A classic that's maybe admired more than it deserves.

Rating: Null/10 (29 June 2003)

This film proves that you can sometimes have too much of a great thing. First and foremost is Morricone's stunning score. It's some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard. However, that doesn't mean it's always appropriate for every single sequence. There's simply too much incongruous underscoring in this film. The few moments when the main theme isn't blasting in full orchestral glory it's whistled or played on the flute. If Leone wanted to make homage to the film scoring of old Hollywood then Morricone needed to add some variations on his theme and some stings that directly address the action.
Leone is famous for his close-ups. The direction is wonderful when it melds with the story. Leone wanted a fragmented, dreamlike essence and taking things slow and being atmospheric is fine but there has to be some discrimination. Every scene is filled with such operatic grandeur that each story thread becomes convoluted and drowned in bathos.
`Once Upon A Time In America' was edited, rather infamously, for its American release. It was presented in a linear fashion and was vastly criticized for not making sense. I'm not sure how much sense the full version makes but telling this story in chronological order would be a huge mistake. It would take so much of the underlying meaning and mystery away. I don't know how Leone could have allowed it at the time.
I miss the old epic style of filmmaking. I miss the time when Hollywood at least pretended they were interested in the product not just the profit. The phrase, the `art business', is an oxymoron anyway. Movie producers today make no qualms about their tunnel vision. Artistic quality is measured in how much was spent on the CGI effects. All movies today use the `Hit and Run' technique. They open big, say on a holiday weekend, with tons of advertising and before the bad word of mouth gets around they hope to recoup the investment.
Anyway, the new `Once Upon A Time In America' Special Edition DVD in Widescreen is a real present for fans of the movie. The digital transfer is amazing. The picture looks so crisp and new. The locations are sharply defined and extras whose faces were previously blurred are now like new characters.
I've always liked this movie. I can't help it. I admire its romanticism but now that I'm older I can see that it's flawed. It doesn't achieve a proper mix. You need some subtlety and emotional detachment. This film's no Godfather, by any means. It's also uncomfortably misogynistic at times. Yet, you can't ignore the passion that went into making it. `Once Upon A Time In America' is passionate perhaps to embarrassment.