Poetry in Motion

Rating: Null/10 (15 June 2003)

I first saw Once Upon A Time In America when it was released in 1984 and remember enjoying it but was not blown away. Funny how age; time and maturity can alter our perceptions. Just recently I rented the full un-cut version, and what I realized is that this film is not just good it is a masterpiece of cinema. If you can bring poetry to the screen, this film has done exactly that. To call it a masterpiece is an understatement this film is pure artistry in motion. Leone brought such compassion, such imagination and such a sense of beauty that I can honestly say it's one of the best films ever made. From the music to the cinematography to the brilliant acting and writing I was swept away into a magical experience.

Great art has great depth, and like a great painting it can be viewed over and over again with something new and special always emerging. It is a shame we do not make films like this anymore.
I knew the late James Hayden, who played Patsy, and his untimely death was a loss to us all. Who knows what great work he would have gone on to do? But so be it. This film, and for all involved, is a legacy in it's own right. Thank you Mr. Leone, wherever you are, for giving us the most precious gift an artist can give his audience, and that is the gift of inspiration.