| MARCELLO MASTROIANNI: I REMEMBER YES I REMEMBER Director: Anne Maria Tato "Marcello likes small sets, in which one feels at home. In our case, furthurmore, working with a few friends reassured him, because nobody would be indisceet, gossiping about his private and sentimental life." Ana Maria Tato This documentary about charming Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni is like a late afternoon conversation with someone you admire but never really knew. At three and a half-hours it's one long conversation but Marcello Mastroianni's winsome attitude and storytelling ability make it a very enjoyable time at the movies. Interspersing clips of dozens of movies Mastroianni starred in with interviews on and around the set of his last movie, the documentary assembled and directed by Mastroianni’s longtime companion Anna Maria Tato, entertainingly breezes along giving us plenty to think about the successful career of the most famous Italian actor of all time. From the various sets of his last film -- on the shore, in a boat, in a forest or in a moving car -- Mastroianni reminisces and speaks to us about his 40 plus years in film. In this way the film is sort of a travelogue with Mastroianni's philosophical musings and good humor. He tells us what it was like to work on the stage and in cinema most particularly with Frederico Fellini, Marco Ferreri, Victorio De Sica and other famous Italian and European directors. Mastroianni has nonchalant views on both life and acting. He loved acting in the theater and on the screen but he never took it too seriously. When asked about method actors he humorously comments; "why all this suffering and torment"? He too realized that his fortune in the movie industry was rare; a couple of times he mentions how lucky he was and how much he loves life. I Remember never bogs down in sensationalism or digs any dirt whatsoever on its willing subject. And considering his reputation as "The Latin Lover"— a moniker he hated — that's a pretty big subject to avoid. Of course, if you're the cynical type the presentation of Mastroianni may all seem too pat and the film, no doubt, comes across more as an homage or a love letter to a star than a warts and all documentary. It's worth noting that Marcello smoked 50 cigarettes a day for 50 years and if you do the math that’s well over 900,000. His attitude is that "people should be able to live and die as they wish." Perhaps in retrospect with his untimely death that's not the greatest attitude, but considering he gave us so much for so long, it ends up being sort of an epitaph. If you have any interest in Mastroianni or Italian cinema or are just someone who loves film you shouldn't pass up this film. -- Matt Langdon |