5. Leon: The Professional
Luc Besson's searing 1994 thriller marked breakthrough performances for both Jean Reno as the emotionally repressed and mentally slow titular assassin who takes an orphan under his wing after her family are murdered by a corrupt cop, and Natalie Portman, who plays the precocious youngster who becomes his protégé due to her lust for revenge. Reno played Leon as naïve and childlike to remove some of the sexual tension that was present in the finished cut between his character and the orphan, Mathilda. The cut was altered upon its American release to remove this element altogether, before it was later restored on further releases.
How Did The Original Script Differ?Originally, Leon and Mathilda, who was written as a 13/14 year old, became full lovers.
Did The Change Improve The Film? Unquestionably, yes. Part of the strength of Leon is the believability of the relationship between the innocent killer Leon, and his more worldly-wise protégé, as they learn from each other and develop a loving relationship as equals of sorts. A sexual relationship would have altered the characterisation completely, and come across as grubby and sensationalist. At an L.A.preview screening, the audience laughed uncomfortably at a scene where Mathilda asks Leon to become her lover. It was hastily, and wisely, dropped from the final cut.