The iconic film made in 1963 by the “red Baron”, the blue-blooded communist Luchino Visconti is almost always among the top ten twenty films of all time
“The Cheetah” for a young movie lover is a revelation like Dostoevsky’s “Crime and Punishment” for a young person who wants to discover literature. It is one of the exceptions that rightfully place cinema in the arts, an immortal masterpiece that irrevocably invades the minds and hearts of viewers.
The iconic film made in 1963 by the “red Baron”, the blue-blooded communist Lucino Visconti, is almost always among the top ten and twenty films of all time. Adored by almost every great director, he was a defining influence on cinema, while Burt Lancaster’s performance is a monument to acting acumen, genius and greatness.
Il Gattopardo, celebrating 60 years since its premiere, an epic three-and-a-half-hour historical drama, was based on the excellent novel of the same name by the Sicilian author Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, an aristocrat of Byzantine origin. However, it is also a film which, apart from the great Visconti, Burt Lancaster and the other protagonists – Alain Delon, Serge Regani, Paolo Stoppa and the beautiful Claudia Cardinale, also has a multitude of collaborators who have written their own story in the arts and cinema. From Nino Rota, who composes yet another magical soundtrack, the unique cinematographer Giuseppe Rotuno and Piero Tozzi, who made the wonderful costumes (nominated for an Oscar for Costumes), to the six multi-skilled screenwriters who collaborated on the script, from which distinguish the names of Suzo Cecchi d’Amico, Pasquale Festa Campanile, but also of the author Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa himself.
Leopards and jackals
The inspired script could be summed up in the words of the main character, Don Fabrizio, prince of Salina, “we are leopards, lions. Those who will take our place are jackals, hyenas.”
The story, based on real people and situations, takes us to Sicily in 1860, when Garibaldi fights to unite the island with Italy and the aristocracy feels the threat to its power. Don Fabrizio stoically views the coming change, while his aristocracy nephew Tangretti (Delon) sees the revolution as an opportunity to climb into the new order. While Italy is trying to throw off the Austrian occupation and become a unified state, the world is experiencing shocking times, the people want to shake off the fiefdoms and the ruling class is fighting tooth and nail not to lose her privileges. Garibaldi will conquer Sicily, the aristocrats (the leopards) will retreat to allow the rising middle class of merchants, bourgeois, politicians (the hyenas) to emerge to cling to the new order and when the time comes to take power. For Tangreti, the next step is to win the heart of the daughter of the corrupt and nouveau riche mayor Calogero Sendara (Paolo Stopa), the beautiful Angelica (Cardinale).
Political thinking and talent
Visconti masterfully unfolds the class struggle on the big screen, while at the same time “painting” a timeless mural of characters. He is pessimistic about the future and scathing of the middle class, seeing it as worse than even the blue-collar and the blue-blooded. It speaks of the old world giving way to the new, the evolution that will once again keep the people out of power, remaining a sheep among leopards, wolves and hyenas. Visconti’s political reflection penetrates the viewer, with its simplicity, while artfully avoiding didacticism and cheap demagogic crowns. After all, Visconti, a blue-blooded Count of Lonate Pacsolo, knows firsthand the aristocratic class, from which he separated his position, gave up its privileges, to join the communist movement. A man, an artist, full of contradictions, who loved opera but was a neo-realist to the bone and had an unimaginable appreciation of authentic populism, loved women even if he was gay.
His high aesthetics, his directorial skill, with the wonderful shots, the visual perfection, with the rich sets and the memorable costumes, combine with the notes of Nino Rota, like a divinely inspired choreography. Without sensationalism or directorial frills, the film takes off with additional resources the rare talent and moral status of the creator.
Bart, Allen and Claudia
Burt Lancaster, although he was dubbed in the Italian version of the film, gives perhaps the best performance of his life, as if he was born for the role of Don Fabrizio. His melancholic look at the future, his heavy shadow, his haughty frame, will give a shine to the film, which could be compared to that of Vittorio Gusman in his maturity. Alain Delon, who with his drive and his charm, will highlight the dark side of the new era, while the youngest Claudia Cardinale – these days she turns 85 – is the ethereal creature, but also the sacred chalice. The rest of the performances are also excellent, of which that of the wonderful characterist Paolo Stopa stands out. For the story and for their contribution to this masterpiece, it should be mentioned that the cast also included Serge Reggiani, Giuliano Gemma, Rina Morelli, Romolo Valli, Terence Hill, Ida Galli.
“The Cheetah” will win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes festival in 1963, it will experience triumph and recognition, it will become one of the best cinematic creations of all time, while Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and many other important creators they would have given their souls to the devil to have signed such a film.
Source :Skai
I am Frederick Tuttle, who works in 247 News Agency as an author and mostly cover entertainment news. I have worked in this industry for 10 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am a very hard worker and always strive to get the best out of my work. I am also very passionate about my work and always try to keep up with the latest news and trends.
