Review of Once Upon a Time in America (1984) by Ben F — 27 Mar 2011

For being Segio Leone's last production before he died in 1989, he certainly knew how to go out with a bang. It's one of the best gangster movies I have ever seen, though it might go unrecognized today. It's without a doubt, a masterpiece, in every sense of the word. It's beautiful narrative, along with it's wonderful acting, and amazing musical composition blend together to provide the audience with a intense, yet touching story of friendship, betrayal, and above all else, honor.

It's not often that you get to see movies about Jewish gangsters. This film and "Bugsy" are probably the best ones out there. It's sort of an untold story, and that's what makes it so wonderful. Everyone's done Italian mafia, but this is a place where not many directors go, so already there was a lot of room for Leone to work with. I've heard that he had approximately 10 hours of footage after he filmed everything, and he wanted to cut the film down to 6 hours, putting the movie into two parts. But the studio didn't allow him to do that. Though Leone didn't convey his story to the viewers exactly like he wanted to, it's alright, because what he does show the audience, is phenomenal. The film goes through the life of the friends from when they are just kids to when they are full-grown adults. Like I said, it's really one of the most impressive narratives I've seen. Everything comes full circle, and when you look back at the progression of the characters as the film narrows down to it's final minutes, you'll find yourself tearing up at it's beauty.

The performances are phenomenal, as expected. From the child actors playing the kids at a young age, to the amazing talent of De Niro and Woods, everything is perfect, and spot on. Robert De Niro, is flawless. He packs a lot of emotion into his performance, and you can tell that he's very devoted to what's going on. James Woods was particularly amazing. I thought that he was astounding in this one, and the connection that he sends is fantastic. There was just something about him that I loved. All around, the performances gave this amazing attitude and emotion to the viewer. Fantastic Fantastic....fantastic.

Ennio Morricone.....is a god in this film. He provides one of the most brilliant soundtracks I have ever listened to. The main theme of the movie is beautiful...combining brilliant flutes with orchestral compositions, pianos, and guitars. It was amazing. This is the component that truly makes you get goose bumps during this entire movie. In my opinion, if Morricone didn't do the soundtrack, it would have been a completely different movie. Through the film's almost 4 hour span, he provides a sound that almost can't be matched. I commend him, and bow down to him. The soundtrack itself made me cry. He's brilliant, in every way.

Leone provides beautiful landscapes, varying from different places, and different time periods, and also uses his classic zoom ups, that he does in every one of his films. He uses cinematography that always focuses on the character's personal emotions and thoughts. He's always had a talent for doing that, and he always lets the cinematographer know exactly what his style is, and what he wants. Genius.

"Once Upon a Time in America" is without a doubt one of his best films, and one of the best movies I've ever seen. It's such a shame that really no one pays attention to this movie, because it's like I said, a masterpiece. Sergio Leone went all out with this production, and with all of the footage that he captured, battling for a two part movie, you could tell how devoted he was. This film itself represents how much of master he was at the art of cinema. He is the ideal director for any film that wants to capture a story and convey it through beautiful acting, cinematography, and of course, music. He was one of the best, and this is one of the best. See this movie...because...it's perfect.