THE IMMIGRANT
US, 2013, 120 minutes, Colour.
Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner, Dagmara Dominczyk.
Directed by James Gray.
The Immigrant is a grim film.
It is 1921, boats full of migrants sail into in New York Harbour, passing the Statue of Liberty, full of hope, then landing at the migrant centre on Ellis Island, a vast and milling place where apprehensive migrants, many not speaking English or unsure of it, face the officials who grill them on their backgrounds, sometimes threatening, on the lookout for any who have contagious illnesses, eventually passing the greater number of them who then go out into the vastness of the city of New York and its streets, sometimes welcoming, sometimes welcoming.
The two immigrants at the beginning of this story are Polish sisters, Ewa and Magda, who have left their home country in some desperation and are relying on the welcome of an uncle and aunt. The plan does not go well. Magda is suffering from tuberculosis and is quarantined. There have been some accusation against Ewa and her behaviour on the ship and she is held under some suspicion.
This part of the plot is forcefully communicated with Marion Cotillard playing Ewa.
Enter Bruno, played by Joaquin Phoenix. He seems a concerned American, appearing on Ellis Island to help those in need. He chooses Ewa. We are taken in by him initially but it soon appears that he is a rogue, manipulating the authorities, sometimes buying them off, choosing women allegedly to help but actually taking them to his dive of a vaudeville theatre, where they are to perform, where they are to become prostitutes. At first, Ewa is grateful, relying on his attentions, then gradually realising the truth.
The option for Ewa is to be confined on Ellis Island and deported or to go along with Bruno’s plans and get enough money for him to buy off a guard who will release Magda. Ewa makes the option for her sister.
Bruno becomes infatuated with Ewa and falls in love with her. She can accept his help but not his affection. Complication arises when she sees a magician, Emil (Jeremy Renner) performing at Ellis Island and is attracted to him, and he to her. It emerges that he is a cousin to Bruno and that they have clashed for many years. They fight disastrously.
Ewa goes to see her aunt but is rejected by her uncle, later going again to get some financial help. As she collects her money, Bruno becomes somewhat compassionate, not entirely unredeemable.
The film has been directed by James Gray, who has made only a few films but stories of the grimmer side of American life, Little Odessa, The Yards, We Own the Night, Two Lovers. Joaquin Phoenix has appeared in most of his films. Phoenix is a versatile actor and offers an interesting performance here, a complex man of good and evil. The emotional power of the film relies on Marion Cotillard who is a mixture of tenderness, strength and determination, someone who may realise her American dream.
1. An American story? American migration? From Europe? Experiences, hardships, hopes?
2. 1921, costumes and decor, Ellis Island, the vast spaces, corridors, assemblies? New York City, neighbourhoods, poverty? The dives, the shows, prostitution, violence? The musical score?
3. The title, plain, emphatic, Ewa and Magda, their story, self-sacrifice, family and leaving Poland? Degradation? Possibilities?
4. The start, the irony of the Statue of Liberty? Landing, the officials, treatment, questioning? Documents? The careful scrutiny about illness? Quarantine? The possibilities of being deported? The bond between the two sisters? The picture? Ewa and her motives, Magda ill and being taken away?
5. Ewa, the accusation of misconduct? Holding it against her? In the queue, Bruno’s presence, his choice of her, seemingly random, the later revelations of his manipulation and bribes? Ewa, her desperation? The story about her uncle and aunt and their change of address? Ewa and her reaction? Being taken by Bruno, the lodgings, the women, poverty, sleeping 13 hours, waking to a new life?
6. Bruno, his pose, everything arranged, his lodgings, his attraction towards Ewa? His theatre, the woman in charge, the rehearsals? The clients, the reactions of the men? The girls and their performances, prostitutes? Ewa and her being unwilling? Bruno’s hold over her, and need for money, to pay for Magda’s release, her reluctant agreement? His attentions?
7. Ewa, trapped? Visiting her aunt, the severity of her uncle? The later visit to the aunt to get money? The women, her friend, the religious dimension, the church, her talking about her religion and her faith?
8. Going to Ellis Island, the concert, Orlando the magician, his performance? Emil and his attraction to Ewa? His presence at the theatre?
9. Emil, the past, Bruno’s cousin, the history between them? magic and performance? the clash with Bruno, Bruno laying down the law, Emil causing trouble, his being ousted?
10. Bruno and the girls, being dismissed by the owner of the theatre? Central Park, under the bridge, the girls, on display, the men passing by? The young man, choosing Ewa, the meeting with Emil, the bond between the two, Bruno’s discovering them?
11. Bruno and Emil, the clash, Emil’s death? Ewa’s grief?
12. Jealous girl, giving information?
13. Ewa, the arrest, Bruno helping her again, going to Ellis island, the deal for Magda, the official, the money, his allowing Magda to leave with Ewa?
14. Bruno, the complexity of his character, exploiting people but some good nature? The effect on Ewa? Her not wanting to see him again?
15. Ewa, going west with her sister, prospects?
