Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

March 27, 2015 6:02 AM

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.

A Once Upon A Time In America FAQ (pdf)
IMDB FAQ for the movie


Restored Scene #1
Restored Scene #2
Restored Scene #3
Restored Scene #5
Restored Scene #6

A version comparison that includes clips of all of the restored scenes

Is the movie Noodle's opium dream?

An in depth website devoted to the movie

Sergio Leone creates an American Opera

Misogyny in 'Once Upon a Time In America'

posted by drezdn (3 comments total)

One thing I haven't been able to find in any discussion of "OUATIA" is a mention of the garbage truck's paint job*. I think it is painted deliberately to evoke memories of the nazis. The three colors used are black, red and white... the colors of the nazi flag. The font of the number 35 is similar to the SS logo, and some German tanks used red numbering with white outlines. It also would tie into the conversation Noodles has with the taxi driver in the restored scenes.

The only con I can find to this idea is that the truck has a seemingly Irish name on the side.



*The picture link is from this good OUATIA review
posted by drezdn at 6:10 AM on March 27, 2015 [1 favorite]

It's a movie that made quite an impression when I was 16. The apotheosis where Max disappears in a garbage dump truck still makes me shiver.

And then there's the visit to the tomb.
Etc.
posted by jouke at 10:52 AM on April 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

229 minutes is too damn long for a film. It's basically 200 minutes spent demonstrating that these 4 gangsters are irredeemable, 3 minutes of Elizabeth McGovern acting, and 26 minutes spent trying to shoehorn in a moral ethos at the end. Also, apparently this one is based on an autobiography, but Wikipedia knows more about the author than the book itself.

The dialogue is so incredibly ponderous and conflict avoidant. Improved dialogue proposal:

Noodles: Who was the contract was for?
Max: Who do you think the contract was for?
Noodles: You? Well, if you're feeling guilty. I walked past a cardinal on the way here. If you hurry, maybe you can make a confession.
Max: I don't deserve forgiveness, least not from you.
Noodles: Well, I don't deserve the further punishment of killing a friend either, Max.

I guess you kinda have to compare this with The Godfather, and IMO, it comes up short (or too long). The Godfather is essentially a tragedy: the Corleones are punished, and their "clean" scion falls from grace. Here, we basically have a mystery about who stole some money, with a list of suspects about 1 person long, and an extended trip down nostalgia lane. I have to assume the trifecta of a revered director, nonlinear storytelling and ambiguous ending are responsible for it's modern critical reception.
posted by pwnguin at 11:34 PM on March 16