This evening I watched "Once Upon A Time in America". I had bought it as a DVD several years ago but never got round to watching it. It was the last film that Sergio Leone ever directed and for him it was a genuine labour of love.
I first saw this film in a cinema in 1985 and was absolutely wowed by it. That was forty years ago and ever since I had frequently referred to it as the best film I had ever seen - even though the mobster genre does not normally provide the kind of film that really appeals to me.
Starring Robert De Niro and James Woods , "Once Upon A Time In America" is three hours and forty nine minutes long. However, it was meant to be much longer but objections by film distributors forced Sergio Leone to re-edit it. Some critics feel that that was an unforgivable act of artistic vandalism.
Moving to and fro between 1920s New York City, the 1960s and beyond the film focuses upon a group of Jewish hoodlums who have an appetite for violence and money. Their moral code is to do with loyalty to each other but you can damn everybody else.
The film has a haunting, almost fairytale quality about it as the "Once Upon A Time..." title might suggest. The musical soundtrack adds to that mysterious atmosphere. And throughout Robert De Niro demonstrates what a fine film actor he is. Maybe David "Noodles" Aaronson will be remembered as his finest role.
It was strange watching a film that I rated so very highly forty years ago. I had forgotten most of the detail of it and in a way this second viewing was like experiencing a brand new film but I was again absorbed by it and pleased that at last I gave up an entire evening to watch it.
Robert De Niro as David "Noodles" Aaronson
from Yorkshire Pudding https://ift.tt/O5VzrkH
