Alfredo's motives........

I agree that it was the village or the island of Sicily that Alfredo wanted Toto to leave rather than Elena.

He had to go to Rome to get into the film industry.

I think Alfredo thought that if Elena was in Palermo at university and Toto was going out with her Toto would stay in Sicily, perhpas even his in home village.


You're an errand boy, sent by grocery clerks, to collect a bill

I first saw the 123 minute version, which I still prefer. Probably I'm reading a lot into the movie, but three bits seemed like subtle clues to me:

1. When Alfredo is giving the young Toto a ride on the handlebars of his bike, Alfredo gives the boy some advice and adds, "That's what I tell all my children." Toto says, "You don't have any children!" Alfredo smiles thoughtfully and says, "When I do, that's what I'll tell them."

2. We see a photo of Salvatore's mother and father, probably taken at their wedding. A young Alfredo is in it, close to Salvatore's mother, smiling at her.

3. Alfredo's widow says that just before he died, Alfredo told Salvatore's mother that there's something Toto must never know.

My conclusion was that Alfredo is probably Salvatore's biological father. He knows it, Salvatore's mother knows it, but Salvatore does not. This is why Alfredo sends Salvatore away. Like all fathers, he wants more for his son, bigger possibilities. If Salvatore remained in the village and married Elena, what would happen to him? He probably would wind up working for Elena's father, a dignified, possibly lucrative job...but he would not be doing what he loved. I think Alfredo knew how painful the choice would be. In sending Salvatore the montage of love scenes, he's apologizing...and saying "I love you, son."

As Toto’s mother said —

“… But your life is there. Here, there are only ghosts.”

Alfredo warned Toto about this years before. He understood that this would be the case and, acting as a surrogate father, he didn’t want Toto to stifle his own future as had been the case for Alfredo and all the people of the village — all living in the same place, now ghosts of their own, and Toto’s, past.

Alfredo freed Toto to grow continually in lieu of his own (Toto’s) desires.


“Your thinking is untidy, like most so-called thinking today.” (Murder, My Sweet)

Alfredo didn't do things with bad intentions since he really cared for Toto and both shared a strong bond but I feel like Alfredo did it wrong on not letting Toto make the choice, he decided for him.
He should have helped them or at least being honest to him and let Salvatore decide maybe if he looked for Elena and go to Rome together he could have had both things.


But hey many people say his true passion and love were films which at a certain point it may be true but I'm sure it frustrating to him that Alfredo didn't let him choose and give him the opportunity to try to accomplish both

I have no problem with Alfredo trying to encourage Toto to go to Rome to fulfill his dreams. But forcing him to cut all ties with his past and missing out on his family and friends and love is something else. He was just mean and it came out of nowhere. I saw no evidence that Toto would ruin his own dream career (or was it Alfredo's?) by coming back once in a while.