Review of Once Upon a Time in America (1984) by Hashim H — 06 Feb 2015
After 13 years away from directing, Sergio Leone returned to directing with this adaptation of Harry Grey's 1952 book The Hoods, and after years of focusing on the myth of the American West, Leone focused on the rise of the mobs in New York.
The result is a sprawling, exhausting but utterly compelling crime drama which despite it's epic length, is the sign of a true master filmmaker at work. In the slums of Brooklyn in New York, it focuses on 4 friends who grew up together in the 1920's and into the 1930's.
David "Noodles" Aaronson (Robert De Niro), Max Bercovicz (James Woods), Patrick "Patsy" Goldberg (James Hayden) and Phillip "Cockeye" Stein (William Forsythe), who went from small time robberies to bootlegging during the Prohibition.
Noodles spent nearly a decade in prison for avenging the death of a friend at the hands of Bugsy (James Russo). But after the Prohibition is repealed, it gives the gang very little to do, until the gang suggest robbing a bank, but Noodles soon has second thoughts and has to make a dramatic decision.
It's a shame Leone spent so long between A Fistful of Dynamite (1971) and this, he had so many great ideas for films, but he relinquished his ideas to other directors, but he saved the best ones for himself, like this one, which trumps The Godfather trilogy.
Leone was left heartbroken when his cut was butchered in America, he never directed again.
This review of Once Upon a Time in America (1984) was written by Hashim H on 06 Feb 2015.
Once Upon a Time in America has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
