Not a great movie - Not a bad movie either

Rating: 8/10 (16 January 2020)

I caught Once Upon a Time in America last night on TCM for its premier showing. In the 36 years since its original release I've seen it several times, from the shortened version of 2 hours plus, to the extended 3 hour - 29 minute version released in 2012. I also remember seeing one version --- just one time --- clocking in at something like 4 or 5 hours! Bottomline. The 2012 version seems to be the best one.
While never a big fan of Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns, I was willing to give this gangster tale a chance. At first, it fell flat. I didn't like the film. It had a disjointed appearance that effected its overall storytelling aspects. Which in turn left it with a boring quality. Well, its still a bit boring at times, but it offers a unique movie viewing experience. A few things to consider. Leone leaned more towards the visual aspects of film making and less towards the spoken word. Remember too, Leone's parents worked mainly during the silent era of film making, when the visual vision, trumped dialog 100% of the time. So, maybe they had a bigger influence on him then people realize.
While Sergio Leone was an assistant and second unit director on many films, he only directed 7 full length feature films in his career. Once Upon A Time in America may not be in the same class with the Godfather films or Goodfellas, but it is a good representation of what life was like in the Jewish gangs during the prohibition era. Leone is not John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock or Orson Wells, however. He is considered one of the most influential film makers of the second half of the 20th century.
I give Once Upon A Time in America, a 7.5 rating.