her father’s affections, Concetta will make extreme choices in order to determine her own life and destiny, which is key to the finale of the series. The romantic entry point is the most obvious for an audience who may not be moved by the Silician aristocracy, and Porcaroli is more than up for the challenge to give a defiant, passionate turn for her character. In one of her first star turns, Deva Cassel revels in the ingénue role and giving her performance both in perfect French and Italian, but her later duplicity and secrets are cut short by the many plot threads to follow in the last episodes. Still, The Leopard provides more than ample material for her to rise to the challenge, and I finished the show quite curious as to what she would and could do next.
Even though it could have gone even bigger in its exhaustive reconstitution, The Leopard remains a distinctly Italian (or, rather, Sicilian) story that is told with obvious reverence and subtlety. Its main character seeing his power and grip slowly fade away as the political landscape and family fortunes change around him is a fascinating proposition, though Netflix subscribers expecting juicier sequences of violence, political double-cross or sex will surely be disappointed. Supported by an amazing cast and breathtaking sets and exteriors, The Leopard sticks to its strengths and delivers a faithful adaptation of a literary classic. Whether it will jumpstart a wave of series and miniseries out of Italy that are just as ambitious as this remains to be seen.
Verdict
Anchored by a committed performance by Kim Rossi Stuart, The Leopard remains a solid historical epic that strives to attain the highs of the memorable movie adaptation that came before it. A trio of Italian fresh faces as a romantic triangle that becomes consumed by their ambitions propel it to a must-see for the first quarter of Netflix series releases.
The Leopard will be released on Netflix globally on March 5th, 2025.
