As Salvatore grows up and eventually becomes a famous filmmaker in Rome, the movie transitions into a meditation on the passage of time. The return to his hometown for Alfredo’s funeral is one of the most moving sequences in film history. The final scene, involving a reel of film left behind by Alfredo, is a powerful climax that rarely leaves a dry eye in the house. It is a reminder that while buildings may crumble and people may pass away, the memories and the art they leave behind are eternal.