THE LEOPARD
AUGUST 1862
Yes?
Mama, you called for me?
You will have to remove these eventually.
Give it a little more time.
Your father has decided to go to Turin.
He's considering whether or not to accept the senator's post.
No.
You can't ask me to go with him.
-Please. -No, Mama.
I don't know if I can bear to see Tancredi again.
Your father's doing much worse than you can imagine.
He hasn't been the same since Paolo died.
Concetta.
I'm coming with you.
What did you say?
I shall accompany you. I'll go with you.
That's wonderful.
Even if you're only doing it because your mother insisted.
If it's true we're similar,
then no one can force me to do something against my will.
I'm a Salina too.
TURIN CAPITAL OF THE ITALIAN KINGDOM
Uncle!
How was your journey?
It took a while, hmm?
I can imagine.
-Concetta. -Cousin.
Welcome.
Come in.
Follow me, I'll show you the apartment.
GARIBALDI AND HIS ARMY PREPARE TO DEPART SICILY
Our little skirmishes make the news here too.
They say 4,000 men are ready to march on Rome with him.
It's madness, Uncle.
And you? Have you been cured of this madness?
Not entirely, Concetta.
Welcome, Salinas.
-Uncle. -My dear.
-Concetta. -Angelica.
You have a beautiful house.
Look at this painting. The brushwork is excellent.
I think so too.
Even if the colors pale in comparison to the Bellini in Villa Salina.
-Isn't that right, Uncle? -Concetta, how is my aunt?
As you can imagine.
We have a surprise.
Wait until you see the seats
Chevalley reserved for you at tonight's opera.
The King will be there too.
-Tonight? -Of course.
There's so much to see, we can't waste a second.
Turin is the place to be now.
What are we going to see?
We're going to see Nabucco.
By the way, tonight
the French Ambassador to Italy will be there.
Can I tell them?
There's nothing to say yet.
Tancredi is being considered for a diplomatic role
at the Italian embassy in Paris.
-Paris? -The French ambassador supports it.
I would be grateful if I had your support too.
You will.
Come, I'll show you the house.
How is Concetta?
She's fine.
This is your room.
It's really beautiful.
It would be perfect for a nursery, wouldn't it?
But it's more likely to become a billiards room.
I'm so happy you're here.
So is Tancredi.
He has always said you're the most intelligent person he knows.
He's always been a diplomat.
I will let you rest.
It's an honor to host you here, Prince.
Especially so soon after such a tragedy.
You planned a busy few days for me.
Yes. A visit to the Senate tomorrow,
and a small reception in the evening.
And then, of course, your speech at the National Club on Friday.
Allow me to introduce the French ambassador, Charroux.
Prince.
-I am pleased to meet you. -An honor.
This is my daughter, Concetta.
It seems the two of you have become famous, rather quickly.
I'm not sure if that's a compliment.
Be honest, Concetta. What do you make of all this?
Of Turin?
Of Italy.
It’s not what I was once promised.
How so?
"A boat from Messina to Naples,
then a train
to Rome, Florence, Venice."
Garibaldi has disregarded the orders from the king.
His army crossed the Strait of Messina and is now on the mainland.
Papa.
Are your king's orders worthless, Tancredi?
Or have new ones been given that I wasn't told about?
The king will send an army to Rome at once.
If he does not,
we will have no choice but to read your government's actions
as a declaration of war against France.
-I beg you to be patient. -Forgive me, Prince.
-I must go. -Please, don't. Stay here.
I'm expected in Paris.
Ambassador, if I may.
If you leave, you will miss the party we're having for my uncle tomorrow.
What will we do without you?
Countess…
If this incident can resolve itself in a timely manner, perhaps.
For now, I'm afraid I've lost my appetite for Verdi.
Prince.
Excuse me.
Uncle, if Garibaldi really does manage to take Rome,
he won't stop until we're a republic.
People like us wouldn't last long in that Italy.
If we want things to stay the same,
Parliament has to get to work.
I'm still not sure
if this world of politics fascinates me or repels me.
But what really makes me happy
is seeing that you're achieving so much here.
My beloved nephew.
You have a fine career,
and a happy marriage, as far as I can see, yes?
I'm sure your mother is in Heaven
and is very proud of you.
Thank you, Uncle.
Your words mean a lot to me, really.
Oh, you should know
that Don Calogero is coming.
-No! -Yes.
He's coming to find proof of his noble lineage, apparently.
The King sends troops against Garibaldi!
Italy on the verge of civil war!
Prince,
the center of politics in this new Italy.
The Senate.
The heart of our new nation.
I hope you'll accept and become a part of this.
The gifts we received to commemorate our unification
show how varied our nation is.
This is a gift from your kingdom.
How very Sicilian.
What do you mean?
Everyone else sent a gift that at least has a purpose.
A saddle, a chain mail shirt.
And what did we send?
A galleon made out of coral,
which would sink on first contact with water.
Purely appearance
and vanity.
It is exactly this kind of wisdom
that we are in such desperate need of right now.
With men like you,
violent enterprises like Garibaldi's march on Rome
would not occur.
One hundred and ten.
This color would suit you.
All right.
We'll have the dress delivered as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Thank you too.
I thought you should have something special to wear
for your father's party.
Is life always so busy here?
Indeed. That's why I like it.
Don't you…
Don't you ever wish to spend an evening with just the two of you?
Marriage is very different here.
Come in.
It's from Count Bombello.
-He's here to see you. -To see me?
My father should be present.
-Or Tancredi, at least. -Concetta…
You're not in Sicily.
You can act…
more boldly here in Turin.
Come on, get dressed.
Count!
Concetta.
-Thank you for receiving me. -Of course.
Is your father not here?
No. And neither is my cousin.
But I was told they don't care for such formalities here.
I'm not so sure of that.
I saw you at the opera and assumed I'd find you here.
You were right.
I could not let myself miss
such an opportunity, as we're both in Turin.
Your vision must be excellent if you noticed me in the crowd.
No.
Not at all.
No, I saw you because…
because you outshine everybody else.
How long will you be in Turin?
That depends on my father.
Will he accept the role they are offering him?
I think he finds the idea quite persuasive.
Don't you support the government?
I think it is…
a compromise.
Not a new dawn.
Not what I fought for.
Why aren't you crossing the strait with Garibaldi?
My fighting is over.
I have a life to live.
May I call on you again before you leave?
Aren't you expected back in Milan?
There's nothing I wouldn't postpone
to spend another hour with you.
It would be best to ask my father next time.
Of course.
If you'll excuse me.
Come in.
May I?
You're so beautiful.
It hasn't been easy for me to see you again, Concetta.
It hasn't been easy for you?
Well, maybe you can hide it better.
Concetta, are you ready?
We're coming!
We have to go!
Let's go.
Ladies and gentlemen, my apologies.
I have some very important news.
I have just learned that Garibaldi
suffered a defeat this afternoon,
in Aspromonte, by General Pallavicino.
Thanks to the King's decisive actions,
the rebels have been stopped more than 500 kilometers from Rome.
We've also learned
that Garibaldi has been shot in the foot by a stray bullet.
In the foot? No more march on Rome then!
On this happy note,
I'd like to propose a toast to this gentleman,
whom we'll soon be honored to have as one of our senators.
Our guest of honor,
Don Fabrizio Corbera, Prince of Salina.
-To the prince! -To the prince!
It has such a refined quality, don't you think?
However, I think that
the Dolci that hangs in your library
conveys a more expressive sorrow.
Don't you agree?
Have you already visited Paris?
Ambassador, come and meet the general.
I must obey.
Please excuse me.
Ambassador Charroux, this is General Marini.
Concetta, I need to talk to you.
Not here, with the world watching.
Where?
Remember this address.
75, Via Lascaris.
Will you come?
Papa?
Is everything okay?
Yes.
I'd like to leave.
Will you get your cousin home?
Of course, Uncle.
-Good night, Papa. -Good night.
Take the carriage. I'll be there as soon as possible.
Tassoni?
I'm as surprised as you are.
What are you doing here?
I live here.
There must be a mistake. I'm terribly sorry.
I don't think so.
When Tancredi said he needed the apartment again tonight,
I had no idea the young lady in question would be you.
"Again"?
It seems not even you convent girls are immune to his charms.
Please.
Follow me.
Does a prince's authority extend even to a girl's bedroom?
It does when that girl is his niece.
And if that niece had been betrayed by her husband,
two months after they married?
If discretion is your concern,
there are other beds.
Quieter hotels.
You…
Do you want to be a Salina…
or a whore?
Men have been talking about me since I was 12 years old, Uncle.
Promise me that this
will never happen again.
Tassoni let me in.
Do you bring your lovers here?
My lovers?
As if there were hundreds of them.
You told me you had things to say.
After seeing you at Paolo's funeral, I didn't know what to do with myself.
I just had to see you again.
And your marriage?
If you care so much about my marriage, why are you here?
The truth is, I needed her.
In my lust.
Even more so in my poverty.
And I was faithful in my marriage.
I believed in it.
But soon, I realized that…
I had nothing in common with Angelica but ambition.
And now, I spend my days
wondering what could have been between me and you.
So?
Uncle. You're still awake?
I brought Concetta home. Everything's fine.
Want some?
Sit down a moment.
Your wife…
is having a relationship…
with that French ambassador.
Do you understand what I said, boy?
You don't need to worry, Uncle.
It is all under control.
You must understand
that Angelica's ambition to make my career flourish
has become greater than mine.
What the hell are you saying?
You consented to this?
You encouraged this vileness?
Come on, Uncle.
As far as I recall, you've always had a lover.
Be careful. I'm still capable of smashing your face in!
A pimp.
That's what you've become.
Welcome, Mr. Sedara.
Are they having breakfast?
Yes. Please, follow me.
The beauty of youth!
My beloved Angelica.
-Tancredi! -Don Calogero, good morning.
Princess.
Mayor.
Are you hungry, Don Calogero?
Yes.
I must apologize for my uncle.
He's reviewing his speech.
Oh, he's excused then.
It's so kind of you to come all this way to hear him.
To be honest, there's also another reason.
Is there?
Angelica, you know that.
My family and I have suspected for a very long time
that we might be related to the third Baron Prizzi.
On his mistress's side, of course.
I want to know if there's anything to it, once and for all.
I'm told that the best heraldists are here in Turin.
I wish you all the luck in the world.
But the main reason why I've come here,
undertaking such an exhausting trip,
such a long journey,
is that my good friend, the Prince of Salina,
is receiving another sparkling medal
to pin on his chest!
Princess, you must be proud of your father.
As always, Don Calogero.
Is your mother recovering, little by little?
Little by little.
Of course.
Losing one's heir…
It's too painful…
to even contemplate.
I can't imagine.
And that beautiful horse, that rare beast, perishing that way…
Excuse me, I'm going to check on my father.
Princess.
If you'll excuse me.
Papa.
Sedara has arrived.
It's not easy, you know.
What?
Reaching my age and realizing you got everything wrong.
Why would you say that?
Tancredi has always had my love.
And look what he has become.
Whereas Paolo always had to earn it.
And in trying to do so, he met his death.
And it was all my fault,
even though no one has the courage to say so.
You…
You're brave enough to tell me.
Let's go, Papa.
Come on.
Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention?
I would like to welcome members of the political club,
senators, and our lovely lady guests.
We are gathered here today
to hear from a future senator of Sicily,
Don Fabrizio Corbera,
Prince of Salina.
Please.
Senators, ministers,
ladies and gentlemen.
I've been in Turin for just a few days,
but I must confess that these days have been very useful.
They've helped me remember
who I am,
and what I am.
I am irreparably
Sicilian.
For over 25 centuries, we Sicilians
have been bearing the weight
of many wonderful, varied civilizations,
all coming in from abroad.
Fully-formed, complete,
and perfect.
We've never had the pleasure
of seeing one emerge from our island.
For the last 2,500 years,
we've been a colony.
I have to admit that,
to a great extent, it's our own fault.
But you see, all this domination
has left us resigned.
And now, all we really crave…
is sleep.
We hate anyone who tries to wake us,
even if they do it with the best intentions.
Like, in this case,
as you offer me this wonderful gift.
You see, I am a member of the old ruling class.
I'm tied to the old Bourbon regime.
It is a bond
based on decency,
if not actual affection.
I also belong to an unfortunate generation,
stuck between the old world and the new,
unable to adapt to either of them.
Therefore,
with great humility,
and gratitude,
I have to decline your offer.
Incredible.
Anyone else would have accepted such an honor.
Whether they cared about the country or not.
In any case,
somehow,
he always ends up making me feel proud of him.
You should feel the same.
I do.
See you later.
I beg you to reconsider.
If honest men like you withdraw,
the path will be clear for those with no scruples.
And then what hope will our young nation have?
I beg of you, Prince. Listen to your conscience.
But that is what I have done.
You are a gentleman, Chevalley.
I am happy to have made your acquaintance.
If I may,
I'd like to suggest someone for the seat.
Of course.
You know…
that's Tancredi's father-in-law, Don Calogero Sedara.
To your health, gentlemen!
He is most definitely the right man for this job.
Furthermore,
he's descendant from an old noble line.
Or he soon will be, I've heard.
Hmm? Think about it.
Excuse me.
-Concetta. -Count.
Your father is full of surprises.
I assume you will depart with him now.
I don't think I have much choice.
Well, that means I'll come to Sicily to speak with him.
Thank you.
If you'll excuse me.
Do you need anything else for the journey?
-I don't think so. -Excuse me.
This has just arrived. I had to open it when I saw the seal.
The diplomat position is official. We're going to Paris.
Congratulations to you both.
-Thank you. -Goodbye.
Goodbye, Prince.
-Thank you for everything. -Safe travels.
I'm happy for you.
Thank you, Concetta.
You got everything you wanted.
Paris!
That was so foolish of me.
How the hell did I think I could live here?
Let's go home.
Right, Concetta?
A beautiful and melancholic old age is waiting for me.
And you?
And me?
We'll find you a fine Sicilian husband.
-Papa. -You'll stay near us.
Papa, please.
That way you can support your mother and help your brother.
Enough!
Enough of this urge to decide everyone's lives for them,
to control everyone as though we are puppets!
I need to build something of my own!
I need to live my life on my own, without you!
I love you so much, Papa.
But I can't live in this world you've created,
because I need to create my own world.
Count Bombello is going to ask you for my hand in marriage.
And I need you to please say yes.
I must be free from you.
Let's go home now.
BASED ON "THE LEOPARD" BY GIUSEPPE TOMASI DI LAMPEDUSA
Subtitles by: Jerrold Cameron