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The Golden Door Details

2006 DVD Certificate PG.gif
  • Rated:
  • 50
  • from 3394 members

At the start of the 20th-century, Salvatore (Vincenzo Amato), a poor Sicilian farmer, emigrates to US. En route, he meets Lucy (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a shady character in need of a spouse to help her get through Ellis Island and into the promised land. Read more

Starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vincenzo Amato, Aurora Quattrocchi, Francesco Casisa
Director Emanuele Crialese
Genres Drama, World Cinema

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The Golden Door

At the start of the 20th-century, Salvatore (Vincenzo Amato), a poor Sicilian farmer, emigrates to US. En route, he meets Lucy (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a shady character in need of a spouse to help her get through Ellis Island and into the promised land.

Starring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vincenzo Amato, Aurora Quattrocchi, Francesco Casisa, Filippo Pucillo, Federica De Cola, Isabella Ragonese, Vincent Schiavelli
Director Emanuele Crialese
Studio OPTIMUM
Run time DVD: 1 hr 53 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate PG.gif
Genres Drama, World Cinema
Language Italian
Subtitles English
Released DVD: 29 Oct 2007
Production year: 2006
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (2) of The Golden Door

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  • Released as 'Nuovomundo' in its native Italy - 'The New World' is taken, right? - Golden Door is the second film to reach these shores by Emanuele Crialese, the writer-director of Respiro. read more »

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    • Tom Charity, 
    • LOVEFiLM

  • Most helpful member's review of The Golden Door

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  • 72 out of 78 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    how did anyone make it to america?

    This is a beautiful, whimsical film which follows the seemingly interminable journey of a family of sicilian peasants from the wild hillsides of their homeland to the gates of Ellis island, and the american dream in all its sordid reality. 'Who do you think you are?' protests la nonna - an old healer woman and grandmother 'do you think you are god, to decide whether we are good enough or not to come into this new world of yours?'

    While their dreams of giant vegetables, animals and fruit come crashing down around them, the would-be immigrants maintain a quiet dignity, to reach a world where things might just be better than what they left behind.

    The photography is stunning, the soundtrack impeccable, and the gentle love story which runs lightly through is quite magical.

    See it and be moved.

      • valkyrie from kent england
      • Posted 19 Sep 2007 23:48

  • Most recent members' review of The Golden Door

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Thought provoking

    This is a lovingly made Italian film with sub-titles.It is beautifully filmed. Many will find director Emanuele Crialese's long takes boring, but, for me, his style gives his actors room to breath and be real. and we observe much in watching them. It is obvious that this story is a work of passion for Crialese and he has forged excellent teamwork in his cast and crew. The acting, without exception, is excellent and Charlotte Gainsbourg is hauntingly memorable and different. The film is provoking in that it makes one think about the USA's practise of their early immigration programme and the courage and hardships faced by the would-be immigrants. Why then did I give the film only 3 stars? There are two reasons: The opening really is too slow and the fantasy sequences, although mitigating grim reality, cause the film sometimes to fall uncomfortably between the two styles, including moments of theatricality Yes, the belief in huge carrots and chickens manages to show how unrealistic the immigrants' hopes were but some of the surreal imagery was too self indulgent, causing unreal comedy perhaps not wholly intended. The bonus feature involving interviews with director and stars adds a lot, and perhaps might best be watched before viewing the film. My abiding memory of 'The Golden Door' is the shot of the liner leaving the homeland dock. The film is a brave attempt that doesn't totally succeed but it is well worth viewing.

      • A customer from Cambridge
      • Posted 23 Jan 2009 14:28

  • News and features

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    The Golden Door

    Golden Door

    • 27 Jun 2007

    Released as 'Nuovomundo' in its native Italy - 'The New World' is taken, right? - Golden Door is the second film to reach these shores by Emanuele Crialese, the writer-director of Respiro. Set at the turn of the twentieth century, it's a film about a family of illiterate Sicilian peasants coming to America, spurred on by doctored photographs of money growing on trees and chickens the size of donkeys. They find passage on a great steam ship. Men and women are immediately separated, and such is... Read more

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3,394 Member ratings
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  • 90
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751
  • 50
486
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496
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219
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313
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134

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      • At the start of the 20th-century, Salvatore (Vincenzo Amato), a poor Sicilian farmer, emigrates to US. En route, he meets Lucy (Charlotte Gainsbourg), a shady character in need of a spouse to help ...