Golden Door

2006 1h 58m IT

👍

6.5

SOLID

🍅

73%

FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

6.8

IMDB

★6.5TMDB · 151🍅73%Rotten Tomatoes●74Metacritic★6.8IMDB · 5,311

HistoryDramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

The story is set at the beginning of the 20th century in Sicily. Salvatore, a very poor farmer, and a widower, decides to emigrate to the US with all his family, including his old mother. Before they embark, they meet Lucy. She is supposed to be a British lady and wants to come back to the States. Lucy, or Luce as Salvatore calls her, for unknown reasons wants to marry someone before to arrive to Ellis Island in New York. Salvatore accepts the proposal. Once they arrive in Ellis Island they spend the quarantine period trying to pass the examinations to be admitted to the States. Tests are not so simple for poor farmers coming from Sicily. Their destiny is in the hands of the custom officers.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Cast

Charlotte Gainsbourg
Lucy Reed
Vincenzo Amato
Salvatore Mancuso
Aurora Quattrocchi
Fortunata Mancuso
Francesco Casisa
Angelo Mancuso
Filippo Pucillo
Pietro Mancuso
Vincent Schiavelli
Don Luigi
Federica De Cola
Rita D'Agostini
Isabella Ragonese
Rosa Napolitano

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Emanuele Crialese
Writers: Emanuele Crialese, Emanuele Crialese, Emanuele Crialese
Languages: Italian, English
Countries: France, Italy

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 72% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 20 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Italian, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, Italy.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Emanuele Crialese, shot by Agnès Godard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Original score by Antonio Castrigano. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Maryline Monthieux shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Charlotte Gainsbourg and Vincenzo Amato and Aurora Quattrocchi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Emanuele Crialese directs. Agnès Godard behind the camera. Antonio Castrigano scores. Maryline Monthieux cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in France, Italy. Dialogue in Italian, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 72% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 20 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Italian, English.
4International production across 2 countries: France, Italy.
5Directed by Emanuele Crialese, shot by Agnès Godard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Antonio Castrigano. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Maryline Monthieux shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Charlotte Gainsbourg and Vincenzo Amato and Aurora Quattrocchi carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0465188 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 20 themes, including "ship", "attachment to nature", "restart", "parent child relationship".
11Released under 21 different titles around the world.