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In chapters twenty-two and twenty-three, I go into some detail about how Rossano fell apart after the death of Lydia and that he involved himself in two serious business enterprises which could have resulted in severe consequences i.e. jail.

I didn't have much for Rossano to say about these events at the time because I could find no interviews with him where he speaks about them. However, I finally got hold of an article in La Domenica del Corriere, dated 30 June 1984 and this is a discussion with Rossano about the arms smuggling and touches on the Caribbean scam. 

In this interview, it is clear that Rossano is still seething at being labelled an arms smuggler. Indeed, the interviewer claims that he was almost incandescent over this accusation. Rossano is adamant that he thought his involvement was purely for humanitarian reasons i.e. helping out victims of war and helping to secure funds to rebuild Somalia's ruined cities. He insisted that he has always tried to do his best to help people. He reiterates that both incidents were people playing on his friendship with Reagan and other high-ranking politicians. This interview is a tense one and, although the judge threw out any charges against him, Rossano seems intent on getting his position across.  

Interestingly, the interviewer asks a general question at the end, one that is an enquiry into what his future plans are. Rossano does not go into any career plans and reiterates that he had nothing whatsoever to do with smuggling weapons. 

If you read the biography, you will discover that Rossano (and Lydia) spent a considerable amount of their time and their finances helping people less fortunate than them. Getting involved in smuggling arms, in my opinion, goes against everything he stood for and I believe that, without Lydia, he was sucked into these events because of his name and his contacts. The judge appeared to think the same thing. Lydia, you will discover in the book, was someone who could read people better than Rossano and, I'm sure, would have stopped him getting involved in either of these projects.

In Chapter Twenty-One, I mention one of Rossano's films, Krakatoa, East of Java. 

The great John Leyton worked alongside Rossano on this film. John was a pop singer during the 1960s and had a huge hit with Johnny, Remember Me. In the acting world, he was the brilliant ‘tunnel king’ in The Great Escape. 

John recalls Rossano as being incredibly charming and very elegant; always well turned out. Fortunately, he also remembered something else and this confirmed to me how much Rossano loved good food. Prior to going to Mallorca to film the scenes required there, the film crew stayed for a couple of nights in a hotel in Spain. The restaurant there, apparently, served dire food. One evening, Rossano commandeered the kitchen and prepared a traditional Bolognaise for the crew. The meal Rossano provided was, according to John Leyton, both very welcome and extremely delicious.

Many thanks to John Leyton for allowing me to use these photos of him, and him and Rossano, in Krakatoa, East of Java.

Neil Binney, a retired cinematographer work on the TV series, The Far Pavilions with Rossano Brazzi.  He remembers him being very charming and friendly, always very professional, always on time, knew his words and unlike some (apparently), didn't trip over the furniture! Unfortunately, Neil didn't have any photos to share but he does remember Rossano making fun of the wedding scene. With his Catholic upbringing, Neil heard Rossano quip "I wave this candle round 3 times, I hold this piece of shit, then I pour out this rancid butter....'

There is a website that can be accessed via https://vivienleighlegend.com/summertime/. It's a write-up by the great actress, Vivien Leigh, about Summertime.

Apparently, after watching the movie, Katharine Hepburn gave the characters an alternate ending and said: In real life, she gets off [the train] at Mestra, only 7 miles away and goes right back to him.