Once Upon a Time in America

Once Upon a Time in America () is a 1984 epic crime film co-written and directed by Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, and starring Robert De Niro and James Woods. The film is an Italian–American venture produced by The Ladd Company, Embassy International Pictures, PSO Enterprises and Rafran Cinematografica, and distributed by Warner Bros. Based on Harry Grey's novel The Hoods, it chronicles the lives of best friends David "Noodles" Aaronson and Maximilian "Max" Bercovicz as they lead a group of Jewish ghetto youths who rise to prominence as Jewish gangsters in New York City's world of organized crime. The film explores themes of childhood friendships, love, lust, greed, betrayal, loss, and broken relationships, together with the rise of mobsters in American society.

It was the final film directed by Leone before his death five years later, and the first feature film he had directed in 13 years. It is also the third installment of Leone's Once Upon a Time Trilogy, which includes Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) and Duck, You Sucker! (1971). The cinematography was by Tonino Delli Colli, and the film score by Ennio Morricone. Leone originally envisaged two three-hour films, then a single 269-minute (4 hours and 29 minutes) version, but was convinced by distributors to shorten it to 229 minutes (3 hours and 49 minutes). The American distributors, The Ladd Company, further shortened it to 139 minutes (2 hours and 19 minutes), and rearranged the scenes into chronological order, without Leone's involvement.

The US edit was a critical and commercial flop in the United States, and critics who had seen both versions harshly condemned the changes made. The original "European cut" has remained a critical favorite and frequently appears in lists of the greatest films of all time, especially in the gangster genre.

 Cast 

 Robert De Niro as David "Noodles" Aaronson/Robert Williams
 Scott Tiler as Young Noodles
 James Woods as Maximilian "Max" Bercovicz/Christopher Bailey
 Rusty Jacobs as Young Max/David Bailey
 Elizabeth McGovern as Deborah Gelly
 Jennifer Connelly as Young Deborah
 Treat Williams as Jimmy Conway O'Donnell
 Tuesday Weld as Carol
 Burt Young as Joe Monaldi
 Joe Pesci as Francis "Frankie" Monaldi
 Danny Aiello as Police Chief Vincent Aiello
 William Forsythe as Philip "Cockeye" Stein
 Adrian Curran as Young Cockeye
 James Hayden as Patrick "Patsy" Goldberg
 Brian Bloom as Young Patsy
 Darlanne Fluegel as Eve
 Larry Rapp as "Fat" Moe Gelly
 Mike Monetti as Young Fat Moe
 Richard Bright as "Chicken" Joe

 References 

Category:1984 movies
Category:American crime drama movies
Category:Italian drama movies
Category:English-language movies
Category:Movies directed by Sergio Leone
Category:Italian crime movies
Category:1984 crime movies
Category:1984 drama movies
Category:Nonlinear narrative movies
Category:Movies composed by Ennio Morricone