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IMDbPro

Once Upon a Time in America

  • 1984
  • R
  • 3h 49m
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
360K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
374
123
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
Trailer 2 for Once Upon A Time In America
Play trailer2:41
2 Videos
99+ Photos
CrimeDrama

A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan 35 years later, where he must once again confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan 35 years later, where he must once again confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan 35 years later, where he must once again confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.

  • Director
    • Sergio Leone
  • Writers
    • Harry Grey
    • Leonardo Benvenuti
    • Piero De Bernardi
  • Stars
    • Robert De Niro
    • James Woods
    • Elizabeth McGovern
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.3/10
    360K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    374
    123
    • Director
      • Sergio Leone
    • Writers
      • Harry Grey
      • Leonardo Benvenuti
      • Piero De Bernardi
    • Stars
      • Robert De Niro
      • James Woods
      • Elizabeth McGovern
    • 836User reviews
    • 128Critic reviews
    • 75Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #81
    • Won 2 BAFTA Awards
      • 12 wins & 12 nominations total

    Videos2

    Once Upon a Time in America
    Trailer 2:41
    Watch Once Upon a Time in America
    What Roles Has Jennifer Connelly Turned Down?
    Clip 3:18
    Watch What Roles Has Jennifer Connelly Turned Down?

    Photos222

    Robert De Niro and Tuesday Weld in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Robert De Niro and James Woods in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Brian Bloom, Rusty Jacobs, Noah Moazezi, and Scott Tiler in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Robert De Niro and Elizabeth McGovern in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Jennifer Connelly, Brian Bloom, Rusty Jacobs, Noah Moazezi, and Scott Tiler in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Robert De Niro and James Woods in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Joe Pesci and Burt Young in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Robert De Niro, James Woods, Joe Pesci, William Forsythe, and Burt Young in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Robert De Niro and Elizabeth McGovern in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
    Jennifer Connelly and Scott Tiler in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Robert De Niro
    Robert De Niro
    • Noodles
    James Woods
    James Woods
    • Max
    Elizabeth McGovern
    Elizabeth McGovern
    • Deborah
    Treat Williams
    Treat Williams
    • Jimmy O'Donnell
    Tuesday Weld
    Tuesday Weld
    • Carol
    Burt Young
    Burt Young
    • Joe
    Joe Pesci
    Joe Pesci
    • Frankie
    Danny Aiello
    Danny Aiello
    • Police Chief Aiello
    William Forsythe
    William Forsythe
    • Cockeye
    James Hayden
    James Hayden
    • Patsy
    Darlanne Fluegel
    Darlanne Fluegel
    • Eve
    • (as Darlanne Fleugel)
    Larry Rapp
    Larry Rapp
    • Fat Moe
    Dutch Miller
    • Van Linden
    Robert Harper
    Robert Harper
    • Sharkey
    Richard Bright
    Richard Bright
    • Chicken Joe
    Gerard Murphy
    • Crowning
    Amy Ryder
    • Peggy
    Olga Karlatos
    • Woman in the Puppet Theatre
    • Director
      • Sergio Leone
    • Writers
      • Harry Grey
      • Leonardo Benvenuti
      • Piero De Bernardi
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When filming was completed, the footage ran to a total of eight to ten hours. Director Sergio Leone and editor Nino Baragli trimmed the footage to around six hours, with the plan of releasing the film as two three-hour movies. The producers refused this idea, and Leone had to further cut the film down to three hours and forty-nine minutes.
    • Goofs
      When celebrating the end of the Prohibition Era, four bottles are opened with machetes. However, the actor in the back to the right fails to open his bottle cleanly and accidentally smashes it in half before quickly walking off-screen with the broken bottle.
    • Quotes

      Noodles: [to Deborah] There were two things I couldn't get out of my mind. One was Dominic, the way he said, "I slipped," just before he died. The other was you. How you used to read me your Song of Songs, remember? "How beautiful are your feet / In sandals, O prince's daughter." I used to read the Bible every night. Every night I used to think about you. "Your navel is a bowl / Well-rounded with no lack of wine / Your belly, a heap of wheat / Surrounded with lilies / Your breasts / Clusters of grapes / Your breath, sweet-scented as apples." Nobody's gonna love you the way I loved you. There were times I couldn't stand it any more. I used to think of you. I'd think, "Deborah lives. She's out there. She exists." And that would get me through it all. You know how important that was to me?

    • Crazy credits
      Joey Faye is credited as the "adorable old man."
    • Alternate versions
      For its U.S. theatrical release the film was cut by 90 minutes from 3 hours and 47 minutes to 2 hours and 19 minutes despite the original cut gaining rave reviews at the film's premiere at Cannes. Many film critics gave two separate reviews for the film. While the complete European version was highly praised, the heavily edited US theatrical release was critically butchered.
    • Connections
      Edited into Bellissimo: Immagini del cinema italiano (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      God Bless America
      Music by Irving Berlin

      Irving Berlin Music Corporation

      Performed by Kate Smith

      Courtesy of RCA Record

    User reviews836

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Make sure you get the director's cut!
    Many people compare "Once Upon a Time in America" with "The Godfather". In my opinion these two movies can't be compared. Both are masterpieces in their own way, but each of them has a different style. You don't compare a Picasso to Michelangelo's Sixteen Chapel either, do you?

    What is it that makes this movie a masterpiece? Well, first of all there is the director. Sergio Leone is a real master when it comes to creating a special atmosphere, full of mystery, surprises and drama... He's one of the few directors who understands the art of cutting a movie in such a way that you stay focused until the end.

    The way the movie was cut is also the reason why a lot of Americans don't think this movie is very special. There are three versions, but only the European version is how the director imagined it to be. He didn't want his movie to be shown in chronological order (1910's - 1930's - 1960's), but wanted to mix these three periods of time. The studio cut the movie in chronological order, loosing a lot of its originality and therefor getting a lot of bad critics. If you want to see this film the way Sergio Leone saw it, you have to make sure you get the director's cut.

    The second reason why this movie is so great is the music. Ennio Morricone, who is seen as the greatest writer of film music ever, did an excellent job. Together with the images, the music speaks for itself in this movie. From time to time there isn't said a word, but the music and the images on their own tell the story. He understood perfectly what Sergio Leone wanted and composed most of the music even before the movie was shot.

    Last but not least there is also the acting and the script. The actors all did an excellent job. But what else can you expect from actors like Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci... They helped making this movie as great as it is by putting there best effort in it. The script helped them with it. It took twelve years to complete, but it hasn't left any detail untouched. The writers really thought of everything when creating it.

    I can really recommend this movie to everyone, but especially to people who like the gangster genre. When you want to see the movie, you better be sure that you will have the time for it. This isn't a movie that is finished after 90 minutes. You'll have to be able to stay focused during 3 hours and 47 minutes, which will certainly not be easy during the first 20 to 30 minutes. Some scenes at the beginning only make sense when you have seen the end of the movie. But when you are able to stay focused, you'll find this one of the best movies you've ever seen. I certainly did and I rewarded it with a well deserved 10/10.
    helpful•921
    213
    • philip_vanderveken
    • Sep 19, 2004

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    FAQ11

    • How did the invention Noodles' shows to Capuano work?
    • Is 'Once Upon a Time in America' based on a book?
    • What is the book Noodles reads as a kid when he's in the bathroom?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 1, 1984 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Italy
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Warner Bros. (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Italian
      • French
      • Yiddish
      • Hebrew
    • Also known as
      • Bilo je nekoč v Ameriki
    • Filming locations
      • Williamsburg Bridge, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • The Ladd Company
      • Warner Bros.
      • Producers Sales Organization (PSO)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $30,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,321,508
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,412,014
      • Jun 3, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,474,090
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      3 hours 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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