the leading man is my tpye

The greatest movie ever made..!

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

We forget our roots and the origins of others but this film will nicely remind you of the beginning of may Americans and how they came to this land of the free. First of all one must dream of something greater and for tens of millions of people America was that dream. This is nicely portrayed in this movie as we focus on one family and its one family member that caught the liberty and freedom gene and never let go no matter what came to take it. Today, 3 generations of Americans have forgotten what a privilege it is to be born here and to come here because they are here and have forgotten the contrast which keeps you humble and appreciative for what we tend to take for granted every day. There are a few poignant scenes that will excite emotions as well as a satisfying ending bringing closure to the point made in the movie. Get to America at all costs because whatever it cost is worth it if only everyone could see and have this. Many who came here were so overwhelmed with the experience (for the good) that all they could say or think of was I want all of family back home, wherever that was, to come here and see for yourself. The movie covers that too. We also learn that without passion, life is cheapened and with passion, life has meaning. Next time you go for a burger and fries, or to a movie or a park, give a moment to where you are and why and how beautiful it is to not only be here but to have that "here" in your heart. Good movie for sunflower or pumpkin seeds munching with a tasty drink. Sandwich works too. Take note of America's nick-name: Oh beautiful

I first saw this film shortly after it came out when I was a young man, subject to all the passions and sensibilities of young men, an emotional slate on which it was still possible to write with bold strokes. And surely that accounted, to some degree, for the acutely emotional experience this film represented for me. It haunted me for days after I left the theater, and to some degree, has haunted me ever since, continuing to find a kind of timeless relevance in today's world. Very simply it is the story of a young man and his struggle to reach America. It is based on a true story, of the journey undertaken by director Elia Kazan's uncle, and it is played to perfection by a stellar cast, none of whom gives a more mesmerizing performance than young Stathis Giallelis, as Stavros. Because of its splendid, soul stirring music score, its location photography, and its flawless direction, I think it is perhaps the most nearly perfect film I have ever seen, and a deeply moving experience. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Forced to choose a favorite director, it would most likely be Kazan, and this is his masterpiece.

Director Kazan tells the story of his uncle (named Stavros in the film) who grew up in Turkey and emigrated to the United States as a young man. Stravos was Greek and, in the late 1800s when the movie takes place, Greeks were an oppressed minority in Turkey, along with the Armenians. The movie does a good job of showing how incensed Stavros is to see his father's obsequious behavior toward the Turks, and he suffers humiliation in an early scene where the Turks take what they want from an ice cart without any recompense. Stavros's yearning to escape this oppression is well motivated and his feelings are no secret within the family. Seeing his outrage, the family gives Stavros everything they can spare so that he can get to Constantinople to work with his uncle, a rug seller. From there we follow Stavros through some difficult adventures as he pursues his monomaniacal quest to get to America. When someone says, "I would kill to do such and such," it is usually spoken metaphorically, but it becomes a reality for Stavros. The stories of Kazan's real life uncle came down to him as family history. As any tale handed down through several tellers this story gives evidence of embellishments. Whether these came down to Kazan as presented in the movie, or whether he added his own we don't know, but consider the chance meeting on a trail in the countryside between Stavros and Hohannes, an impoverished compatriot who also is bent on getting to America. Stavros gives Hohannes his shoes and this established a bond between the two. Then years later it turns out that Stavros and Hohannes are on the same boat to America and, through a complicated plot point, Hohannes gives his life so that Stavros can make it. Seems to stretch believability. And I have to think that the scene where Stavros is taken for dead and happens to fall off the burial cart is overplayed.The black and white photography by Haskell Wexler is impressive. Black and white is appropriate for the stark nature of this movie; there are hardly even any shades of gray in Stavros's personality. Even as much a fan of black and white as I am, I was left wondering how filming this in color would change the the tone of the movie.While the forces driving Stavros to his destiny were clear, in his portrayal of the man I felt that Stathis Giallelis did not emote the strength of character that Stavros must have had in order to accomplish what he did. Think of a young Anthony Quinn in this role. The last part of the movie is quite emotional. The scenes at Ellis Island are so realistic that I assume many of them come from documentary footage. Poignant to see how the ancestors of many of us born in this country came to be here.The score by Manos Hadjidakis is memorable.

Reading the rave reviews here, I feel a bit like the boy in the Emperor's New Clothes, but ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I found this movie almost unwatchable. I really don't understand the cult of Kazan -- I wonder if sometimes he doesn't benefit from a kind of reverse discrimination -- some people just determined to like the films --- good or bad -- just to spite those who feel so strongly about his political / ethical behavior in the 1950's. (FYI - from what I understand of it all, I can't say that I think he behaved as well as possible, but I have no problem separating that from his movies.) The movie is pretty in some parts, but I found the acting to be clichéd and hackneyed. The dialogue was worse and was aggravated by the fact that the actors were apparently all directed (or at least allowed ) to SHOUT LOTS OF THEIR LINES (to show that they are a heartfelt peasant folk wearing their emotions on their sleeves? Or maybe just to try to keep the audience awake.) The fact that most of them do it with a Lower East Side New York accent is just a bonus. Except the lead, who somehow picked up a Greek-ish accent (it starts to sound more Latino as the movie goes on) in a village where his parents and neighbors sound like Anne Bancroft and Mel Brooks (no wonder he wants to go to America.) But he doesn't talk so much -- his specialty seems to be long, dark smoldering looks. I guess the looks are meant to substitute for motive -- while he is obsessed with getting to America, it's hard to believe that his desire to do so overwhelms the other opportunities he's presented with in Constantinople ------ frankly, he ends up seeming a bit simple-minded throughout the film.I agree with the commentator who noted that there aren't a lot of movies that deal with the Armenian genocide, but I don't see where that means you should celebrate a bad one (especially one that is really about the Greeks anyway, not that they were treated well by the Turks either). I certainly don't think that a movie that perpetuates every dumb stereotype about Greeks and Turks and immigrants (and Americans, come to think of it) is anything worth getting excited about. I'd say the only reason to rush to get this one on DVD is that it'd be easier to fast forward through it than on VHS.