The Leopard (1918)

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Movie
German title The leopard
Original title A leopárd
Country of production Austria-Hungary
original language Hungarian
Publishing year 1918
Rod
Director Alfréd Deésy
script based on a template by Alphonse Daudet
production “Star” Filmfabrik und Filmvertriebs AG Budapest-Vienna
occupation

The Leopard is an Austro-Hungarian silent film directed by Alfréd Deésy in the Hungarian language in 1917 with Bela Lugosi in the lead role.

action

Paul Orlay behaves like a leopard in his life: always on the lookout, observing the weaknesses of his “prey” and striking out mercilessly at the right moment. The young architect is currently working in the country and is in charge of restoration work in Princess Victoria's castle. Orlay, a handsome man of imposing appearance, is wondering to what extent a woman of her class by his side could be of use to him in the future. Victoria is beautiful, fun-loving and above all: she is widowed! He quickly made her fall in love with himself, and in his mind Paul is already wondering what he could do with the princely fortune. Both are actually planning to get married, and in the end only the loyal old valet, Johann, seems to stand in the way of Her Highness Orlay, as he is more than suspicious of his honest intentions. He seems to look into the soul of the upstart and his suspicions are soon confirmed. Before they get married, Orlay cheats on his future wife with Betty, the teenage daughter of the local postmaster, who serves as a reader for Princess Victoria.

Orlay has the creditors on the back of his neck, and since he does not want to pump money into his not-yet-wife at this moment, as this could attract too much attention, he unceremoniously robs Betty's father's post office. Hardly married, Paul Orlay begins to throw out the money with full hands. When his princely wife's fortune draws to a close, Orlay tries to convince Victoria to divorce him. Because the leopard already has a new "prey" in its sights: the extremely rich Baroness Matilde. But Victoria is blind with love and does not want to let Paul go. In addition, Matilde's groom, Count Alfred, stands in the way of the unscrupulous soldier of fortune. Orlay challenges the rival to a duel and wounds him. In this muddle of relationships, the villain continues to keep his hands off the equally loyal and a little naive Betty, who, when she learns of Orlay's machinations, feels so betrayed and insulted in her honor that she takes her own life with poison.

Dark clouds are soon brewing over Orlay. Since Victoria does not want to let go of him, he decides to murder his still-wife in order to finally be free for the wealthy Matilde. At this point in time a scholar is present at the castle, who is giving a lecture on Charles Darwin and his theory of the law of the fittest in front of a select and interested selection of guests . Orlay proves the correctness of this theory by pouring poison into a glass intended for Princess Victoria at precisely this point. But he is observed by Victoria, who exposes her husband and indignantly shows him out of her castle. Things are now escalating dramatically. The postmaster rushes into the castle and screams his pain that his daughter is dead. The valet Johann explains that only Orlay could be to blame, whereupon the postmaster shoots the villain. Paul Orlay sinks to the ground and dies. Morality and law have triumphed over the bestiality of the fittest.

Production notes

The Leopard was created in Budapest in 1917, was three acts in length and was premiered the following year. During the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the film was also shown in a German version in Vienna.

Bela Lugosi was still called Arisztid Olt back then. The buildings were designed by Stefan Lhotka , who was still known as Lhotka Szirontai in his homeland.

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