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DramaCrime

Once Upon a Time in America

- Crime, passion and lust for power.

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.

Release Date : 1984-05-23

Language :EnglishFrenchHebrewItalianYiddish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Embassy International PicturesWarner Bros. PicturesPSO

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Once Upon a Time in America Extended

Cast

Robert De Niro

Character Name : David 'Noodles' Aaronson

Original Name : Robert De Niro

Gender : Male

James Woods

Character Name : Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz

Original Name : James Woods

Gender : Male

Elizabeth McGovern

Character Name : Deborah Gelly

Original Name : Elizabeth McGovern

Gender : Female

Treat Williams

Character Name : James Conway O'Donnell

Original Name : Treat Williams

Gender : Male

Tuesday Weld

Character Name : Carol

Original Name : Tuesday Weld

Gender : Female

Joe Pesci

Character Name : Frankie Monaldi

Original Name : Joe Pesci

Gender : Male

Burt Young

Character Name : Joe

Original Name : Burt Young

Gender : Male

James Hayden

Character Name : Patrick 'Patsy' Goldberg

Original Name : James Hayden

Gender : Male

William Forsythe

Character Name : Philip 'Cockeye' Stein

Original Name : William Forsythe

Gender : Male

Larry Rapp

Character Name : 'Fat' Moe Gelly

Original Name : Larry Rapp

Gender : Male

Amy Ryder

Character Name : Peggy

Original Name : Amy Ryder

Gender : Female

Scott Schutzman Tiler

Character Name : Young Noodles

Original Name : Scott Schutzman Tiler

Gender : Male

Rusty Jacobs

Character Name : Young Max / David Bailey

Original Name : Rusty Jacobs

Gender : Male

Jennifer Connelly

Character Name : Young Deborah

Original Name : Jennifer Connelly

Gender : Female

Brian Bloom

Character Name : Young Patsy

Original Name : Brian Bloom

Gender : Male

Adrian Curran

Character Name : Young Cockeye

Original Name : Adrian Curran

Gender : Male

Mike Monetti

Character Name : Young 'Fat' Moe Gelly

Original Name : Mike Monetti

Gender : Male

Noah Moazezi

Character Name : Dominic

Original Name : Noah Moazezi

Gender : Male

James Russo

Character Name : Bugsy

Original Name : James Russo

Gender : Male

Darlanne Fluegel

Character Name : Eve

Original Name : Darlanne Fluegel

Gender : Female

Danny Aiello

Character Name : Police Chief Vincent Aiello

Original Name : Danny Aiello

Gender : Male

Richard Bright

Character Name : Chicken Joe

Original Name : Richard Bright

Gender : Male

Frank Gio

Character Name : Beefy

Original Name : Frank Gio

Gender : Male

Ray Dittrich

Character Name : Trigger

Original Name : Ray Dittrich

Gender : Male

Mario Brega

Character Name : Mandy

Original Name : Mario Brega

Gender : Male

Julie Cohen

Character Name : Young Peggy

Original Name : Julie Cohen

Gender : Female

Richard Foronjy

Character Name : Officer Whitey

Original Name : Richard Foronjy

Gender : Male

Olga Karlatos

Character Name : Woman in the Puppet Theatre

Original Name : Olga Karlatos

Gender : Female

Clem Caserta

Character Name : Al Capuano

Original Name : Clem Caserta

Gender : Male

Frank Sisto

Character Name : Fred Capuano

Original Name : Frank Sisto

Gender : Male

Jerry Strivelli

Character Name : Johnny Capuano

Original Name : Jerry Strivelli

Gender : Male

Mike Gendel

Character Name : Irving Gold

Original Name : Mike Gendel

Gender : Male

Sandra Solberg

Character Name : Friend of Young Deborah

Original Name : Sandra Solberg

Gender : Male

Margherita Pace

Character Name : Young Deborah (Double)

Original Name : Margherita Pace

Gender : Female

Paul Herman

Character Name : Monkey

Original Name : Paul Herman

Gender : Male

Bruno Iannone

Character Name : Thug

Original Name : Bruno Iannone

Gender : Male

Bruno Bilotta

Character Name : Chinese Theater Spectator (uncredited)

Original Name : Bruno Bilotta

Gender : Male

Angelo Florio

Character Name : Willie the Ape

Original Name : Angelo Florio

Gender : Male

Marcia Jean Kurtz

Character Name : Max's Mother

Original Name : Marcia Jean Kurtz

Gender : Female

Gerard Murphy

Character Name : Crowning

Original Name : Gerard Murphy

Gender : Male

Dutch Miller

Character Name : Van Linden

Original Name : Dutch Miller

Gender : Male

Robert Harper

Character Name : Sharkey

Original Name : Robert Harper

Gender : Male

Karen Shallo

Character Name : Mrs. Aiello

Original Name : Karen Shallo

Gender : Female

Frankie Caserta

Character Name : Bugsy's Gang

Original Name : Frankie Caserta

Gender : Male

Joey Marzella

Character Name : Bugsy's Gang

Original Name : Joey Marzella

Gender : Male

Marvin Scott

Character Name : Interviewer

Original Name : Marvin Scott

Gender : Male

Ann Neville

Character Name : Girl in Coffin

Original Name : Ann Neville

Gender : Female

Joey Faye

Character Name : Adorable Old Man

Original Name : Joey Faye

Gender : Male

Linda Ipanema

Character Name : Nurse Thompson

Original Name : Linda Ipanema

Gender : Female

Tandy Cronyn

Character Name : Reporter 1

Original Name : Tandy Cronyn

Gender : Male

Richard Zobel

Character Name : Reporter 2

Original Name : Richard Zobel

Gender : Male

Baxter Harris

Character Name : Reporter 3

Original Name : Baxter Harris

Gender : Male

Arnon Milchan

Character Name : Chauffeur

Original Name : Arnon Milchan

Gender : Male

Marty Licata

Character Name : Cemetery Caretaker

Original Name : Marty Licata

Gender : Male

Estelle Harris

Character Name : Peggy's Mother

Original Name : Estelle Harris

Gender : Female

Gerritt Debeer

Character Name : Drunk

Original Name : Gerritt Debeer

Gender : Male

Alexander Godfrey

Character Name : Newstand Man

Original Name : Alexander Godfrey

Gender : Male

Cliff Cudney

Character Name : Mounted Policeman

Original Name : Cliff Cudney

Gender : Male

Paul Farentino

Character Name : 2nd Mounted Policeman

Original Name : Paul Farentino

Gender : Male

Bruce Bahrenburg

Character Name : Sgt. P. Halloran

Original Name : Bruce Bahrenburg

Gender : Male

Mort Freeman

Character Name : Street Singer

Original Name : Mort Freeman

Gender : Male

Massimo Liti

Character Name : Young Macrò

Original Name : Massimo Liti

Gender : Male

Jay Zeely

Character Name : Foreman

Original Name : Jay Zeely

Gender : Male

Salvatore Billa

Character Name : One of Beefy's Thugs (uncredited)

Original Name : Salvatore Billa

Gender : Male

Scott Coffey

Character Name : Bugsy's Gang (uncredited)

Original Name : Scott Coffey

Gender : Male

Marco Stefanelli

Character Name : Bugsy's Gang (uncredited)

Original Name : Marco Stefanelli

Gender : Male

Matteo Cafiso

Character Name : Boy in Park (uncredited)

Original Name : Matteo Cafiso

Gender : Male

Nunzio Giuliani

Character Name : Speakeasy Drum Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Nunzio Giuliani

Gender : Male

Nelson Camp

Character Name : Newspaper Salesman (uncredited)

Original Name : Nelson Camp

Gender : Male

Dario Iori

Character Name : Speakeasy Banjo Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Dario Iori

Gender : Male

Ole Jorgensen

Character Name : Speakeasy Percussionist (uncredited)

Original Name : Ole Jorgensen

Gender : Male

Francesca Leone

Character Name : David Bailey's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Original Name : Francesca Leone

Gender : Female

Chuck Low

Character Name : Deborah Gelly's Father (uncredited)

Original Name : Chuck Low

Gender : Male

Ron Nummi

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Ron Nummi

Gender : Male

Ryan Paris

Character Name : Speakeasy Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Ryan Paris

Gender : Male

Nicola Roberto

Character Name : Speakeasy Trumpet Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Nicola Roberto

Gender : Male

Gianni Sanjust

Character Name : Speakeasy Clarinet Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Gianni Sanjust

Gender : Male

Alex Serra

Character Name : Speakeasy Vocalist (uncredited)

Original Name : Alex Serra

Gender : Male

Susan Spafford

Character Name : Nurse (uncredited)

Original Name : Susan Spafford

Gender : Female

Mark Frazer

Character Name : Pimp (uncredited)

Original Name : Mark Frazer

Gender : Male

Maria Pia Monicelli

Character Name : Prostitute (uncredited)

Original Name : Maria Pia Monicelli

Gender : Female

Claudio Mancini

Character Name : Syndacalist (uncredited)

Original Name : Claudio Mancini

Gender : Male

Rossana Canghiari

Character Name : Speakeasy Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Rossana Canghiari

Gender : Female

Reviews

A

Andres Gomez

@tanty

2021-06-23

Stereotypical Sergio Leone film with endless waitings and sight crossings. One of the performances that made Robert de Niro de actor he is and an interesting way of telling a story and the evolution of America during the years of the alcohol prohibition.

F

Filipe Manuel Neto

@FilipeManuelNeto

2022-10-10

**It's an excellent film, which proves the importance of good post-production, and how bad editing can ruin the whole thing.** There are certain films that impress us so much when we see them that we are really surprised when we discover how ignored they were by the great awards. This film is one of them: I was really shocked to find that it wasn't even nominated for an Oscar or a Golden Globe… and I had to read a bit to understand why that happened. The film is perhaps one of the best in Sérgio Leone's extensive filmography, and is often compared to other great gangster films such as "Godfather". I, personally, wouldn't dare to do that, but I could still put this film in the “top ten” of the great mobster films. Amazingly, it was a huge box office failure in the US because they insisted on releasing there an extremely cut version, with about two and a half hours. A version so forgettable and badly edited that no one understood the story and that the film had no chance of running for the highest awards in the industry! It was a shot in the foot and proves the importance of a good edition for the quality of the product. Sometimes a longer film is preferable to a sterile, abridged version. The script is wonderful and follows the criminal path of a small group of youngsters from a Jewish community in New York, stretching from the 20s to the 60s. The story revolves around Noodles, but the main character ends up being Max, who becomes the gang's boss. The relationship between them is very well explored. However, not everything went well: there is a love sub-plot between Noodles and Deborah that is never taken further, there are several characters that seem too sketchy and underdeveloped and there are situations that the film doesn't know how to explore as it should (the most glaring being the violent death of the youngest gang member). I just can't say how many of these problems started in the editing room, with radical cuts in the story told. Robert DeNiro was one of the first names to be hired for the cast, and had a say in the choice of several other actors. DeNiro is impeccable, and he provides us with excellent quality work. Moreover, I think that this helped to glue the actor's image a little to the criminal films in the popular imagination, along with “Taxi Driver” and “Goodfellas”. James Woods is also amazing in the role he has been given and leaves with this film his greatest film work. Elizabeth McGovern also does very well here, although I feel that the actress was not able to make her career take off afterward (I only saw her really successful now, with “Downton Abbey”). I also liked the brief, but remarkable, participation of Jennifer Connelly, still very young. And I feel sorry for Joe Pesci, because the actor is wasted by appearing only in a couple of scenes (perhaps another victim of the radical cuts in the editing room). Leone uses everything he knows in this film and provides us with incredible, beautiful cinematography, which knows how to take advantage of slow camera movements, close-ups in the most striking scenes and intense colors. The flashbacks are quite well-marked, and anyone familiar with the cinematic resource will have no difficulty in following the temporal advances and retreats that take place. The special effects do their job well, the costumes are excellent, and the characterization has its moments (DeNiro has been masterfully aged, and very much resembles what he is today). As a film where crime and violence are things we expect to find, we have an array of violent scenes and graphic situations that include not only brutal murders, beatings and shootings but also teen sex, voyeurism and, most notably, a long and particularly graphic rape scene. It's not a movie for the faint-hearted. A final word for the soundtrack, by Ennio Morricone. It is highly regarded by connoisseurs and I admit it works, but I'm not a fan of the pan pipe. I feel it gives the film an oriental touch, it would be something I would expect more from a martial arts film soundtrack.

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-05-25

Told by way of a really potent (and well scored by Morricone) retrospective, this sits us down and takes us through a forty year period in the life of the now down-at-heel "Noodles" (Robert De Niro) and of the development of the city of New York. The contents of an old briefcase serve as an aide memoire as the retrospective illustrates just how he and three of his childhood friends decided that the gutter was not for them, and that using the "system" to get on was the only way. Prohibition, violence, crime, brutality were the currency back then and "Noodles" learned not to have scruples about such things. Love, romance feature too - choices, compromises and tragedy all feature as Sergio Leone and De Niro immerses us in the characterful and emotionally charged chronology. The film looks great, the attention to detail is superb, and a really strong supporting cast help offer us s sense that we are actually there for much of the time. Living and breathing the squalor, the danger, the opportunity and perhaps, the inevitability, of the paths these kids took in a the 1930s. It is very long, but that's effective rather than dull. It allows the characters to develop, to breathe and then to disappear - only, perhaps, to reappear in a different guise later on. Ageing is also a factor here too - just as they rose, others rise too with differing standards and ethics - their sense of loyalty and integrity not quite marrying up! No Oscar nominations which is really rather odd - this is easily one of the best, most authentic-looking, depictions of the rise of NYC that cinema has ever delivered. Director's cut on a big screen if you can - it helps focus the attention, shows the cinematography to best effect and helps appreciate just how vast Leone's vision was.