The Man Who Cried

As the sun dipped into the horizon on that fateful day in 1927, a young Fegele Abramovich (Christina Ricci) bid an emotional farewell to her father (Oleg Yankovsky), who had set out to pursue his dreams in America. With a promise to send for her and her grandmother, he left behind a treasured memento - a haunting rendition of "Je Crois Entendre Encore" from Les pêcheurs de perles, sung with all the passion his heart could muster. Little did Fegele know that this tender goodbye would be the last she saw of her father for years to come.

As the village was ravaged by a pogrom, leaving destruction and despair in its wake, Fegele's neighbors came together to help her escape. Eventually, she found herself crammed onto a boat bound for Britain, clutching only a cherished photo of her father and a coin from her grandmother as talismans.

Upon arrival, the authorities renamed her "Susan" and placed her with foster parents. The transition was not without its challenges, as English students at school mercilessly taunted her with jeers, labeling her a "gypsy". Yet, amidst this turmoil, Fegele found solace in the world of music. A perceptive teacher took notice of her beautiful singing voice and taught her to master both English speech and song.

As time passed, Susan's talents caught the attention of a prestigious dance troupe heading for Paris. It was there that she met Lola (Cate Blanchett), an older Russian dancer who would become her confidante and roommate. The trio of women - including Susan, Lola, and their enigmatic host, Cesar (Johnny Depp) - also found themselves performing alongside a mysterious equine acrobat at a high-society soiree. Among the evening's festivities was a tenor's soulful rendition of "Je Crois Entendre Encore", which sent shivers down Susan's spine. The voice belonged to Dante (John Turturro), an Italian opera singer who would soon captivate Lola with his charm and charisma.

As the opera company, helmed by Felix Perlman (Harry Dean Stanton), continued to tour, Susan found herself entwined in a complex web of relationships. Cesar introduced her to his tribe, and they fell deeply in love. Meanwhile, Dante's increasing devotion to Lola only served to further alienate him from Susan, despite their shared passion for music. As the curtain rose on this intricate drama, it became clear that the power of love and art would be tested against the backdrop of war and oppression.

As Dante (actor name) rummages through Suzie's belongings following his clandestine tryst with Lola, he inadvertently uncovers her Jewish heritage by stumbling upon a photograph of her father. Madame Goldstein, an elderly Jewish neighbor who lives downstairs, is aware of Suzie's Jewish identity and had previously cautioned her about the looming dangers as Germany invades Poland. The following year, as the Germans march into France and close in on Paris, a mass exodus unfolds, with Jews and others threatened by Nazism fleeing for their lives. The once-thriving operatic show begins to dwindle, until only Dante and Suzie remain. However, when Dante attempts to woo Suzie, she rebuffs him, prompting him to lash out at her heritage and her relationship with Cesar, whose own heritage he scorns. Perlman intervenes, reminding Dante that as an Italian in Paris during this tumultuous time, his own position would be precarious if Mussolini were to align with the Nazis. With Perlman's intervention, the show is brought to a close, and the Nazis enter Paris the very next morning.

Dante reluctantly reverts back to his earlier role as minstrel, only to face another rebuff from Suzie. In a moment of desperation, he reveals to a German officer that Suzie is Jewish, unaware that Lola has been listening in. She informs Suzie of her perilous situation and implores her to leave Paris, adding that she herself will be departing with tickets for an ocean liner bound for America. On the night of their farewell party, the Nazis launch a brutal attack on a Romani village, claiming the life of a child. As Cesar pays Suzie a somber goodbye visit, she confides in him her desire to remain and fight alongside his family against the Nazi regime, but he urges her to flee and find her father.

On the fateful night, tragedy strikes as the ocean liner is torpedoed, claiming Lola's life in the process. Suzie is among the survivors rescued and brought to New York, forever changed by the horrors she has witnessed.

As Suzie delves deeper into the mystery of her father's whereabouts, she uncovers a trail of secrets that leads her to the unlikeliest of destinations: Hollywood. It is here that she discovers her father, once a renowned singer, has traded in his microphone for a seat at the helm of a major studio. But beneath the façade of success and prestige lies a complex web of deceit and heartache. For Suzie soon learns that her father's decision to abandon his former life was precipitated by the devastating attack on their home village, an event he believed had claimed the lives of all those dear to him. The weight of this revelation is compounded by the discovery that her father has not only rebranded himself but has also built a new family around him - one that will soon be bereft of his presence. As Suzie navigates the treacherous landscape of her father's double life, she finds herself drawn to the hospital where he lies dying. With a mix of trepidation and hope, she approaches the door to his room, steeling herself for the emotional rollercoaster that awaits her. And then, in an instant, their eyes meet - a moment of pure recognition that transcends time and circumstance. The air is thick with emotion as Suzie takes her father's hand, and together they share a poignant reunion, one that is underscored by the haunting beauty of "Je Crois Entendre Encore," sung softly in Yiddish as tears stream down their faces.