Well Worth Watching If Only For The Horses!
Beautifully matched, sturdy carriage horses. Prancing, spirited Prince's chargers. Energetic purposeful military steeds. Graceful, sleek women's palfreys. Ever since the series about France's Louis XIV ended, I've missed seeing the horses featured in historical movies. I suspect that in real life people galloped less and plodded more often but I enjoy watching the rosy, nostalgic version.
And likewise throughout the 6 episodes you get to enjoy all the perks of a noble. Lavish mansions with fairy-tale gardens and gilded angel frescoes staring down at you from the ceilings. Sumptuous banquets. Grandiose balls. Opulent gowns.
As for the plot, reading the book when it first came out, it impressed me as being one of the best, rip-roaring stories I'd ever encountered. The first movie, debuting a few years later, was very good but of course could not include everything from the book. Now, details of both have faded. I think the current movie does reflect the feeling of the book quite well.
Obvously I read The Leopard when I was quite young. Although I was not totally unaware of it's historic and sociological aspects, that wasn't my main interest at the time. If I read it today, it would probably be an entirely different experience. Looking up current reviews, I see that over time liberals have seen it as too conservative and conservatives have felt it to be too liberal. That probably means it's about right.
Does the series deal even-handedly and fairly with the depictions of aristocracy vs peasants? I would say in some scenes Yes and in some No. But the creators certainly made the effort to do justice to the deeper story.
I got really caught up in the series way beyond the beauty of the scenery and the horses and binged-watched it over 2 evenings.
And likewise throughout the 6 episodes you get to enjoy all the perks of a noble. Lavish mansions with fairy-tale gardens and gilded angel frescoes staring down at you from the ceilings. Sumptuous banquets. Grandiose balls. Opulent gowns.
As for the plot, reading the book when it first came out, it impressed me as being one of the best, rip-roaring stories I'd ever encountered. The first movie, debuting a few years later, was very good but of course could not include everything from the book. Now, details of both have faded. I think the current movie does reflect the feeling of the book quite well.
Obvously I read The Leopard when I was quite young. Although I was not totally unaware of it's historic and sociological aspects, that wasn't my main interest at the time. If I read it today, it would probably be an entirely different experience. Looking up current reviews, I see that over time liberals have seen it as too conservative and conservatives have felt it to be too liberal. That probably means it's about right.
Does the series deal even-handedly and fairly with the depictions of aristocracy vs peasants? I would say in some scenes Yes and in some No. But the creators certainly made the effort to do justice to the deeper story.
I got really caught up in the series way beyond the beauty of the scenery and the horses and binged-watched it over 2 evenings.
- toroandbruin
- Mar 10, 2025