NEW YORK – She was ” Mrs. Robinson” by definition.
This is the way we want to remember her and the way we want to say goodbye to this wonderful actress : with the words of a song from the movie which made her famous. Mrs. Robinson
The screen now fades to black on her. Fot the last time …
It is hard to forget those scenes shooted alongside with a very young Dustin Hoffman.
She was then Mrs. Robinson: the mother of Dustin’s girlfriend, Helen.
The movie is one of the “cult” movies ever : “The Graduate”, featuring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft. That is, Mrs. Robinson.
But in spite of her “screen” name, she was an italian named Anna Maria Italiano: a first generation immigrant to the United States and the child of a family of sicilian roots.
She was married to Mel Brooks for over 40 years and died yesterday – aged 73 – after she had been suffering from cancer for a number of years.
To her side, her beloved husband and companion.
She did not particularly liked to be remembered just for that single movie: however it was that movie which gave her fame and which made her known throughout the world.
She was a brilliant woman and avery versatile actress too, her roles spanning form drama to comedy. But she was unbeatable in her role as Saint Anne.
However, probably due to her shyness and to her will to keep her private life away from the limelights, she was never acclaimed as the true star she actually was: no scandals in her life, a quite married life and a retired lifestyle, made her a beautiful yet real face never too involved into the show biz.
There is no much more to say about her, other than she was a pride for the sicilian people : a fighter, who made it through the difficulties that all immigrants have to face. She did it. She made it. She won.
This is the way we want to remember her : as a fighter, fighting even against her illness until the end.
She died yesterday in her New York’s home.
The screen fades to black for her. On her. For the very last time.
Good bye, Anna Maria Italiano.
God bless you, please, Mrs. Robinson.
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