"Facing Windows" is now being released in the US, after being a multiple award winner In Italy, stars Massimo Girotti, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Filippo Nigro, and Raoul Bova.

Massimo Girotti died of a Heart Attack at the age of 84, January 2003, one month before "Facing Windows" opened in Italy.

Massimo Girotti, who appeared in over 100 films, was one of Italy's legendary leading men, was a championship athlete, before his 1939 screen debut, and gained popularity in virile action roles. Long before Kirk Douglas, Girotti played Spartacus in the same-named 1952 European historical epic.

Massimo posthumously won the David Di Donatello Award for best actor for his touching performance in "Facing Windows"— the only time in his career Girotti was nominated for the David.

Girotti's complete Filmography follows the La Times Article.

The Italian import "Facing Windows," which opens Friday, is not only a multiple award winner on its home turf; the drama marks the swan song of one of the country's legendary leading men, Massimo Girotti.

Written and directed by Ferzan Ozpetek, "Facing Windows" concerns an unhappily married young couple, Giovanna (Giovanna Mezzogiorno) and Filippo (Filippo Nigro), who discover a well-dressed elderly man (Girotti) wandering the streets in a confused state. Despite Giovanna's protests, Filippo brings the man home with the promise that he will take him to the police. But he doesn't, and soon the man's presence begins to have an effect on Giovanna's life.

Even with him in the apartment, though, Giovanna continues to gaze out a window to the flat opposite hers, where resides a handsome young bachelor (Raoul Bova). One night the bachelor helps Giovanna find the old man after he wanders off, and they begin a relationship. Meanwhile, the old man starts to put the pieces of his life back together.

In January 2003, Girotti died of a heart attack at age 84. A month later, "Facing Windows" opened in Italy and was a triumph for the actor. He posthumously won the David Di Donatello Award for best actor for his touching performance — the only time in his career Girotti was nominated for the David.

A former athlete and engineering student, Girotti began in films in 1939 and quickly became one of Italy's leading heartthrobs and a favorite of such directors as Roberto Rossellini ("Desiderio"), Luchino Visconti ("Ossessione") and Bernardo Bertolucci ("Last Tango in Paris"). Although Girotti worked on more than 100 films and made countless TV appearances, "Facing Windows" was his first project in five years.
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>From All Movie Guide: A champion athlete before his 1939 screen debut, Italian actor Massimo Girotti gained popularity in virile action roles. Long before Kirk Douglas, Girotti played Spartacus in the same-named 1952 European historical epic. He also showed up in such brooding melodramas as Ossessione (1942), an unauthorized Italian version of James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice. Massimo Girotti later essayed character roles, notably in 1971's The Red Tent and 1972's Last Tango in Paris. ~ Hal Erickson
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FILMOGRAPHY
Massimo Girotti
Actor: Born May 18, 1918 - Mogliano, Italy

2003 Facing Windows Actor: Davide
1994 The Monster Actor: Distinguished resident
1992 Dall'Altra Parte Del Mondo Actor: Aureliano
1989 Rebus Actor
1987 La Boheme Actor: Old Suitor
1985 Quo Vadis? Actor
1985 The Berlin Affair Actor: Werner Von Heiden
1981 Passione D'Amore Actor: The Colonel
1978 The Mafu Cage Actor
1976 Monsieur Klein Actor: Mr. Charles
1976 The Innocent Actor: Count
1975 L'Ultima Chance Actor
1975 Cagliostro Actor: Casanova
1973 Les Voraces Actor: Olmi
1972 Gli Orrori Del Castello Di Norimberga Actor: Uncle Karl
      1972 Last Tango in Paris Actor: Marcel
1970 Medea Actor: Greonte
1969 Le Sorelle Actor
1968 Cuore Di Mamma Actor
1968 Teorema Actor: Father
1968 Scusi, Facciamo L'Amore? Actor: Tassi
1966 Le Streghe Actor: Sportsman ["The Witch Burned Alive"]
1965 Le Meravigliose Avventure di Marco Polo :Marco's Father, Nicolo
1964 Oro per i Cesari Actor: Maximus
1963 Venere Imperiale Actor: Leclerc
1963 Romolo e Remo Actor: Tazio
1961 Lettere Di Una Novizia Actor: Don Paolo Conti
1960 Lupi Nell'Abisso Actor
1960 Erode il Grande Actor: Octavius
1960 I Giganti della Tessaglia Actor
1960 The Cossacks Actor: Alexander II of Russia
1959 It Happened in Rome Actor: Ugo Parenti
1958 La Venere di Cheronea Actor: Praxiteles
1958 Asphalte Actor
1958 La Strada Lunga un Anno Actor
1958 Giuditta e Oloferne Actor: Holophernes
1957 Souvenir d'Italie Actor
1954 L'Amour d'une Femme Actor: Andre
1954 Senso Actor: Marquis Roberto Ussoni
1952 Ai Margini Della Metropoli Actor
1952 Roma Ore 11 Actor: Nando
1952 Spartaco Actor: Spartacus
1951 Secret of Three Points Actor
1950 Cronaca di un Amore Actor: Guido
1950 Duello Senza Onore Actor: Carlo
1950 Persiane chiuse Actor: Roberto
1950 Anni Difficili Actor: Giovanni
1949 Altura Actor
1949 In Nome Della Legge Actor: Magistrate Guido Schiavi
1949 Molti Sogni Per Le Strade Actor: Paolo
1948 Gioventu Perduta Actor: Marcello
1948 Preludio D'Amore Actor
1948 Fabiola Actor: Sebastian
1947 Caccia Tragica Actor: Michele
1946 La Porta Del Cielo Actor
1946 Desiderio Actor
      1943 Ossessione Actor: Gino
1941 La Corona di Ferro Actor: Arminio
1940 La Tosca Actor: Angeloti