Leon by Luc Besson (1994)
The birth of an extraordinary bond of friendship, complicity, and support between an introverted, uneducated hitman and a twelve-year-old girl who has just lost her family in a violent attack.
“Is life always this hard, or just when you’re a kid?”
“Always like this.”
(Mathilda and Léon)
Did you know?
There are two versions of the film.
In the extended version, released in 1996, several scenes were added to deepen the relationship between Léon and Mathilda, such as the Russian roulette scene and the one where Mathilda gets drunk on champagne at a restaurant.
Natalie Portman’s parents insisted on a clause in the contract regarding smoking: they secured a limit of five scenes where Mathilda smokes, and that she would never be shown inhaling or exhaling the smoke.
It was also stipulated that her character would quit smoking during the film.
Many of Gary Oldman’s iconic scenes were improvised on the spot, like his monologue about Beethoven and the moment he sniffs Mathilda’s father during the interrogation.
In South Korea, many shops sell film-inspired merchandise with the phrase “Love or death”, spoken by Mathilda in one scene.
There’s a Hitchcock reference.
Mathilda and Léon check into a hotel under the name MacGuffin.
The term was coined by the famous director to indicate an object or element that propels a plot forward.
A film that tells a story of loneliness and sacrifice, balanced magically between sentimental drama and gangster movie, managing to excel in both genres.
The two main characters are unforgettable—actually, they’re impossible to forget.
Mathilda, forced to grow up quickly due to a cruel fate, and Léon, the hitman who prefers the company of his Aglaonema plant over that of people.
Both are alone in the world and without a future, and because of this, they need each other.
Then there’s the corrupt agent Norman Stansfield, aggressive and cruel, who worships Beethoven and looms over Mathilda and Léon, eventually becoming an obsession for the girl.
Three protagonists brought to life by three incredible actors, all at their best, making this film a true cult classic.
Jean Reno delivers his finest performance, the young and debuting Natalie Portman is truly surprising, and Oldman’s brilliance is staggering.
Violent and delicate.
Ruthless and poetic.
A marvel for the eyes and the heart.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Immerse yourself in a world of thrills with Nightmares
