The Immigrant (2013)
Country: US
Technical: col/2.35:1 120m
Director: James Gray
Cast: Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner
Synopsis:
A Polish refugee from the First World War arrives at Ellis Island with her ailing sister and is picked up by a theatrical impresario from the Bowery, who pimps out his girls for extra money. But she is different.
Review:
Not since The Godfather Part Two has a film-maker quite captured the singular ambience of the Lower East Side of Manhattan so well as Gray does in this deeply moving drama, which takes the essential themes of Chaplin's classic two-reeler (abject poverty, sickening relative, unlikely protector) and unpicks the romantic trimmings. Thus Ewa rises from feral, traumatised victim to a Mary Magdalene figure of redemption, and Bruno can never be entirely despised, as he is redeemed by his love for her. The portrait of America also grows in complexity, as the safe, caring, orderly haven of Ellis Island is traduced by the corruption and violence of the police on the mainland, and the depravity of the men who come to Bruno's theatre.
Country: US
Technical: col/2.35:1 120m
Director: James Gray
Cast: Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner
Synopsis:
A Polish refugee from the First World War arrives at Ellis Island with her ailing sister and is picked up by a theatrical impresario from the Bowery, who pimps out his girls for extra money. But she is different.
Review:
Not since The Godfather Part Two has a film-maker quite captured the singular ambience of the Lower East Side of Manhattan so well as Gray does in this deeply moving drama, which takes the essential themes of Chaplin's classic two-reeler (abject poverty, sickening relative, unlikely protector) and unpicks the romantic trimmings. Thus Ewa rises from feral, traumatised victim to a Mary Magdalene figure of redemption, and Bruno can never be entirely despised, as he is redeemed by his love for her. The portrait of America also grows in complexity, as the safe, caring, orderly haven of Ellis Island is traduced by the corruption and violence of the police on the mainland, and the depravity of the men who come to Bruno's theatre.
Country: US
Technical: col/2.35:1 120m
Director: James Gray
Cast: Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner
Synopsis:
A Polish refugee from the First World War arrives at Ellis Island with her ailing sister and is picked up by a theatrical impresario from the Bowery, who pimps out his girls for extra money. But she is different.
Review:
Not since The Godfather Part Two has a film-maker quite captured the singular ambience of the Lower East Side of Manhattan so well as Gray does in this deeply moving drama, which takes the essential themes of Chaplin's classic two-reeler (abject poverty, sickening relative, unlikely protector) and unpicks the romantic trimmings. Thus Ewa rises from feral, traumatised victim to a Mary Magdalene figure of redemption, and Bruno can never be entirely despised, as he is redeemed by his love for her. The portrait of America also grows in complexity, as the safe, caring, orderly haven of Ellis Island is traduced by the corruption and violence of the police on the mainland, and the depravity of the men who come to Bruno's theatre.