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(About Our Ads) "GOLDEN DOOR" (2007) (Vincenzo Amato, Charlotte Gainsbourg) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons *Minor Minor Heavy Mild None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild Minor None None Minor Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Extreme Mild Moderate Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Drama: A group of early 20th century Italians dream of a better life as they try to make their way to America and through its immigration screening on Ellis Island. PLOT: It's the early 20th century and Salvatore Mancuso (VINCENZO AMATO) has finally decided the time is right to set out for a better life in America. With his son Angelo (FRANCESCO CASISA), his mute sibling Pietro (FILIPPO PUCILLO), mother Fortunata (AURORA QUATTROCCHI), and neighbor teens Rita (FEDERICA DE COLA) and Rosa (ISABELLA RAGONESE) -- who've been promised husbands in their future new land - the 37-year-old widower sets out on his trek. Having to negotiate through various channels, people and distances, Salvatore and his group finally make it to the coast where English woman Lucy Reed (CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG) latches onto them since she knows she won't be let into America as a single woman. After an arduous journey at sea, they and the others must deal with the paperwork and indignities of being processed at Ellis Island, all anxious to begin their new lives in this new land. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens who are into art-house films might be interested, but that's probably it. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For brief graphic nudity. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: VINCENZO AMATO plays a widowed and illiterate, 37-year-old father who's finally decided to make the arduous trek to America with his family and others. Along the way, he must put up with various hardships and indignities, all while taking a liking to Lucy, including agreeing to marry her simply so she can gain entry into the country. He uses some minor profanity. CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG plays the English woman who latches onto and convinces him to take her as his bride of convenience simply so she can enter into and stay in America. AURORA QUATTROCCHI plays Salvatore's elderly but feisty mother who reluctantly makes the trip and eventually grows tired of the immigration process and related questions. FRANCESCO CASISA plays Salvatore's young adult son who accompanies Salvatore and the others. FILIPPO PUCILLO plays his younger sibling who's mute and must contend with that condition potentially preventing him from staying in America. FEDERICA DE COLA and ISABELLA RAGONESE play young Italian women who head off to America via the promise of arranged marriages to men they've never met. When they finally see those selected for them, they aren't happy. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this drama that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of a handful of minor expletives, while some non-explicit, but sexually related dialogue is also uttered. Separate male and female full frontal and rear nudity is seen during medical exams (for the men) and a group shower scene (for the women), but none of that is sexual in nature. However, one man does fondle various women in their sleeping quarters and smell one's crotch. Other bad attitudes are present, while there's a fight among some miscellaneous men, and various people are thrashed about inside a ship presumably rocked by bad waves (we later see dead or unconscious people, while a distraught mother appears to toss a swaddled and presumably dead infant overboard following that incident). Those scenes and a few others might be unsettling for some viewers, while behavior may be enticing for some to imitate. Some characters smoke, and some may drink. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, varying amounts of handheld camerawork (sometimes a lot) occurs in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Various people drink from carafes that may or may not have wine in them (and are shared with others). BLOOD/GORE Angelo's feet are dirty and/or slightly bloody from walking barefoot over rough rocks. Angelo has a little blood from the corner of his mouth. A man carries two animals by their feet, but we couldn't tell what they were and whether they were dead or alive (there's no blood). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE A scam artist tries to sell Salvatore some "medicine" that will cure Pietro being a mute. Sensing she's by herself, a man comes on to Lucy in a somewhat lecherous fashion that makes her uncomfortable. About Lucy, a miscellaneous man says anyone can have her, "You just have to pay." A man slowly makes his way through the women's sleeping quarters on the ship at night as they sleep. He looks over them and caresses some exposed skin (nothing explicit is seen) and then leans down and smells directly at one woman's crotch (we don't see anything). Fortunata has a bit of a bad attitude toward Lucy. Those doing the math and other testing of the immigrants state that lack of intelligence is inherited and thus don't want to allow anyone into the country who might mix such genes with others. Rita and Rosa are not happy in their newly arranged marriages, with one having a bad attitude toward her future husband (based on his looks and age, etc.). FRIGHTENING SCENES Before we know who he is, we see Pietro sneaking about a rocky hill, following two women who are traveling by themselves. He makes haunting bird-type sounds, unnerving the women (during the day). An older woman performs an exorcism of sorts on a woman whose friend says she doesn't eat, sleep, or talk now. The older woman straps the younger one down and then puts her hands up under the woman's skirt (we don't see anything) and then removes what looks like a snake (the younger woman had complained of something crawling around inside her, but it's implied the older woman has faked this to alleviate the woman's worries). It appears that a man's tooth is being pulled in the background of a shot (we partially see the motion, and hear the man screaming). Men and women separately panic in their respective sleeping quarters in the ship as it rocks back and forth presumably in rough seas. Many are thrown back and forth through the room, smashing into each other and opposing walls. Sometime later, we see many bodies lying on the floor, and they appear to be dead, but we then see that they're either asleep or unconscious. Up on the deck, we then see people carrying limp bodies, but we don't know if those people are dead, asleep, or unconscious. We do see, however, a woman carrying what's presumably her dead infant in a blanket. She's distraught, and then appears to dump the swaddled infant (that we never see) over the side of the ship. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "A scoundrel with a heart of gold," "You (bloody) fool," "You're sick," "Shut up," "Damn me and my ancestors," "(Ugly) Wretch," "Give us a break," "What the hell /do you want/is this glass?" "Damn you" and "Block-head" (in subtitled English). Pietro takes off his hat to reveal various snails that he's placed on his head. Salvatore buries himself up to his face in dirt (for some sort of ceremony or ritual). A miscellaneous man balances a spoon upright on his nose. A man slowly makes his way through the women's sleeping quarters on the ship at night as they sleep. He looks over them and caresses some exposed skin (nothing explicit is seen) and then leans down and smells directly at one woman's crotch (we don't see anything). JUMP SCENES The sudden blast of a ship's loud horn might startle some viewers. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 2 damns and 2 hells (in subtitled English). SEX/NUDITY A man tells Salvatore that two teens traveling with them must arrive in America as they left their land, "decent girls" (presumably meaning they must remain virgins). About Lucy, a miscellaneous man says anyone can have her, "You just have to pay." A man slowly makes his way through the women's sleeping quarters on the ship at night as they sleep. He looks over them and caresses some exposed skin (nothing explicit is seen) and then leans down and smells directly at one woman's crotch (we don't see anything). Lucy repeatedly sneaks out of the women's sleeping quarters at night, but we don't know if anything sexual is occurring or not. We see a little bit of a woman's cleavage. We see Salvatore and other shirtless men during their medical exam to be processed into the country. They're then told to drop their pants for additional checking and thus we see some bare butts (full and from the side), pubic hair, and very brief and partial views of penises (as well as Salvatore standing nude with just a hand over his crotch). We then see women being checked, but they're clothed. However, they're told to lie down on their sides, with nurses then checking their crotch areas under their clothing (we don't see anything beyond Fortunata being upset over the indignity of it all). We see various women in a group shower, and this is initially just a head and shoulders view of them (although we briefly see one's bare breasts). However, we then see a wide view of this shower scene and thus see full frontal and rear female nudity (none of this is sexual in nature). SMOKING Several miscellaneous people smoke or hold cigars or cigarettes in a few scenes. TENSE FAMILY SCENES When asked, Angelo says his mother died long ago. We see a woman carrying what's presumably her dead infant in a blanket (after a bad storm at sea the night before). She's distraught, and then appears to dump the swaddled infant (that we never see) over the side of the ship. Salvatore and Angelo are told that Fortunata and Pietro can't enter the country, with Salvatore then trying to plead his case for exemptions for them. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The immigrant experience today as compared to long ago. Ellis Island. The comment that those who leave for America are like seeds being planted in fertile ground and that they are their people's future. Being illiterate. The fact that Lucy couldn't get into the country unless she was married or engaged, even if that was only arranged for convenience. Those doing the math and other testing of the immigrants state that lack of intelligence is inherited and thus don't want to allow anyone into the country who might mix such genes with others. People who are mute. VIOLENCE Pietro grabs something from Angelo, prompting the latter to chase the former and eventually knock him to the ground. Salvatore then slaps Angelo on the head for doing that, since it could mean dirtying or losing their new clothes for their trip. We see some miscellaneous fighting between men in a crowd (seen from a distance, with wild punches thrown, etc.). Men and women separately panic in their respective sleeping quarters in the ship as it rocks back and forth presumably in rough seas. Many are thrown back and forth through the room, smashing into each other and opposing walls. Sometime later, we see many bodies lying on the floor, and they appear to be dead, but we then see that they're either asleep or unconscious. Up on the deck, we then see people carrying limp bodies, but we don't know if those people are dead, asleep, or unconscious. We do see, however, a woman carrying what's presumably her dead infant in a blanket. She's distraught, and then appears to dump the swaddled infant (that we never see) over the side of the ship. Angelo slaps Pietro on the back of the head for not following orders to strip for medical checks as part of their processing into the U.S. Reviewed June 1, 2007 / Posted June 15, 2007