There are some fortunate souls who find a vocation that offers them an arena to excel in while they are joyously, even deliriously, playing. The internationally renown actor Marcello Mastroianni, who died in 1996, was one of those people. This 200-minute Italian documentary about his life and work is directed by Anna Maria Tato, his companion of 22 years.

Mastroianni, who spent ten years on the stage as an actor, praises the magic of movies and criticizes the irritation of television. He shares with us his love for cars, cigarettes, Paris, Rome, architecture, and travel. Mastroianni decries the Latin lover image foisted upon him after La Dolce Vita. Film buffs will enjoy his evaluation and reminiscences about work with directors Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica, and Marco Ferreri. Although this screen memoir is far too long, it does vividly convey Marcello Mastroianni's exuberance in having found a career that enabled him to travel the world while playing.