One of the John Boorman's least known and rarely screened works - and yet the title that secured him the Best Director Prize at Cannes in 1970 - Leo the Last is a cult film in waiting, a genuinely radical, anti-authoritarian counter-cultural satire of hierarchy, property, class, and gentrification avant la lettre. Marking the first English-language performance by Italian icon Marcello Mastroianni, and adapted from a play by George Tabori, it's a fabular tale of the deposed heir to an imaginary European throne, who returns to his late father's grand house among the then run down Notting Hill terraces. Deeply melancholic and reclusive, observing his poorer neighbours through a telescope, he is slowly but steadily drawn into solidarity with them, taking revolutionary action on behalf of their struggles. An almost Brechtian take on social relations allows Boorman to both critique and dramatically immerse himself in the richly entertaining and compelling developments. Shot by the great Peter Suschitzky and with a lively ensemble of British actors, this is also one of the great 'London' films. To this day never released in the UK on DVD, it's almost as lost as the streets it was filmed in, long since demolished, and close to Grenfell Tower, the fate of which the film points to with an unsettling prescience.
The film has been chosen and is introduced by Gareth Evans. It is followed by a conversation with writer Edward Platt (author of Leadville, a history of the A40) about the film and the social history of its locations, a subject explored in his new limited-edition publication: As Kingfishers Catch Fire (pub. Texte und Töne, NYC). It is hoped that several members of the cast and crew will also be in attendance.
