Dennis Haritou: The anniversary of the release of the movie version of Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa’s The Leopard has led to a stampede for current editions of the novel. Nothing could please me more since Luchino Visconti’s 1963 historical drama is indepensable movie viewing, both for it’s visual splendor and the outstanding performance of its cast, led by Burt Lancaster who makes a great Sicilian prince.
But this is a rare case where both book and film adaptation flawlessly mirror each other. In both book and movie, an autocratic Sicilian prince is confronted with radical social and political change. He recognizes that he must either adapt or watch the spectacle of his dynasty being overwhelmed. There is a very great lesson in conservative values here and the necessity of adapting them to changing times while still remaining true to tradition. But this view of life is fundamentally tragic since the ultimate adaptation is to leave the scene. Essential watching and reading.
Recent Comments