Some thoughts:
Elia Kazan tried to make the quintessential film on immigrants, America
America, a film that had the baggage of an autobiographical explanation for
his betrayal of friends in Hollywood during the HUAC/blacklisting era.
This year's Beautiful People, though, handled the problems, comedic elements,
and assimilationist hopes in England much better in my opinion.

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Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the
University of Alabama: http://www.tcf.ua.edu