The Leopard (1963)

Romolo Valli: Father Pirrone

Photos 

Quotes 

• Father Pirrone : Is Your Excellency here for confession?

  Prince Don Fabrizio Salina : Confession? It's not Saturday.

  Father Pirrone : Listen to me. Come to confession.

  Prince Don Fabrizio Salina : There's no need. You know it all already.

  Father Pirrone : The power of confession lies not only in telling our sins, but in repentance.

  Prince Don Fabrizio Salina : I know. I know! What would you have of me? I'm a vigorous man. I can't find satisfaction with a woman who crosses herself in bed before every embrace, and can only say "Gesummaria" afterwards. I've had seven children with her and I've never seen her navel. Is that right? I ask you. *She's* the sinner!

• Prince Don Fabrizio Salina : Do you think that if the Church could ever save herself by sacrificing us, she wouldn't do so? Of course she would, and rightly so.

  Father Pirrone : You have two sins to confess on Saturday. One of the flesh last night, one of the spirit today.

• Father Pirrone : The nobles, as you call them, are not easy to understand. They live in a world of their own, not created by God but by themselves, through centuries of experience, troubles and joys. They're upset or pleased about things that matter little to you and me - but are vital to them. I don't mean they're bad people. Far from it. They're... different. They take no notice of things that we hold important, and they have fears of which we're ignorant. For example, for the Prince of Salina, it would be a tragedy to give up his holiday at Donnafugata, where we're headed. But if you ask him what he thinks of the revolution, he will say there is no revolution and that everything will go on as before.

• Prince Don Fabrizio Salina : In your opinion, what should I say?

  Father Pirrone : The wish to found a Christian family is agreeable to the Church. Our Lord's presence at the marriage...

  Prince Don Fabrizio Salina : Let's keep to the point. I want to talk about this marriage, not the one at Cana, much less about marriage in general.

• Father Pirrone : There's a storm brewing.