(22 Dec 1996) Italian/Eng/Nat
Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni has been laid to rest in Rome Sunday.
In a simple civic ceremony at Rome's Campidoglio (city hall) family members, celebrities and fans remembered their friend and hero - a man whose acting career spanned nearly fifty years.
With the song from his movie "eight-and-a-half" playing in the background - friends spoke of their memories of the star.
After the ceremony his coffin was taken across Rome and placed in the family vault.
Mastroianni died in Paris Thursday from pancreatic cancer aged 72.
There was music and applause - perfectly fitting for Italy's acting great Marcello Mastroianni to make his finale.
As his coffin was carried into Rome's Campidoglio the huge crowd broke into a thunderous applause - thanks for the man who had entertained them since his cinematic debut in 1947.
And in the background - the theme music from his movie "eight-and-a-half".
Rome's mayor Francesco Rutelli accompanied Mastroianni's grieving family into the ceremony.
His widow Flora Carabella and daughter Barbara took their seats with another of Italy's greatest acting exports - Sofia Loren.
Loren and Mastroianni had performed in 12 films together - they had also been close friends.
Many of Italy's most renowned actors and directors had come to say their last farewell - including actress Monica Vitti.
Mastroianni's long-time seamstress simply summarised his importance in Italian cinema.
SOUNDBITE: (Italian)
"You will always be in my heart and in the heart of Italian cinema. Thank you for everything."
SUPER-CAPTION: Angela Insimani, Mastroianni's seamstress.
As the music played and memories of Marcello flooded back - Sofia Loren broke down in tears as she held the hand of his widow Flora.
She says they made one of the great cinematic partnerships.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"There was a kind of chemistry between us that could not be compared with anybody else, with anyone else. Q/ Do you have a last message for Marcello? "Ciao Marcello, I will never forget you. You will always be in my heart, I know that."
SUPER-CAPTION: Sofia Loren, actress.
After the ceremony - Mastroianni's body was transported across Rome to the Verrano cemetery where the family vault is.
There he will now rest - but always remembered through the 160 films that he starred in.
More often than not, he was the quintessential "Latin lover" - most famous for his role in Fellini's film "La Dolce Vita".
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