Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Director:

Sergio Leone

Writers:

Harry Grey (novel)
Leonardo Benvenuti (writer) ...

Release Date:

1 June 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Crime, passion and lust for power - Sergio Leone's explosive saga of gangland America. [Australia Theatrical]

Plot:

A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to Brooklyn over 30 years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Gangster | Jewish | Prohibition | 1960s

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 11 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	David 'Noodles' Aaronson
James Woods	...	Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Deborah Gelly
Joe Pesci	...	Frankie Manoldi
Burt Young	...	Joe
Tuesday Weld	...	Carol
Treat Williams	...	James Conway O'Donnell
Danny Aiello	...	Police Chief Vincent Aiello
Richard Bright	...	Chicken Joe
James Hayden	...	Patrick 'Patsy' Goldberg
William Forsythe	...	Philip 'Cockeye' Stein
Darlanne Fluegel	...	Eve (as Darlanne Fleugel)
Larry Rapp	...	'Fat' Moe Gelly
Richard Foronjy	...	Officer 'Fartface' Whitey (as Richard Foronji)
Robert Harper	...	Sharkey

Also Known As:

C'era una volta in America (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, sexual content, language and some drug use. (edited version)

Runtime:

229 min | USA:139 min (re-cut)

Country:

Italy | USA

Language:

English | Italian | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (1990) | Finland:K-18 (1984) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Iceland:16 | UK:18 (cut) | Brazil:14 | Germany:16 (f) (re-rating) (2003) | West Germany:18 (f) (original rating) (1984-2003) | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:R | France:U (Original rating) | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:12 (original rating) | Netherlands:16 (re-rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Embassy International Pictures

Trivia:

In the early 1960s Sergio Leone's brother-in-law Fulvio Morsella read an Italian translation of Harry Grey's book "The Hoods" to him. The book claimed to be "an autobiographical account" of the life of a Jewish gangster in New York's Lower East Side, and written by Grey whilst he was incarcerated in Sing Sing prison. Leone was very taken with the book, and it served as his major inspiration in making a gangster film that would capture the spirit of America.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In November, 1968, when Noodles visits the locker in the station and pulls out a wad of US Currency, the top bill is signed by W. Michael Blumenthal, President Carter's Secretary of the Treasury from January 23, 1977, to August 4, 1979.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[In 1933, two goons rudely question a young woman]
Beefy: Where is he? Where's he hiding?
Eve: I don't know... I've been looking for him since yesterday.
[second goon slaps her harshly; she falls onto the bed]
Beefy: I'm gonna ask you for the last time: Where is he?
Eve: I don't know... What are you gonna do to him?
[Two shots are head]
Beefy: [to his partner] Stay here in case that rat shows up...

Movie Connections:

References The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)

Soundtrack:

LA GAZZA LADRA (from LP 894 103 ROSSINI OVERTURE)

Epic

Leone's beautiful vision met with an epic story to create one of the most beautiful movies of all time. Four hours long but time melts away as you are transported into New York. In a movie where the importance of time is stressed, and how it should not be wasted, it is pleasing that this considerably long movie does not waste, rather enhance your time. Instead of regretting lost time we are instead left exhilarated and wondering. Performances all-round are fantastic right from the child performances, 'Noodles, I slipped' to the aged De Niro with a look in his eye that he has seen it all before. His weariness is astonishingly realistic and applause should be directed at De Niro and his method. A true masterpiece.