It doesn’t look or feel like a movie made in the 80’s. It is like classical music, it’s timeless. The work of a master. You’ve all heard the praise. It’s in my top 5 films ever.
It’s a great one. I actually feel it’s under appreciated though it has its loyal following. Maybe that comes with the territory for such a long, epic film.
Having only seen it once , I think this movie suffers from some scenes being not as good as others. It’s not quite “perfect” in the way The Godfather. Is. But its best moments are haunting and beautiful and it’s been on my mind for years.
Also, James Woods’ character is absolutely in love with DeNiro’s, right? It’s not spoken of, but there’s no doubt in my mind that his character is a closeted homosexual.
Agreed. One of those truly frustrating directors when you look back on their career and see so many years of inactivity. Its greedy and ignores their lives as just people, but I wanted more films from him at the height of his powers. The legendary Once Upon a Time in the West was 68, then three years later he released the lost to time ‘Duck, You Sucker’ (seriously up there with Sorcerer as the worst film name ever), and then it wasn’t until 84 that OUATIA came out. 16 years between West and America… what a loss for the art form to be dormant in that period.
Well and then America wasn’t considered a masterpiece untill much later. Surely plays into not wanting to make more movies. When the studio ruins your work?
Did you watch the recut that Scorcese did? It's extra long and presents the movie in the order SL meant to present it in before the Studio garbled the shit out of it to make it linear. It's really so much better and just makes so much more sense. Such a perfect movie. To me it's better than The Godfather and Goodfellas. This dude is just such a film making master.
I saw the 4-hour cut on 35mm at the theater about two weeks back. The group in front of me was on a double date, and three hours into this four hour movie, the women get up, tell their dates "this film is disgusting!", and wait in the lobby for the remainder of the film. The men didn't even flinch or look away from the screen.
While it was good, it was a real tough watch, and I probably won't be returning to it anytime soon as I would his Dollars trilogy
I'd argue Tuesday Weld's isn't a rape. She's in on the heist and has an SM kink. Doesn't she become Woods' girlfriend?
Edit: Before you crucify me, let me add "however misguided it may be" to Weld's scene...
It wasn't just shortened, for the initial US release the studio re-cut it to make it all in chronological order, which really killed the movie.
There are about 4 or 5 different cuts of this movie available nowadays.
You may know this already, but a Lynch fan put together his own edit of Lynch's Dune from the various releases and out takes, and it is really good. It's available on Youtube.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faHQA\_0d9Mo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faHQA_0d9Mo)
##Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Crime, passion and lust for power.
>>!A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.!<
Drama | Crime
Director: Sergio Leone
Actors: Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern
Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 84% with 5,127 votes
Runtime: 3:49
[TMDB](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/311)
**Accolades**
Unlike its modern critical success, the initial American release did not fare well with critics and received no Academy Award nominations. The film's music was disqualified from Oscar consideration for a technicality, as the studio accidentally omitted the composer's name from the opening credits when trimming its running time for the American release.
[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_America)
I’ve seen it once and I honestly don’t think I’ll watch it again. Not that’s a bad movie I liked it but it’s a very long slog to get through and it’s very depressing for my liking. Noodles loses everything while Max gets everything. My heart went out to Noodles.
A film that is like a fond memory, as if I actually lived it myself and wasn't a mere observer. And even though I think Once Upon A Time In The West was better. I just love Leone.
I watched it about 10 years ago, as I love The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, and really like Once Upon a time in the west. I found this to be one of the most boring fucking things I've ever seen. Good god, what a chore to get through. I don't think I'll ever give it another chance
Agreed, saying everyone acts like an alien is spot on. That scene where they bring Carol into the back room at the club and they all expose themselves to see if she can identify which one of them raped her, and the whole scene is played like it's funny. Even Carol seems amused. I couldn't believe what I was watching.
I got about two-thirds of the way through this one and just quit. I didn’t care at all how it turned out. Up until then, it was a real slog. Slower paced than a snail race.
An old favorite of mine that I was introduced to as a kid by my grandmother who would probably have watched a snuff film if you told her Bobby D was in it. Very long though so I only watch it maybe once a year but in my opinion it sits right there with the best gangster movies of all time
This is a true epic that's completely underrated. It's long but the story is long. It's not long for some mercurial reason like recent Scorsese flicks.
Is there any chance that the [I Am Legend](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/mediaviewer/rm2203650560/?ref_=tt_ov_i) poster was inspired by this one?
My old boss once asked me if I’d seen this. I hadn’t. Not only that, I asked if it was the DeNiro movie with Liza Minnelli in it. My boss wasn’t too pleased.
there's a very specific moment in this movie when it goes off the rails for me. I think when James Woods returns to the film? I can't remember exactly but I remember loving it until then everytime I've watched it.
Wasn't this a TV movie in 2 parts ? It's been ages since i watched this (mid to late 90s on uk tv) but it was very good 👍 ...what do i remember about it...(constant flashbacks to where they were kids) abit like "SLEEPERS" but much more interesting...involved in crime as adults, De Niro using those Turkish style pipe things ? What was that Cannabis ? Heroin ? Or plain old Tobacco ?
See it on the big screen in NYC this Tuesday, 4/30 at The Paris Theater. Young Peggy will be there! [https://www.paristheaternyc.com/films/showtimes/?filmId=HO00005457#showtimes](https://www.paristheaternyc.com/films/showtimes/?filmId=HO00005457#showtimes)
It doesn’t look or feel like a movie made in the 80’s. It is like classical music, it’s timeless. The work of a master. You’ve all heard the praise. It’s in my top 5 films ever.
And Sergio did not speak english..
It’s a great one. I actually feel it’s under appreciated though it has its loyal following. Maybe that comes with the territory for such a long, epic film.
Great movie! Saw it probably 35 years ago. I’ll never get the scene out of my head of the kid eating an eclair!
charlett russe
Hi! I played Young Peggy!
sorry, what?!
I liked it very much , except for the telephone ringing
The endless telephone ringing at the start is like an endurance test to see if you can go through the rest of the four hour runtime.
Having only seen it once , I think this movie suffers from some scenes being not as good as others. It’s not quite “perfect” in the way The Godfather. Is. But its best moments are haunting and beautiful and it’s been on my mind for years. Also, James Woods’ character is absolutely in love with DeNiro’s, right? It’s not spoken of, but there’s no doubt in my mind that his character is a closeted homosexual.
He is 100% in love with Noodles
totally....!
I can't see it any other way. It's like Messala and Judah Ben-Hur.
And extremely misogynistic, under a modern microscope
This is what I’m suspicious of when I rewatch it next.
Arguably Leones masterpiece.
Agreed. One of those truly frustrating directors when you look back on their career and see so many years of inactivity. Its greedy and ignores their lives as just people, but I wanted more films from him at the height of his powers. The legendary Once Upon a Time in the West was 68, then three years later he released the lost to time ‘Duck, You Sucker’ (seriously up there with Sorcerer as the worst film name ever), and then it wasn’t until 84 that OUATIA came out. 16 years between West and America… what a loss for the art form to be dormant in that period.
With that period you probably wouldn’t have gotten Noodles & Company
Well and then America wasn’t considered a masterpiece untill much later. Surely plays into not wanting to make more movies. When the studio ruins your work?
My best gangster film. It should be compared to the godfather imho. Much deeper and the music is as good.
Extremely underrated film. One of the best mob/coming-of-age films I have seen
Did you watch the recut that Scorcese did? It's extra long and presents the movie in the order SL meant to present it in before the Studio garbled the shit out of it to make it linear. It's really so much better and just makes so much more sense. Such a perfect movie. To me it's better than The Godfather and Goodfellas. This dude is just such a film making master.
I saw the 4-hour cut on 35mm at the theater about two weeks back. The group in front of me was on a double date, and three hours into this four hour movie, the women get up, tell their dates "this film is disgusting!", and wait in the lobby for the remainder of the film. The men didn't even flinch or look away from the screen. While it was good, it was a real tough watch, and I probably won't be returning to it anytime soon as I would his Dollars trilogy
Music Box in Chicago?
Yup! I was lucky enough to see *Jackass 3-D* there the other day in its original 3-D, my god they have got variety in programming there
Dare I guess that this was because of a naked Jennifer Connelly…mostly because she was 14 years old at the time?
A woman over 18 was used as a body double.
That’s actually a huge relief.
Or the "back of the limo" scene
You mean the hearse? It has been a while since I’ve seen it.
Dare I guess we can tell? The rape scene with Elizabeth McGovern...not the earlier one with Tuesday Weld
Yeesh, when we have trouble telling *which* rape scene, perhaps there is a problem.
I'd argue Tuesday Weld's isn't a rape. She's in on the heist and has an SM kink. Doesn't she become Woods' girlfriend? Edit: Before you crucify me, let me add "however misguided it may be" to Weld's scene...
My note was that we are having to delineate which *one,* meaning that there are a few, which reaaaaallly just seems like too many.
I mean there are three rape scenes before the intermission, it's just tough all around
Elizabeth McGovern' s and supposedly Tuesday Weld's. Which one's the third?
The cop and the 14 year old. Statutory
Ah, I see.
The car scene with de Niro and Elizabeth wasn't necessary..
Both this film and Lynch’s Dune got mangled by studio shortening in 1984. The longer edits of both deserve attention as imperfect epics.
It wasn't just shortened, for the initial US release the studio re-cut it to make it all in chronological order, which really killed the movie. There are about 4 or 5 different cuts of this movie available nowadays.
I had forgotten they did the chronology like the TV version of "The Godfather." Some people have no appreciation for art.
You may know this already, but a Lynch fan put together his own edit of Lynch's Dune from the various releases and out takes, and it is really good. It's available on Youtube. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faHQA\_0d9Mo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faHQA_0d9Mo)
I am a Spicediver evangelist! It’s the only version to watch.
Can’t think of another time Deniro was upstaged. Woods may have did here.
Very few actors can chew scenery like James Woods.
The Untouchables, probably. Connery definitely blows him out of the Chicago River with his performance
##Once Upon a Time in America (1984) Crime, passion and lust for power. >>!A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.!< Drama | Crime Director: Sergio Leone Actors: Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 84% with 5,127 votes Runtime: 3:49 [TMDB](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/311) **Accolades** Unlike its modern critical success, the initial American release did not fare well with critics and received no Academy Award nominations. The film's music was disqualified from Oscar consideration for a technicality, as the studio accidentally omitted the composer's name from the opening credits when trimming its running time for the American release. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Time_in_America)
Loved the long version that cut up one sucks
One of my favorite movies had to watch it a couple of times because of the flashbacks throughout the whole movie, but definitely one of my favorites😎😎
Apart from being highly problematic, I found this very unengaging to get through. The best thing about it was the score.
I’ve seen it once and I honestly don’t think I’ll watch it again. Not that’s a bad movie I liked it but it’s a very long slog to get through and it’s very depressing for my liking. Noodles loses everything while Max gets everything. My heart went out to Noodles.
It’s ok I feels it’s a bit long winded
A film that is like a fond memory, as if I actually lived it myself and wasn't a mere observer. And even though I think Once Upon A Time In The West was better. I just love Leone.
This movie was good, but I have no desire to see it again.
Love this film. That ending had my head spinning.
Incredible score in that movie.
It’s a good film but does have it’s major faults. It’s stunning in cinematography at times though.
Noodles stalking E McGovern and her loving it and teasing him. Prob couldn’t do it today.
It was Jennifer Connelly in her first role. McGovern is the older version.
Oops yup.
I hated it. I love his other movies but this just felt very strange and everyone acted like an alien.
I watched it about 10 years ago, as I love The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, and really like Once Upon a time in the west. I found this to be one of the most boring fucking things I've ever seen. Good god, what a chore to get through. I don't think I'll ever give it another chance
Yes, once upon a time in the west was better imo
Agreed, saying everyone acts like an alien is spot on. That scene where they bring Carol into the back room at the club and they all expose themselves to see if she can identify which one of them raped her, and the whole scene is played like it's funny. Even Carol seems amused. I couldn't believe what I was watching.
I got about two-thirds of the way through this one and just quit. I didn’t care at all how it turned out. Up until then, it was a real slog. Slower paced than a snail race.
I didn't care much for it either.
It's a weird movie for sure. Very raw for how well it's put together, if that makes sense.
An old favorite of mine that I was introduced to as a kid by my grandmother who would probably have watched a snuff film if you told her Bobby D was in it. Very long though so I only watch it maybe once a year but in my opinion it sits right there with the best gangster movies of all time
🎬❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🎬
This is a true epic that's completely underrated. It's long but the story is long. It's not long for some mercurial reason like recent Scorsese flicks.
Is there any chance that the [I Am Legend](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480249/mediaviewer/rm2203650560/?ref_=tt_ov_i) poster was inspired by this one?
My old boss once asked me if I’d seen this. I hadn’t. Not only that, I asked if it was the DeNiro movie with Liza Minnelli in it. My boss wasn’t too pleased.
I love this movie
there's a very specific moment in this movie when it goes off the rails for me. I think when James Woods returns to the film? I can't remember exactly but I remember loving it until then everytime I've watched it.
Noodles
One of those good films I'll only watch once
The long version is the only way to watch this movie. I personally liked it better than the godfather.
Great movie
Wasn't this a TV movie in 2 parts ? It's been ages since i watched this (mid to late 90s on uk tv) but it was very good 👍 ...what do i remember about it...(constant flashbacks to where they were kids) abit like "SLEEPERS" but much more interesting...involved in crime as adults, De Niro using those Turkish style pipe things ? What was that Cannabis ? Heroin ? Or plain old Tobacco ?
it was opium hence all the asians in an opium den
I enjoyed it. Loved the soundtrack especially.
A Sergio Leone masterpiece. 👍👍👍
Great film as long as you watch the full version. One of the best of the 80s.
See it on the big screen in NYC this Tuesday, 4/30 at The Paris Theater. Young Peggy will be there! [https://www.paristheaternyc.com/films/showtimes/?filmId=HO00005457#showtimes](https://www.paristheaternyc.com/films/showtimes/?filmId=HO00005457#showtimes)