America, America Page #3

Synopsis: Elia Kazan, ethnic Greek but Turkish by birth, tells the story of the struggles of his uncle - in this account named Stavros Topouzoglou - in emigrating to America. In the 1890's, the young, kind-hearted but naive Stavros lived in Anatolia, where the Greek and Armenian minorities were repressed by the majority Turks, this repression which often led to violence. Even Stavros being friends with an Armenian was frowned upon. As such, Stavros dreamed of a better life - specifically in America - where, as a result, he could make his parents proud by his grand accomplishments. Instead, his parents, with most of their money, sent Stavros to Constantinople to help fund the carpet shop owned by his first cousin once removed. What Stavros encountered on his journey, made on foot with a small donkey, made him question life in Anatolia even further. Once in Constantinople, his resolve to earn the 110 Turkish pound third class fare to the United States became stronger than ever. But try after try,
Genre: Drama
Director(s): Elia Kazan
Production: Warner Home Video
  Won 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 11 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.8
Rotten Tomatoes:
71%
NOT RATED
Year:
1963
174 min
414 Views


Come on, now.

What are you doing?

I can't swim!

Be careful, the donkey,

you'll knock him in!

What are you doing?

I'll give you whatever you want.

I can't swim!

I'll give you more money.

God will punish you.

God knows my problems.

Be grateful I'm not looking

what's on the donkey's back.

Thief! Catch him!

Catch him! Thief!

Thief! Thief! Thief!

Catch him! Catch him!

How will I ever thank you?

It is I who am fortunate.

I, only I, brother.

This road to Ankara...

is the home of every mother-selling

bandit bastard in Turkey.

What good fortune is mine

to meet a brother on the road!

I beg you, it is my good fortune,

not yours.

What a sweet smile you have.

You and I, brothers?

Anything I have, is yours.

Just as I know everything

you have is mine.

Brother!

Brother, my heart aches,

when I see this poor animal...

struggling with this load

on his back.

I'm sure that at this very moment,

Allah is saying to himself...

"When will that man,

who is always smiling...

finally become aware of the pain

he is causing this poor beast?"

Do you think that is possible?

No...

Yes, I mean...

Then we must insist that my animal

share the load...

I insist. After all,

smoked meat is heavy.

So? So, as we are brothers

of the road...

our animals must be brothers

as well. Come on, help me.

Get down, get down.

Mukur.

Brother, I know this town well.

I've been a helpless victim of many

a bandit in the town of Mukur.

We'll camp here, on this hillside.

What will we do for food?

Delicious. Delicious meat.

Here, brother, eat.

Food is strength. We've 9 or 10

days' journey to Ankara.

They say the Prophet

walked barefoot...

but it must've been

over different roads.

I can go no further.

I thought these shoes

would last...

but I expected to ride. I wasn't

prepared for all this walking.

See?

What do you think?

I beg you, consider...

my brother sold a side of delicious

meat his family entrusted to him.

This is my price.

Brother, I did my best.

How are the shoes?

They pinch.

My feet are covered in boils

and sores.

Perhaps you could rest

in the next town.

And you?

I'll go on.

Oh, no, brother,

I could never leave you.

Why?

Never, never.

No, I would never leave you,

I could never abandon my brother...

but I must have one drink.

Brother, my soul is thirsty,

my heart is dry...

surely you would not deny me

one miserable drink.

I confess I can't pay for this one.

You didn't pay for the others.

It was unnecessary for you to remind

me that I am less fortunate than you.

After all, in friendship,

there is only one rule.

What's mine, is yours

and what's yours, is mine.

You have nothing.

As the Prophet said,

"Who can place a price on wisdom?"

Despite the Prophet,

this is the last I pay for.

You wish you'd never met me.

For some reason you cannot speak

what is obvious.

I had hoped my brother would be

for the entire journey.

Only last week, a man was murdered

between here and Ankara...

not far from this town

on the road to Ankara.

Behold...

Allah weeps for me.

Allah weeps for me!

Allah!

Allah, here I am!

Abandoned, without friends...

alone, without shelter!

Abdul, come on, Abdul!

All of you, go on.

No money, no roof.

Get out in the rain.

Go ahead.

You can't stay here. You chickens,

where do you think you're going?

That boy has plenty of money.

Brother, I've decided

not to leave you.

You don't seem

as happy as I am.

Where's that famous smile?

Smile!

I confess, I sold the meat,

but I did it for you, I swear.

They say a rope drawn too taut

will snap.

Now, look.

Look what I've brought you.

Chingana.

Chingana is for you.

I don't know the other's name, but

we'll find out all about her soon.

Join us, come, come!

The bear has a nose for females!

Here, give me that chair.

There's a Greek, attacking

without warning!

Thank you.

I forgive him everything.

Brother.

I brought up everything

out of the rain, brother!

What happened?

What, brother? They're all here,

every beautiful item.

Oh, my God.

What have you done?

Look, look!

Oh, my God.

They're all here.

Every single item.

Where are my sister's blankets?

While you were asleep, this woman

has given me unspeakable pleasure.

My sister's blankets.

Where is my coat?

You're wearing it, brother.

Look, here.

Oh, my God.

I know she must look

like a beast.

I'll admit that when one is older

one's tastes are easily satisfied...

but do not go by her appearance,

take her into the other room.

Penetrate to her soul,

go on!

My mother's rug!

I have never met a more generous

and brotherly person than you.

This trip is a landmark

in my life.

You're my brother.

Where is my mother's rug?

I beg you,

don't use that tone of voice.

Never mind my tone of voice,

where is my mother's rug?

You animal!

You animal,

where is my mother's rug?

I gave it to him.

To him? You gave my rug to him?

What for? What for?

To pay for your night's lodging

that's what for.

You can pay for your room

in money. Cash!

Give me my sister's blankets!

It is a rag. I was ashamed

to have my friends see it...

so I put it on the floor of

the toilet. Give me the cash.

I beg your forgiveness,

I cannot live without it.

Before all this company,

I beg your forgiveness.

Brother, don't leave me on my knees,

don't insult my soul.

Brother, I have never before

been on my knees to a Greek.

With a Turk you can either be

a brother or the opposite.

I warn you.

Brother.

Brother.

Brother.

Too bad.

Too bad.

That's the thief, take him.

Fortunately, Your Honour,

I've made an exact list...

of every particular this man stole

from me in the darkest hour.

Lies, lies!

Your Honour,

he insults your court.

"One carpet, the colour of roses

and the blue of midnight."

Behold, Your Honour.

As described.

A beautiful piece.

"One blanket,

the colour of peaches..."

-Make him take my coat off.

-Take off the coat.

I had a terrible time

after you left.

Those policemen

and that judge...

offered to divide my new

possessions with me.

When I declined,

they all helped themselves.

The judge particularly

wanted the rug.

The law in this country

needs considerable reform.

Look, I'll show you

what I have left.

Nothing, you see?

Nothing.

There are some coins missing.

About six of them,

by my estimates.

I came to the conclusion

that you'd swallowed them.

No?

I saw you do so in court.

At the time, I thought to myself

"Let him have something, poor thing."

But the situation has changed.

I cannot be so generous.

I'll admit that you've been patient.

If I'd been you, I'd have

taken out that blade...

and put it to its proper use,

but we Turks are primitive...

while you Greeks are civilised.

I envy you. You've learned

how to bear misfortune...

swallow insult and indignity

and still smile. I truly envy you.

Well? Is there anything?

Anything moving?

Nothing yet?

How long do you suppose?

Only Allah know that, eh?

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Elia Kazan

Elia Kazan (; born Elias Kazantzoglou; September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was a Greek-American director, producer, writer and actor, described by The New York Times as "one of the most honored and influential directors in Broadway and Hollywood history".He was born in Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey), to Cappadocian Greek parents. After attending Williams College and then the Yale School of Drama, he acted professionally for eight years, later joining the Group Theatre in 1932, and co-founded the Actors Studio in 1947. With Robert Lewis and Cheryl Crawford, his actors' studio introduced "Method Acting" under the direction of Lee Strasberg. Kazan acted in a few films, including City for Conquest (1940).Noted for drawing out the best dramatic performances from his actors, he directed 21 actors to Oscar nominations, resulting in nine wins. He directed a string of successful films, including A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), On the Waterfront (1954), and East of Eden (1955). During his career, he won two Oscars as Best Director, three Tony Awards, and four Golden Globes. He also received an Honorary Oscar. His films were concerned with personal or social issues of special concern to him. Kazan writes, "I don't move unless I have some empathy with the basic theme." His first such "issue" film was Gentleman's Agreement (1947), with Gregory Peck, which dealt with anti-Semitism in America. It received 8 Oscar nominations and 3 wins, including Kazan's first for Best Director. It was followed by Pinky, one of the first films in mainstream Hollywood to address racial prejudice against black people. In 1954, he directed On the Waterfront, a film about union corruption on the New York harbor waterfront. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), an adaptation of the stage play which he had also directed, received 12 Oscar nominations, winning 4, and was Marlon Brando's breakthrough role. In 1955, he directed John Steinbeck's East of Eden, which introduced James Dean to movie audiences. A turning point in Kazan's career came with his testimony as a witness before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1952 at the time of the Hollywood blacklist, which brought him strong negative reactions from many liberal friends and colleagues. His testimony helped end the careers of former acting colleagues Morris Carnovsky and Art Smith, along with ending the work of playwright Clifford Odets. Kazan later justified his act by saying he took "only the more tolerable of two alternatives that were either way painful and wrong." Nearly a half-century later, his anti-Communist testimony continued to cause controversy. When Kazan was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1999, dozens of actors chose not to applaud as 250 demonstrators picketed the event.Kazan influenced the films of the 1950s and '60s with his provocative, issue-driven subjects. Director Stanley Kubrick called him, "without question, the best director we have in America, [and] capable of performing miracles with the actors he uses." Film author Ian Freer concludes that even "if his achievements are tainted by political controversy, the debt Hollywood—and actors everywhere—owes him is enormous." In 2010, Martin Scorsese co-directed the documentary film A Letter to Elia as a personal tribute to Kazan. more…

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