Leon (1994) [DVD9 PAL]





Original title Léon

Original language English

Country of production France

Year 1994

Duration 110 min (theatrical version)

127 min (international version)

136 min (full version)

Ratio 2.35: 1

Drama, action, thriller, sentimental genre

Directed by Luc Besson

Subject Luc Besson

Screenplay Luc Besson

Producer Patrice Ledoux

Executive producer Claude Besson



Audio: Italian Dolby digital 5.1, English Dolby surround 2.0

Subtitles for the hearing impaired

Video: 16: 9 2.35: 1



Interpreters and characters



   Jean Reno: Léon

   Natalie Portman: Mathilda

   Gary Oldman: Norman Stansfield

   Danny Aiello: Tony

   Peter Appel: Malky

   Michael Badalucco: Mathilda's father

   Ellen Greene: Mathilda's stepmother

   Elizabeth Regen: Mathilda's half-sister

   Robert LaSardo: customer

   Frank Senger: man threatened by Léon

   Maïwenn: prostitute

   Don Creech: man of Stansfield

   Willi One Blood: Stansfield's man

   Keith A. Glascoe: Stansfield man

   Adam Busch: Manolo

   Samy Naceri: member of Swat





The subject and the script are always by Besson who, for the part of the ruthless killer Léon, chose Jean Reno who had already played a very similar role in Nikita (1990).



Natalie Portman, at the beginning of the casting, looked too young for the part of Mathilda, but Besson changed his mind after seeing her play; Liv Tyler was also taken into consideration for this role, but she was considered too "old" because at the time she was already fifteen. Once 26, Portman revealed that her participation in the film led to her receiving "sexually explicit" letters from fans, and that this experience affected her a lot in her subsequent career choices, so much so that for a long time she refused. to shoot sex scenes in front of the camera.

Empire placed the film in 227th place on its list of the 500 best films in history; moreover, the same British magazine placed Mathilda at 62nd in the one reserved for the 100 most important characters in cinema.