Léon: The Professional (1994)
"Léon" (original title)

A professional assassin rescues a teenage girl whose parents were killed in a police raid.

Director:

Luc Besson

Writer:

Luc Besson

Stars:

Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman

Top 250 #31 | 3 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Reno	...	Léon
Gary Oldman	...	Stansfield
Natalie Portman	...	Mathilda
Danny Aiello	...	Tony
Peter Appel	...	Malky
Willi One Blood	...	1St Stansfield Man (as Willie One Blood)
Don Creech	...	2nd Stansfield man
Keith A. Glascoe	...	3rd Stansfield man (Benny)
Randolph Scott	...	4th Stansfield man
Michael Badalucco	...	Mathilda's Father
Ellen Greene	...	Mathilda's Mother
Elizabeth Regen	...	Mathilda's Sister
Carl J. Matusovich	...	Mathilda's Brother
Frank Senger	...	Fatman
Lucius Wyatt Cherokee	...	Tonto (as Lucius Wyatt 'Cherokee')

Storyline

Mathilda, a twelve-year old New York girl, is living an undesirable life among her half-family. Her father stores drugs for two-faced cop Norman Stansfield. Only her little brother keeps Mathilda from breaking apart. One day, Stansfield and his team take cruel revenge on her father for stretching the drugs a little, thus killing the whole family. Only Mathilda, who was out shopping, survives by finding shelter in Léon's apartment in the moment of highest need. Soon, she finds out about the strange neighbour's unusual profession - killing - and desperately seeks his help in taking revenge for her little brother. Léon, who is completely unexperienced in fatherly tasks, and in friendships, does his best to keep Mathilda out of trouble - unsuccessfully. Now, the conflict between a killer, who slowly discovers his abilities to live, to feel, to love and a corrupt police officer, who does anything in his might to get rid of an eye witness, arises to unmeasurable proportions - all for the ...

---

Plot Keywords:

girl | drugs | revenge | hitman | apartment | 

---

Taglines:

Revenge is a tough game, even for a Professional (Australia)

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for scenes of strong graphic violence, and for language

Details

Country:

France

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 November 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Professional

Filming Locations:

1 Centre Street, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

FRF 115,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

JPY 112,586,900 (Japan) (3 January 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont, Les Films du Dauphin

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min 136 min (uncut) 133 min (International) 100 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS (8 channels)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Luc Besson's first script-draft, Léon's full name is Leone Montana.

---

Goofs

When Leon tells Mathilda, at the very end, to "grab the ax off the wall", when she opens the glass door, you can see the director Luc Besson's reflection in the glass, behind the camera filming her.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Tony: Allora, come stai, Leone?
Léon: Bene.
[Tony puts out his cigarette in an ashtray]
Tony: OK. OK. Let's talk business.

---

Crazy Credits

Under the "SPECIAL THANKS" heading you will find: Chevalier KAMEN (Prince of the Mash Potatoes) Byblos Bill (King of Saint Tropez) Princess Trudy (Queen of Hearts)

---

Connections

References A Clockwork Orange (1971)

---

Soundtracks

"Like a Virgin"
Written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly
Performed by Natalie Portman (uncredited)

User Reviews

"I take no pleasure in taking life..."

"...if it's from a person who doesn't care about it."

What really stands out for me (aside from the really excellent direction of the action sequences) is the too-brilliant for its own good script. Oldman,Reno, and Portman deliver lines that would seem goofy if spoken by lesser performers. Oldman especially chews the scenery in a way that's both amusing and utterly menacing. I wonder if his Beethoven obsession is a nod to the ultra-violent Alex from A Clockwork Orange?

The American version ("The Professional") was the first version I saw. I'd originally had no real intention of seeing it because I'd read a pretty savage review of it likening it to child pornography. Clearly this particular reviewer had his head firmly planted in his rear. I'm surprised he could find room what with that tremendous stick in the way. Anyway, once I finally saw "Leon" for myself - thanks to my cinemaphile grandfather - I observed no such thing. This wasn't smut, it was love. Leon has no interest in Matilda sexually, but loves her as a father would love a daughter.

If you have a choice then go for the longer director's cut. You get about 15 minutes more film - and not just filler. These are scenes that truly expand upon the story.

My only complaints are about the almost complete under use of the completely underrated Danny Aiello, and Oldman's single dimensional evilness.