THE LEOPARD
JUNE 1860
AFTER TWO MONTHS OF FIGHTING,
GARIBALDI AND 'THE THOUSAND' HAVE CONQUERED SICILY.
THE ISLAND IS ABOUT TO BECOME PART OF THE NEW KINGDOM OF ITALY.
They're so handsome.
Excuse me, madam.
And it was only a few weeks ago
that you had men shot for wearing those colors.
You know what they say, Prince.
"A strong tree bends with the wind."
Our new masters must be accommodated.
Listen, what's this I hear about permits?
Permits to travel.
Summer is here,
but all the roads out of the city are blocked.
I am taking my family to Donnafugata,
but I need this pass, this permit.
Of course, the charming palace of Donnafugata!
The crystal streams, the mountain air.
Far from the hellish heat of this occupied city.
There's nothing unusual about it.
It's what we've been doing for centuries.
But to do so, you need my permission.
No!
Your signature.
As it happens,
it's no longer within my power to permit or deny anything.
Then who has that power?
Do you see that man with the red beard on a horse?
Viva Garibaldi!
Long live the General!
He does.
Hurrah.
There's Tancredi!
We're up here!
Tassoni, Cavriaghi! Come here!
Meet my uncle, the Prince of Salina, the Leopard.
And my Aunt Stella, the Princess.
You know, they thought we didn't speak Italian here.
What language did they think we spoke in Sicily?
Arabic!
Are there really only 1,000 of you?
There were. Now there's more.
Tancredi, what happened to your eye?
"Captain" Tancredi, Aunt.
It's nothing. And it won't stop me from marching.
Move!
Where is she? Concetta!
Out of the way!
-Concetta, are you all right? -Yes.
What happened to your eye, Tancredi?
Don't worry about me. Promise me you won't.
Who are those men?
They're prisoners.
Prisoners are usually in prison.
General Garibaldi's army freed them.
-Get my family away from here. -Yes.
Let's go!
-We have to go. -Get in!
-Chiara, Caterina! Francesco! -Come visit!
-Caterina? Chiara? -Get in!
Concetta?
May I?
You may.
I will see you later.
Why? Aren't you coming with us?
Tancredi and I need to do something.
What, Fabrizio?
Pirrone, come with me.
As insurance.
Goodbye, Tancredi.
-Come visit us soon, cousin. -Absolutely.
-Get out of my way! -Want a drink?
If we'd faced an army of soldiers like the Prince,
-we would all be dead. -True.
Come upstairs, little priest. I have to confess my sins!
Bombello is the commander of the advance forces.
If you want a permit, he has to sign it.
Where is this colonel from?
He's from Milan.
Then I will try to make myself understood.
I'll ask him in Arabic, if necessary.
I'm sure it won't make a difference.
Get out of my way!
How rude!
I will bring him around. Everyone has a price.
Yes, Uncle, but no one here was paid to fight.
-Come and get it! -Give it back!
What are you doing? Come on, stop!
They're here because they believe in this.
It's just a cloak, Father. You have plenty.
Open the gate!
Let us in!
Colonel Bombello.
My uncle, the Leopard, Prince of Salina.
I hear you're a Count.
Would you like me to use your title?
Lieutenant Cavriaghi is also a Count, even if his manners make us forget it.
So, is Lieutenant Tassoni here.
I'd rather not confuse our chain of command.
This is still a war, Prince.
I prefer to call it "an occupation."
I'll get to the point.
My family and I are going to our estate…
-Prince… -Of Donnafugata.
No one goes anywhere.
The countryside is still in open insurrection.
It's much the same here in Palermo.
Back to the point.
If you fear for our safety,
I relieve you of all responsibility.
You can have that in writing.
I’m afraid you don’t have that power.
This is my island.
And this is my city.
"Heart of Jesus, source of consolation."
"Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins."
Things haven't changed much.
Around here, the women still put pots of basil in their windows.
Like they always have.
And doing brisk business with the invaders, no doubt.
Does the Leopard feel invaded?
Will he show his claws?
If Bombello doesn't let me get to Donnafugata,
I shall indeed show him my claws.
Is it so unpleasant here with me?
That's enough.
Wake up, Father!
I hope you were neither robbed nor molested waiting here.
Would you stop staring at me like that?
Clearly, I'm a weak man.
But I'm a vigorous and passionate man, as well.
Must I really make do with a woman
who, after every kiss, must recite a Hail Mary?
We've had five children!
And she's never even shown me her belly button.
Would you at least take confession?
Fine. Do as you wish.
It's your soul, not mine.
But at least stop involving me in your encounters.
Here I am, going home without my cloak.
You have to question whether it was worth it.
Didn't we just conquer them?
Now, here we are, riding through an oven
to bow down to a Bourbon Prince.
-A prince is a prince, Tassoni. -Yes, sure.
Anyway, we're all Italians now.
Move it, you polenta-faces!
What a house, Tancredi.
Didn’t I tell you?
Don Tancredi.
Does your colonel think he can take us on with that toothpick?
Mr. Russo! Good morning.
The days are getting hotter.
Hotter, then hotter still.
Get the horses!
Your Excellency, we are honored to be your guests.
We don’t stand on ceremony, Colonel.
-This is my wife. -Princess.
Here she comes.
Concetta, the most punctual of my daughters.
Control yourself.
You're very welcome.
You're so kind, Miss Concetta.
The colonel sent an invitation to our ball.
It was declined. He's very upset.
There's a ball?
Didn't your father tell you? What does he do all day?
He is sulking. It's almost July and he's still here.
So are you, Concetta.
No more convent for you.
Not while there's still anarchy in the city.
So, please do your job badly and make sure it continues.
I'll do my best.
We had a little buffet prepared. Nothing special.
Help yourselves.
Prince, I'd heard there were wonders here, but…
You like it?
Very much so.
Would you like a closer look?
Come on. We'll help you.
Clear this little table and put it there.
Mario, put the chair there.
Now the Colonel has a step and he can climb up.
Please.
That's Janus.
The first of the Gods.
The God of passages.
From war to peace.
From one life to another.
When you live with something right under your nose,
after a while, you barely notice it.
This palace is full of frescoes.
All our houses are, I must say.
The frescoes in Donnafugata are particularly renowned.
How would I get to Donnafugata?
You need a permit.
Brandy?
Prince, I have to say,
despite its scorching heat, this island has many wonders.
But I'd like to talk again about your refusal.
I must say, it saddened us.
It saddened the General.
The great Garibaldi takes notice
of what parties my family chooses to attend?
When a family like yours chooses not to attend, certainly.
We do like balls, don't we, Tancredi?
However, calling it "The Liberation Ball"
makes it difficult for us to accept the invitation.
Many of the other great families of the island are coming.
Well, we Sicilians
love an insincere welcome.
Don't be like that. Only a little joke.
You mustn't take us too seriously. Remember that.
Well, I'm new here.
Here's what we'll do.
My family and I will come to your Liberation Ball.
And in return,
you'll sign our permit to go to Donnafugata.
Prince, is your friendship not sincere?
Entirely sincere.
But you see, on this island,
friends take joy in exchanging favors for each other.
No, it sets a precedent.
Your request is an insult.
Dear God.
I offer you my friendship and you take it as an insult.
Captain Tancredi, tell our men that choir practice is finished.
-Yes, Colonel. -If you'll excuse me.
-See you soon, Uncle. -See you soon, son.
Goodbye, Tancredi.
Concetta.
Miss Concetta.
It was a great pleasure to spend this brief time in your home.
You're most welcome here.
Princess.
Colonel, despite your Teutonic stiffness,
you're a true gentleman.
Come back whenever you like.
Well?
Send for Balsamo and his dressmakers.
It's beautiful.
It really suits you, Concetta.
What do you think, Concetta?
I don't mind the color.
Don't you think it's a bit… girlish?
Balsamo,
dress her like a young woman, not like a little girl!
Of course, Prince.
-Caterina, it's your turn. -Yes.
-No, it's my turn! -Chiara!
Chiara, be careful.
She always does this.
They treat us as if we were already obsolete
and all we do is flatter them.
Paolo, I've been to hundreds of balls
that were hosted by people I loathed.
It's the way peace is made.
You'll bow to them.
What?
You'll bow to them.
No, they'll be the ones that bow to me.
No more sweets once you've been measured.
I'll eat as much as I like!
What if these Redshirts want to make a whore of your daughter?
You saw the way that colonel looked at Concetta.
-I know you did. -Paolo, enough!
-Be silent. -Just like you, Father Pirrone?
Always silent, even when the Prince visits his own whore!
I'm sorry, Mother.
I'm sorry, everyone.
Get back to work, Balsamo.
Prince!
I heard you declined the invitation.
But it is wise of you to come.
Good evening, Governor.
Russo.
Reassure me that the man's milking has begun.
Slowly and rigorously.
Good.
Uncle, the Colonel is thrilled that you're here.
Why don't they dance?
It's one thing to accept an invitation,
but it's quite another to be seen enjoying it.
Cesco, dance with Concetta.
Go. Do as I say.
Go find two dancers for your cousins.
-Right away, Uncle. -Junior officers!
He hasn't stopped staring at you since we got here.
Tassoni, Cavriaghi, follow me.
Let's dance.
Chiara, Caterina…
Yes, Papa.
Drink.
Tancredi, Concetta. You two dance.
Would it be insubordinate to ask him to stop staring?
How many times have we danced together?
Once. Now.
No, it can't be.
Yes, I would remember.
If you're doing what I think you're doing,
you lashed out at Paolo for the sin of seeing right through you.
I lashed out?
It was you who struck him, if I'm not mistaken.
Look at him. He would eat the medals on his chest
for a brush of her hand.
My father has a woman in the city.
You don't seem surprised.
No, I'm not, Concetta.
But I'm surprised that you know about it.
Everyone knows. But no one seems to mind.
He's the Leopard.
He decides how the world works.
And we just have to fall in line behind him?
Yes, something like that.
I can't blame Bombello for staring at you.
I'm going for champagne.
-Prince. -What a wonderful evening.
We got there in the end, didn't we, Colonel?
You and your family grace us being here.
I wonder…
may I have the honor of dancing with your daughter Concetta?
Yes, of course!
But I must ask you a question first.
Are you still determined to refuse me
that small gesture of friendship?
Come, Colonel.
Such a fuss for a simple signature?
Was that a yes?
Concetta.
Concetta?
Would you like to dance with our new friend?
Of course.
Good. Enjoy.
Stay back!
Back!
Who is in command here?
I am.
It's signed by Colonel Bombello.
Here. You are free to proceed.
Make way!
Colonel Bombello
has asked to write to you, once he returns to Milan.
Will you permit him to?
I may tell him that you are returning to the convent.
He is a count, however.
Not such a bad catch.
If it wasn't for the fact that I'm returning to the convent.
What was that?
Was that a rebuke, young lady?
If it was, would you force me to stay in Palermo for the summer
like you have with Paolo?
Don't worry about Paolo.
I need him to stay behind and protect the house.
He's happy there, planning a counter-revolution.
Maybe we could ask him to plot Bombello's murder.
What do you think?
I think he'd probably make a mess of it and get caught.
Oh, yes, that's for sure!
Concetta.
Come, sit with me.
Would you like a drink?
No, thank you.
What happened to your eye, Tancredi?
You promised not to worry.
I did not. You asked me not to worry,
but I did not promise.
Concetta, I have to go back.
Bombello gave me leave to escort you all to Donnafugata,
but then I must go back to my unit.
Do you ever think what it would be like
not to have been born where or when we were born?
Or even the absurd chance of us being born at all?
Are you a philosopher now?
Concetta, listen to me.
Don't go back to the convent.
We could run away, just the two of us.
We could take two horses, a boat, and go anywhere,
be whoever we want to be, together.
Imagine how wonderful it would be.
Can you imagine it, Concetta?
I could talk to my father.
He'd have me shot.
He's not as terrifying as he seems.
Please, don't do that.
We can't elope, Tancredi.
They are here!
Our lord the Prince is here!
The Prince has returned!
Mayor!
Mayor Sedara, the Prince is here!
Our lord the Prince has returned! He's arrived! Finally!
He's here!
Our lord the Prince has returned!
-Hey! -Yes?
-Come here. You. -Yes.
-Go wake up the bandmaster. -What shall I do?
-Give me a sash. -Which one?
The red one.
They're coming! Move!
They are coming!
Out of the way!
Maestro, play!
Prince!
Prince, the violence and heat are now behind you.
You'll have no harassment here.
Here the bandits are not political.
Only traditional.
Mr. Russo and his men can be dismissed.
Russo, what do you think? I think you can go now.
Prince.
Mayor, there's no flag raised.
neither the old one nor the new one.
No, Prince.
I thought it was better to wait.
Each town, ours included,
must vote on whether we wish
to unify with the mainland.
With Italy.
We, the conquered,
are asked for our opinion
on whether we wish our conquerors to stay or go away.
They might have asked us before they got here.
and saved themselves the trouble of invading us at all!
-The flag. -The flag, yes.
-The old one. -Yes.
-For now. -Yes.
Tonight, as is customary,
you are invited to dine with us,
with your wife.
It would be an honor, Prince.
But my wife is unwell.
We can't even have the shutters open at night.
Every year you answer me in the exact same way.
I'm beginning to doubt whether your wife exists.
Of course she does, Prince!
With your permission, I could bring my daughter.
-Angelica? -Yes.
She's a child.
She's 18 years old.
I'm as astonished as you are, Prince.
Every day, I look at her and think, "Are you my daughter?"
Bring her.
Formal dress is customary, but we don't stand on ceremony here.
Understood, Prince.
Princess. Miss Concetta.
My, how they've all grown!
-Mayor. -How wonderful!
How wonderful! Please, this way.
-Welcome. -Prince.
Enough! Go home now!
Maestro! Enough. Stop playing.
-There will be ten of us this evening. -Very good.
The journey feels longer every year.
I hope we'll have time to freshen up.
Yes?
-Father. -Concetta.
I need to talk to you.
Have a seat.
This bandage is filthy.
I need a clean one.
Yes, Don Tancredi.
Bring me a silk sash, anything.
Of course.
My instincts fight against everything I've ever learned.
Concetta, the body
cannot prevail over the soul.
That is a sin.
Then my father is a sinner, is he not?
And so are you,
as you allow him to lie and continue with his sins.
No, Concetta, no.
Your father's soul is one thing,
your own soul is quite another.
Tell me,
this emotion that you feel,
is it not just,
shall we say,
physical desire?
No.
No, it's…
It's the greatest excitement
along with the greatest sense of calm I've ever felt.
This boy…
who is he?
His name.
Can you tell me what it is?
You have to tell Don Fabrizio.
No, Princess.
-I'm sure that a mother… -You must!
If it comes from me, he'll think I'm planning something.
Is that not the case?
Forgive me, Princess.
Go.
Who is it?
-I'm sorry, Your Excellency. -What is it?
Father Pirrone asks to see you.
Right now? Can he not wait?
Let him in.
Don't be like that, Father. No need to blush.
In all those years at seminary,
you must have seen a few. No?
Pass me that big towel there.
That one.
-What are you doing? -I'm sorry, Your Excellency.
So…
Come on.
Spit it out.
Confess. What is going on?
Your Excellency, it's about Concetta.
What about Concetta?
She opened her heart to me about a matter…
a matter that torments her deeply.
Love torments her, Your Excellency.
Concetta is in love?
Who is she in love with? Who?
Not that prig Bombello?
No, Your Excellency.
Not him.
Then who?
What the hell are you saying?
Girls fall for Tancredi like ripe pears from a tree.
Concetta wants to join the ranks of those hopeless girls.
Has it never occurred to you that he might love her too?
With the same intensity that she feels for him.
And perhaps, thanks to this love, he may change
and forget the others?
Did you know about this already?
I have eyes, Fabrizio.
And an impure mind!
I don't know, I…
I already pay for everything for that boy,
he drains my account dry.
And now I have to give him a dowry for Concetta.
Don't think of the cost, Fabrizio.
Think of the profit.
They are the best we have.
And together they could be the standard-bearers of our life
within whatever this new state means for us.
The Prince and Princess of Salina.
Your heirs.
You wouldn't lose them until the day you die.
And even then, you would have the comfort of them by your side,
and would be sure to always live on in their hearts,
and in the hearts of their children.
The idea of Concetta getting married
makes me suddenly feel decrepit.
Well…
Here we await Sedara the town's mayor
With his daughter Angelica She'll be sitting with us there
His cologne will enter before him Filling up the air!
Oh my God, Angelica!
She'll need a good scrub.
That's not a kind thing to say.
Here she is, Saint Concetta.
Caterina…
-Good evening, cousins! -Tancredi.
-Good evening. -Father.
Good evening, cousin. I thought you were the mayor.
We would have smelled his cologne!
Enough!
Good evening, Tancredi.
Good evening, Concetta.
Come with me.
I owe you an apology.
It's been eating me alive.
What I said the other day, I…
I shouldn't have said it.
No. I'm glad you did.
Concetta, I'd been drinking.
The idea of running away was wrong. It was madness.
I spoke to Father Pirrone about it.
-About us? -Yes.
That man is worse at keeping secrets than Francesco!
That's why I told him.
What did you tell him?
That I love you.
-Good evening. -Good evening.
Mama, you look beautiful this evening.
-Thank you. -She's always beautiful.
Yes, she's always beautiful.
We've made up a new song.
-Did you? -About Mayor Sedara.
-Would you like to hear it? -Father Pirrone liked it.
Don Calogero Sedara,
and Miss Angelica Sedara.
Princess.
Don Calogero.
-Don Fabrizio. -Welcome.
Angelica?
Angelica!
It's been so long. Come in, you're very welcome.
-She's been in Paris, Miss Concetta. -Ah!
She's learned French.
That's not how I remember her.
Prince.
She's beautiful.
She really is.
BASED ON "THE LEOPARD" BY GIUSEPPE TOMASI DI LAMPEDUSA
Subtitles by: Jerrold Cameron