SICILIAN DIASPORA TO THE GOLDEN DOOR

We went to see Golden Door, a film directed by Emanuele Crialese, on Monday.

I thought that it would provide a bit more insight into the struggles of the Italian immigrants to the USA. This subject was covered from a completely different angle by The Godfather Part Two, but Golden Door showed you don't need a vast budget to create an evocative film .

In 1913 the Mancusos a poor farming family from Sicily leave their home village, make the long voyage to America, and have to submit to a very humiliating examination at Ellis Island. The film ends with part of the family admitted, and the old grandmother saying she wants to go home.

The film is memorable for a wonderful image of the ship parting from the crowded docks taken from above. The mass of humanity separates as those on the dockside are left behind by those leaving for the new world.

There is also a luminescent performance by the beautiful Charlotte Gainsbourg, as an Englishwoman of indeterminate reputation, making the voyage.

This was charming and very informative film.