Once Upon a Time in America [1984]

Legendary Italian director Sergio Leone achieved world renown thanks to his irresistible “Spaghetti Western” trilogy, in particular The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. But the general consensus is that his final film, Once Upon A Time in America, was his greatest masterpiece. An epic tale of loyalty, camaraderie, lost love, and life on the streets, this is a gangster movie of tremendous power and vision. The nearly 4 hours running time might act as a deterrent, but given a choice I would have wanted the movie to go on forever – such is its breathtaking scope and beauty. The story revolves around four Jewish kids growing up in New York’s Lower East Side during the era of Prohibition and their rise through the ranks in the world of mobsters; but in essence it is, in equal measures, a tour de force statement and an elegiac poetry on American Dream. Robert De Nero, as the chief protagonist Noodles, was terrific in bringing forth the character’s emotional complexity despite never showcasing the manic outbursts he is famous for; James Woods, too, was great as his volatile comrade. The movie also boasts of a haunting score by Leone’s iconic collaborator Ennio Moricone.








Director: Sergio Leone
Genre: Gangster Drama/Ensemble Movie/Buddy Film
Language: English
Country: US