《天堂電影院》講述的是一個成長在意大利西西里島詹卡多村莊中小孩子的故事。主人翁多多是個古靈精怪的小孩子，而艾費多則是“天堂樂園戲院”的放映師，因為電影的穿針引線，使得他們建立起來亦師亦友的感情。放映師所扮演的是個引領者的角色，在多多的童年、青少年、成年，甚至是老年，一直帶領著多多成長。在他死后，他留給多多一盒膠卷，重新串連起多多遺失了三十年的回憶與情感。片中描寫了一位熱愛電影的小男孩和老放映師忘年之交和小男孩在小鎮的成長歷程，記錄了一段逝去的電影黃金時代。

　　經典臺詞一

　　Alfredo: Living here day by day, you think it's the center of the world. You believe nothing will ever change. Then you leave: a year, two years. When you come back, everything's changed. The thread's broken. What you came to find isn't there. What was yours is gone. You have to go away for a long time… many years… before you can come back and find your people. The land where you were born. But now, no. It's not possible. Right now you're blinder than I am.

　　阿爾夫萊多：在這里居住了一天又一天，你認為這里就是世界的中心。你相信一切都永不會改變。然后你離開了，一年，兩年，當你回來時，一切都變了。那條線斷了，你所尋找的并不是這里。你只能再次離開很長時間……很多年……直到你能回來尋找你的人們，你出生的土地。但是現在不可能。現在你比我還要瞎。

　　Salvatore: Who said that? Gary Cooper? James Stewart? Henry Fonda? Eh?

　　薩爾瓦多：這些是誰說的?加里·庫帕?詹姆士·斯圖爾特?亨利·福達?嗯?

　　Alfredo: No, Toto. Nobody said it. This time it's all me. Life isn't like in the movies. Life… is much harder

　　阿爾夫萊多：不是，多多，沒有人說過。這次是我自己說的。生活并不像電影，生活……更艱難。

　　If you don't walk out, you will think that this is the whole world.

　　如果你不出去走走，你就會以為這就是全世界。

　　Salvatore:Just that i've always been afraid to come back.And now,after all these years ,I thought I was stronger… that I'd forgottena lot of things. But in fact…I find I'm right backwhere I was…as if I'd never been away.Yet,when I look around ,I don't recognize anyone. And you,Mama…I deserted you.Ran out on you like a banditwithout any explanation.

　　薩爾瓦多：有件事，我一直想說其實我很害怕回來。這么多年了，我應該更堅強，更放得開，但事實上，我發現我只是回到了原點仿佛沒有離開過。然而，當我環顧四周，我不認識任何人。而你，媽媽我離棄了你。我什么都沒解釋就跑了

　　His Mama:I never asked for any.You don't have to explain to me.I always thought it was goodwhat you did.Why harp on it?You were right to leave. You did what you wanted to do.When I call you,a different woman always answers.But I never heard in any of their voices… that they really loved you. I would've known. All the same ,I'd have liked to see you settled… Loving someone. But your life is there. Here there are only ghosts. Let go,Toto.

　　你不用向我解釋，我也不需要你的解釋。我一直相信你是對的，你何必耿耿于懷呢?你走是對的，你達成了心愿。當我打電話給你，總是不同的女人來接，但我從來沒有聽到其他任何聲音她們真的愛你，我都知道，有時真想看到你安定下來，有心愛的人，但是你是屬于羅馬，這里太陰沉了。忘了她吧，多多。

　　經典臺詞二

　　1.以外表選朋友 以智慧選敵人。

　　I choose my friends for looks, my enemies for intelligence.

　　2.我要宰了你們! 你們給我走著瞧!

　　I'll make mincemeat of you! You'll reckon with me!

　　3.我不想再聽你講 我要聽別人來講你 。

　　I don't want to hear you talk anymore. I want to hear talk about you.

　　4.我跟你說了一次又一次 就像對著墻說的。

　　I told you and told you...like talking to a wall.

　　5.懦夫才沒有這種能耐。

　　This is no job for weaklings, traitorous dog.

　　6.佩佩 有一天我們會擁有一切，我們會一起遠走高飛...過著舒適的生活...在沒有人認識我們的地方。

　　Pepe, one day we'll have it all。We'll go away together...live the easy life...where no one knows us.

　　7.老天啊 他們在接吻!我絕不看色情片。

　　My God, they're kissing!I won't watch pornography.

　　8.現在電影院需要你 而你也需要電影院。

　　Right now the Paradiso needs you and you need the Paradiso

　　9.我知道的 雖然我瞎了 但我看得更透徹。

　　I know. Now that I've lost my sight I see better.

　　10.越是煎熬 越刻骨銘心。

　　The bigger the man, the deeper his imprint.

　　11.如果他愛上了 他只能忍受，明知道那是個死胡同。

　　And if he loves, he suffers,knowing it's a dead-end street.

　　12.你剛才說的這些話很美 也很傷感。

　　That's nice, what you just said. But sad.

　　13.我以圣父圣子圣靈之名赦免你 安心地去吧。

　　I absolve you,in the name of the Father,Son and Holy Ghost.Go in peace.

　　14.我們每一個人都有所追尋。