I'd give it 20 out of 10 if I could.

Rating: 10/10 (10 January 2009)

Sergio Leone declined an offer to direct The Godfather to direct this film instead. And oh, how I wonder how a Leone-directed Godfather would have turned out (along with Orson Welles as Vito and Robert Deniro as Sonny)...Once Upon A Time In America more than makes up for that desire never having the opportunity to come true.
I mention The Godfather not only because this film is of the same genre, but also of the same level of quality. Seriously. The Godfather edges this one out in terms of acting and perhaps in the level of human emotion the audience feels, but in regards to every other aspect of film-making, it's equal to or better than The Godfather. Keep in mind that The Godfather is my all-time favorite film and book.
The story of Once Upon A Time In America is told in several different time periods simultaneously and seamlessly. Clocking in a nearly 4 hours, it seems like an arduous task to watch this film to completion, especially considering the fractured timetable, lack of a solid external throughline, and two rape scenes (one of which being a truly hard piece of cinema to watch), but the masterful direction of Leone, absolutely breathtaking cinematography of Tonino Delli Colli, and epic, tragedy-filled music by Ennio Morricone are guaranteed to pull you into the world of the story.
It's a truly rewarding experience to view this film from start to finish in a single sitting. It leaves pieces out of the puzzle for the viewer to interpret, ponder, and debate afterward. It's a film that stays with you and actually rewards repeat viewings.
Sadly, there is presently no living director with the skill required to make a film of this caliber. We can only hope and wish that someone comes along and gives us a few cinematic treasures such as this one, The Godfather, Citizen Kane, and the acclaimed films of Kubrick and Hitchcock.
Once Upon A Time In America has been on the rise in the IMDb Top 250 for some time now. Let's help it get to the top 10 where it belongs.