As an avid Netflix watcher, I knew of its new Italian series, The Leopard, also known as Il Gattopardo. This historical drama, based on the 1958 novel by Giuseppe Di Lampedusa, is filled with angst, betrayal, seduction, and the unpreventable fall of Italian aristocracy when encountering societal change.
To begin, The Leopard follows the aristocratic Salina family as they deal with Garibaldi’s Redshirts, who have landed on the Sicilian coast and are pressing inland, which could overthrow the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The novel’s plot and series focus more on the Salina family, headed by the patriarch, Prince Fabrizio. Fabrizio’s perspective is shaped by his physically unsatisfying marriage with his wife and his focus on his nephew, Prince Tancredi Falconeri — whom he initially admires for his noble qualities.
However, his favor and liking towards his nephew wanes slightly when Tancredi joins Garibaldi’s Redshirts, especially when Fabrizio’s eldest daughter, Concetta, falls in love with Tancredi, thus creating a distance between the men. Ultimately, Concetta is forgotten by him during his time as a Redshirt, specifically when Tancredi becomes infatuated with the daughter of a mayor, Angelica Sedara.
This work and series draw heavily on the author’s life, Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, an aristocrat from a Sicilian family during the Risorgimento. It isn’t an autobiography, though; instead, it is considered a fictional tale exploring specific historical events from the time.
Differently from the novel’s debut, the Netflix series has received abundant positive feedback, importantly for its stunning visuals, period detail, and compelling portrayal of Sicily during the political disturbance. The show’s aesthetics were among the first things I noticed when watching the trailer, especially the visuals and portrayal of Angelica Sedara. She is played by Deva Cassel, the daughter of the household name Italian actress Monica Bellucci.
The show grants the viewer an immersive experience, from the wardrobe to the set, lighting, and music. The viewer is transported to the 1860s in Italy and can’t escape it until the very end of the show. Additionally, the exploration of shifting tides of power and tradition during the period is worth the praise, especially when the show deals with an in-depth thematic search for identity, legacy, and the unavoidable changes that embrace society with time.
In contrast, the novel’s release raised heavy criticism. Numerous major Italian publishing houses rejected the manuscript, considering people criticized the novel, viewing it as “right-wing” and “traditional.” Others claimed it was “too backward,” with a pessimistic portrayal of the Sicilian elite.
Ultimately, regardless of prior criticism of the text, the show is a magnificent series to watch, especially for those seeking to entangle themselves with Italian shows and are fans of historical pieces such as “The Gilded Age,” “Peaky Blinders,” and the Turkish drama, “Midnight At the Pera Palace.” If you’re interested in more Italian series, check out my review of Netflix’s “Deceitful Love.“