The Leopard (2025)

Review

The Leopard (Il gattopardo) is an Italian historical drama based on the novel of the same name by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa which is considered one of the most important stories in Italian history. The streaming platform reportedly spent €40 million on the lavish production and it made its debut on Netflix on 5 March 2025.

The series begins in May 1860 when Garibaldi’s forces have landed on the Sicilian coast in an attempt to overthrow the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and incorporate it into the new Italian nation under Victor Emmanuel. Fabrizio Corbèra, Prince of Salina, is the head of one of Sicily’s most prominent families and has no desire to become part of a unified Italy. Twenty years later, a dying Fabrizio accepts he will be the last true prince of the Salinas, the last leopard.

The series is frustrating at times but it is absolutely beautiful to look at with its stunning scenery and exquisite costumes. There is a distinct air of melancholy as the old aristocratic families find their privileged world is slowly being replaced by one ruled by the nouveau riche who have a different set of rules. The series is set at a pivotal time in Italy’s history as unification has almost been achieved so there is a lot of political turmoil which is mirrored within the family. The love triangle between Tancredi, Concetta and Angelica is an interesting one but only leads to misery for everyone involved. I watched the English dubbed version first and then watched it again in the original Italian with subtitles. The English dubbing is bearable but watch it in the original language if you can.

In April 1860, Garibaldi’s forces are landing on the Sicilian coast and the city of Palermo braces itself for war but Fabrizio, Prince of Salina, seems untroubled as he travels through Palermo after curfew on his way to a convent to collect his daughter, Concetta. Back home at the villa, Concetta discovers her cousin, Tancredi, is living in one of the outbuildings and he argues a unified country will be better for them all. Concetta agrees to keep his secret in exchange for a promise that he will stay safe. It is obvious that Concetta is in love with Tancredi but the young man seems oblivious to her feelings and is more focused on the war for independence.

As the war turns brutal, a Sicilian soldier is found dead on the estate and Paolo, Fabrizio’s heir, takes the opportunity of laying the blame at the feet of Tancredi. Tancredi has been sending letters to Concetta so the whole family knows he is fighting with the rebels but Concetta is more concerned when the letters stop arriving. When Fabrizio discovers Tancredi is in prison, he bribes the governor, Leonforte, to free him but the price is a hefty one – Leonforte wants Argivocale. When freed, Tancredi feels guilty for abandoning his comrades but the prince makes him watch as the other rebels are executed. Tancredi is welcomed back to the estate but Paolo calls his father a traitor when he stands by Tancredi.

When Tancredi decides to rejoin the rebels, Fabrizio is less than pleased but he reassures Concetta that he will keep Tancredi safe. Fabrizio obviously cares for his nephew far more than his own son and you can certainly see why as Tancredi seems to embody everything that Paolo is not. Fabrizio fails to hide his disappointment in both of his sons but Concetta shows all the talent and intelligence her brothers lack. Unfortunately for Concetta, her gender bars her from being her father’s heir but Fabrizio is still hoping he can find a way for Tancredi to inherit.

A month later, Palermo has fallen to Garibaldi and citizens are told they will require a travel permit to leave the city. As the Salina family are due to visit their summer estate in Donnafugata, Fabrizio is annoyed at the prospect of having to request a permit from Commander Bombello, however he is delighted when he realises Tancredi is amongst the Italian soldiers. Tancredi warns the prince that Bombello cannot be bribed but Fabrizio tries anyway and his permit is refused. However, the prince gets his way when Bombello arranges a ball in Palermo and Fabrizio maintains his family will only attend if he gets his permit.

At the ball, Fabrizio notices that Bombello seems to be taken with Concetta so he deliberately blocks the commander from dancing with her. Concetta complains about her father’s manipulations but the prince’s ploy works as Bombello finally offers Fabrizio a travel permit in exchange for a dance with Concetta. At Donnafugata, Concetta finally confesses to her parents that she loves Tancredi but her father is not pleased as his nephew is a womaniser. As much as Fabrizio loves Tancredi, he doesn’t see the young man as a credible match for his beloved daughter and he is proved correct when the beautiful Angelica arrives at a ball the prince is hosting and Tancredi seems to forget Concetta exists.

There is a brief flashback as we learn Angelica’s background story and how her father manipulates her beauty to his advantage. It is very much reminiscent of how Estella was raised in Great Expectations to break the hearts of men so Miss Haversham could get her revenge. At the town festival, Tancredi continues to give all his attention to Angelica and Fabrizio accuses her father of being a shark. Later that evening, the young people play a game of hide-and-seek and Tancredi disappears with Angelica into a small room where he kisses her. Fabrizio finds them and escorts Angelica home. As a parting shot, Angelica says she would not mind being the mistress of a prince as it is all about the money for her. Regardless, Fabrizio speaks to her father on Tancredi’s behalf and he is happy for them to marry despite Tancredi having no wealth of his own.

While very different in nature, Concetta and Angelica are similar in the fact they are both used as pawns by their fathers to gain advantage. Fabrizio uses Bombello’s attraction for Concetta to get his permit and doesn’t even consider his daughter’s feelings in the process. While Calogero Sedara has raised his daughter to be a seductress so he gain wealth if she makes a decent marriage. Although Tancredi is penniless, he is still the nephew of Prince of Salina and that makes the prospective match worthwhile.

In April 1861, Tancredi and Angelica marry in Palermo with the Salina family in attendance, including a heartbroken Concetta, who informs her family she intends to take holy orders which upsets Fabrizio. Fabrizio tries to convince himself that he made the right decision to encourage the marriage between Tancredi and Angelica. In Palermo. Angelica’s father, Calogero, is shunned by society but he is unconcerned as he wants Fabrizio to invest in the purchase of some church land rich in sulphur. Fabrizio refuses the offer as Concetta’s convent is located on it and he doesn’t want to cause her any further heartache. When Paolo tours the family estate, Calogero lies to Paolo that brigands are stealing the sulphur and the only safe option is to convince the church to sell. When they visit the mine, Paolo’s horse panics when the brigands fire a warning shot and Paolo is killed when he is thrown.

As the months go by, Concetta takes over the running of the house as her mother grieves and she worries about her father who seems to have lost his purpose. Concetta decides to accompany him to Turin even though it will mean seeing Tancredi. Garibaldi plans to use the Sicilian army to take Rome from the Pope and when Concetta probes to see how Tancredi feels about it, he claims his ambitions are now above those of a foot soldier. Later, Angelica reveals Tancredi is being considered for a position as the Italian ambassador in France. Angelica also tells Concetta she longs for a child but Tancredi is showing no interest as his mind is always on Concetta. It seems Tancredi always wants what he cannot have.

When Bombello writes to Concetta to express his admiration for her, Angelica encourages her to meet him without a chaperone. Bombello is a perfect gentleman and Concetta tells him to talk to her father if he wishes to marry her. When they all attend a ball later that evening, they learn Garibaldi has been defeated and it is cause for celebration. Fabrizio observes that Angelica seems to have gotten closer to Charroux, the French ambassador, and when the ball is over, Fabrizio follows them out. At the same time, Tancredi persuades Concetta to follow him to a friend’s flat, however Concetta has no intention of being just another one of his conquests. Tancredi tries to convince her that he now realises he has nothing in common with Angelica and he can’t stop thinking about her.

When Fabrizio tells Tancredi that his wife is having an affair with the French ambassador, he says he is not surprised as Angelica is very ambitious and is doing it to win the ambassador post. Tancredi tells his uncle he is in no position to judge as he consorts with prostitutes all the time and an angry Fabrizio accuses him of pimping out his wife. The following day, a morose Fabrizio regrets favouring Tancredi over his own children and believes it robbed him of his son. At the National Assembly, Fabrizio is introduced as the senator for Sicily but he tells them he is from the old order and they should elect someone with a modern outlook. The government officials respect his honesty and plead with him to change his mind to no avail.

As the months go by, Fabrizio’s health begins to decline but he chooses to keep it secret from the family as Concetta’s wedding to Bombello is approaching and he still has two other daughters in need of husbands. When Bombello arrives at the villa, he expresses a desire for the wedding to take place in Milan but Fabrizio is appalled and Stella reminds him Concetta wants to leave Sicily. The ball proves to be a disaster as Tancredi arrives and it is obvious to everyone that Concetta’s attention is on him rather than her fiancé. As Tancredi dances with Angelica, Concetta dances with Bombello and it evolves into a competition. Later, Angelica corners Concetta and tells her Tancredi has never stopped loving her and Concetta flees outside. Tancredi follows Concetta and she asks him if he misses Sicily and he says he misses her. They kiss while Angelica and Bombello exchange knowing looks in the ball room.

Leonforte begs Fabrizio to buy back the land he got in exchange for Tancredi’s freedom but the prince says he is in no position to buy it. The prince realises Calogero is working behind his back to devalue the land and tells Leonforte that the world now belongs to men like Calogero as the nobles are becoming destitute. When Fabrizio confronts Calogero, the man angrily retorts that nobles take their wealth for granted. Taking delight in her father’s new position of power, Angelica demands the prince dance with her but Fabrizio is in a daze and believes he is dancing with Stella. Later, Fabrizio tells Concetta the time of the nobility is over, and the hyenas and jackals will soon have control over the lions and leopards.

On the way home, Fabrizio tells Concetta she can have her wedding wherever she wants but he collapses soon after they arrive. The doctor reveals the prince has a brain tumour and nothing can be done. Tancredi arrives to comfort Concetta and she breaks off her engagement with Bombello. Fabrizio regains consciousness and reminisces about the past with Tancredi but his nephew just looks sad. Concetta and Tancredi realise they can have no future together but Tancredi promises to always be there for her. As Fabrizio slowly dies, he tells Concetta to look after the family and to guide Cesco.

At Fabrizio’s funeral, Angelica causes a scene which distracts everyone’s attention away from her father who is assessing Cesco, however Concetta notices. Later, Cesco and Concetta buy Leonforte’s land at a high price which confuses Calogero, however Concetta patiently explains how they used Angelica’s money which has belonged to them since her marriage to Tancredi. While Tancredi pines for Concetta in France, she takes over the running of the lands in Sicily. This is a very satisfying moment as Concetta gets her revenge on Angelica and shows who is really in control of the family’s estate.