Belongs in the "Greats" list of film-making

Rating: 10/10 (11 February 2007)

One of my favourite films of all time! This is one of those films that changes the way you view movies. The characters are profound, both in youth and in adulthood, and so well developed, the storyline so complex, and yet simple; this is the kind of film you can come back to, time and time again -- and you really will see something different, something new, each time you view it. (The fact that there is more than one version of this incredible film, adds to its complexity. There are different scenes in the short version, that are not in the long version, so it is beneficial to see both.)
IMDb lists two running times, but I believe I've seen at least three versions: one a 5 hour version in French in the middle of the night! After viewing the long version, presumably the Director's Cut, I was particularly confused. I re-viewed another version, a shorter one, some time later, and finally understood the ending. While I love Mr. Leone's version (with his work I tend to feel the longer, the better) I found I didn't 'get' the ending until I saw the 'chopped version'. Needless to say, I've seen the movie many times through the 80s and 90s, first in the theatre, thank goodness, and later on television.
I don't want to imply that the understanding of this film is a cumbersome task. I cherish films that make me think of them long after the final credits have rolled. The director weaves a tapestry, where we see some of his intentions easily. Others times, we move in closer, or view the piece from a different perspective. His talent allows us to believe we're seeing something 'new'. That's partly because we ourselves change over the years, and see things differently as we grow in our own experiences, but credit is also due the film-maker, who pulls us out of our reality and totally immerses us in his story.
I have only to hear the score of this film, and my mind carries me back to New York at the turn of the LAST century ... I see the texture of the bricks, I recall the stunning beauty of both actresses who played the character Deborah Gelly, I see again the cream cake that was even better than the hope of sex, for one of the adolescent boys ... a scene that tells us there is still a child, a hungry child, in this young thug apprenticing to be a man and a gangster.
I don't want to imply that it's a difficult movie to understand; just that there are so many levels, so many interpretations, each compelling and intriguing. Most movies of this length would deter many from seeing it, I'm sure. But never once did I feel that this film was 'too long'; I was never even aware of time passing. I would happily sit through four-hour films if they were as well made as Mr. Leone's. (Sadly, there are few of his calibre.)
Beyond the script, the directing, the acting, "ONCE" is a visually stunning work of art. The music mesmerizes. The colours, textures and light in harmony with the score, are stamped in my memory, as clearly as my own recollections. This is great cinematography! The acting offered some of the best performances of many of the actors' careers. The timing is often impeccable (you'll know what I'm referring to when you view it), and a risk few directors would have dared to take. The writing is nothing less than brilliant, because of course, without a exceptional script, there is no film.
Once Upon a Time in America belongs in the 'greats' list of film-making. The most shocking detail, in this film's history, is that it never received the recognition it deserved (in awards), and that it is less known that many inferior films. I feel privileged to have seen it on 'the big screen' a few times, back in the 80s. Some films translate well to DVD, but films of great cinematographic stature are always best appreciated on the silver screen.
You can't consider yourself a film-fan, a movie-buff, if you haven't seen this one (or two or three) in each of its versions, several times. I defy you not to love it (them?), too!
(Canadian spelling in this review)