A Polish-Jewish family comes to the U.S. at the beginning of the twentieth century. There, the family and their children try to make themselves a better future in the so-called promised land.
Direction
Levinson's semi-autobiographical love letter to Baltimore's vanished world.
Cinematography
Golden-hour nostalgia that makes poverty look almost beautiful.
Acting
Mueller-Stahl's patriarch anchors decades of subtle transformation.
Director
Barry Levinson
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Levinson filmed in his actual childhood neighborhood; many extras were real Baltimore residents who remembered the era.
The opening fire scene? Inspired by Levinson's grandfather, who really did arrive to America during the 1914 Baltimore fire.
US
