Lost Love

Lost love is a common tool used to tell a story, and it does the trick in Cinema Paradiso. Tornatore presents the story around this theme and uses it to present the other themes of the story. Salvatore and Elena have a great and passionate romance just as one might see in the movies; however, their romance comes to a quick end when her parents whisk her away. For years, the two pine for each other and wait for their love to be rekindled. Although Salvatore never stops hoping, Elena eventually marries another and begins a family.

Because of their lost love, Salvatore leaves the town and does not return for almost thirty years. Alfredo tells him to leave and go out into the world to make his own life. Alfredo deceived them both so that Salvatore could be the great maker of movies that he always...