1905 was a period of heavy immigration from Europe to America before laws were passed restricting the flow of immigrants. Almost every character in this movie is a recent arrival. Tisa has been in America only four months, yet she is holding four jobs to save enough money to pay for her father's boat passage to America. She works in a garment factory in Greenwich Village owned by Mr. Grumbach, who is studying to pass his citizenship test. Denek, a brash young man, tries to help her but gets her into trouble and her deportation is ordered by an immigration judge.
Lilli Palmer
as Tisa Kepes
Sam Wanamaker
as Mark Denek
Akim Tamiroff
as Mr. Grumbach
Alan Hale
as Dugan
Stella Adler
as Mrs. Faludi
Hugo Haas
as Tescu
Gale Robbins
as Jenny Kepes
Benny Baker
as Herman
Sumner Getchell
as Georgie
Sid Tomack
as BinkaBinka
John Qualen
as Svenson
Tom Dillon
as Riley
