Sicily, beginning of the 20th century. The widowed but still young villager Salvatore is determined to believe the stories of prosperity awaiting him in distant America, and he decides to sell what little he has and leaves with his children and his aging mother on a journey to the promised land. Before the family sets foot on the boat along with hundreds of other emigrants, Salvatore makes the acquaintance of a well-dressed young woman who speaks to him in English and claims that she is an Englishwoman of noble descent… The true identity of Lucy remains a mystery but it is clear that she knows how to use her charms. In the next chapter of the film, describing the dreadful voyage, Salvatore defends Lucy against invectives from other passengers while gradually succumbing to her magic. The third part documents their arrival on Ellis Island, scenes which are shrouded in fog reminiscent of Fellini’s And the Ship Sails On. As soon as the emigrants step onto dry land, they are subjected to a series of examinations and tests to determine whether they are fit enough to pass through the “Golden Door”.