A Jewish paramilitary smuggles more than 600 Holocaust survivors detained in a Cyprus camp onto a cargo vessel and makes an illegal crossing to Palestine - a bold action that will trigger the turbulent events surrounding the post-war founding of the state of Israel. Otto Preminger's drama, based on Leon Uris's novel, starring Paul Newman, Ralph Richardson, Eva Marie Saint, Peter Lawford and Lee J Cobb.

Ari Ben Canaan, a passionate member of the Jewish paramilitary group Haganah, attempts to transport 600 Jewish refugees on a dangerous voyage from Cyprus to Palestine on a ship named the Exodus. He faces obstruction from British forces, who will not grant the ship passage to its destination.