Once Upon a Time in America Is Every Bit as Great a Gangster ...

Robert De Niro and James Woods created gangster icons for Sergio Leone's mob masterpiece, Once Upon a Time in America. Skiptomaincontentarea Ad Home»OnceUponaTimeinAmericaIsEveryBitasGreataGangsterMovieasTheGodfather ByTonySokol|September7,2021|ShareonFacebook(opensinanewtab)ShareonTwitter(opensinanewtab)ShareonLinkedin(opensinanewtab)Shareonemail(opensinanewtab)| Commentscount:0 Photo:WarnerBros.Pictures ThisarticlecontainsOnceUponaTimeinAmericaspoilers. TheGodfatherisagreatmovie,possiblythebestevermade.Itssequel,TheGodfather,PartII,oftenfollowsitinthepantheonofclassiccinema,somecriticsevenbelieveitisthebetterfilm.RobertEvans,headofproductionatParamountintheearly1970s,wantedTheGodfathertobedirectedbyanItalianAmerican.FrancisFordCoppolawasverymuchalastresort.Thestudio’sfirstchoicewasSergioLeone,buthewasgettingreadytomakehisowngangsterepic,OnceUponaTimeinAmerica.Thoughlessknown,itisequallymagnificent.  RobertDeNiro,asDavid“Noodles”Aaronson,andJamesWoods,asMaximillian“Max”Bercovicz,makeupadreamgangsterfilmpairinginOnceUponaTimeinAmerica,onparwithlate1930saudiencesseeingHumphreyBogartandJamesCagneyteamforTheRoaringTwentiesorAngelswithDirtyFaces.NoodlesandMaxarepartnersandcompetitors,oneisambitious,theothergetsayenforthebeach.Onewenttojail,theotherwantstorobtheFederalReserveBank.  ThrowJoePesciintothemix,inasmallpartascrimebossFrankieMonaldi,andBurtYoungashisbrotherJoeMonaldi,andlifegets“funnierthanshit,”andfunnierthantheirmorefamouscrimefilms,GoodfellasandChinatown,respectively.FuturemobentertainmentmainstaysarealloverOnceUponaTimeinAmericatoo,andtheyareindistinguishedcompany.ThisisfutureOscarwinnerJenniferConnelly’sfirstmovie.SheplaysyoungDeborah,theyounggirlwhobecomesthewomanbetweenNoodlesandMax,andsheevenhassomethingofacatch-phrase,“GoonNoodlesyourmotheriscalling.”ElizabethMcGoverndeliversthelineasadultDeborah.  Ad Ad–contentcontinuesbelow WhenOnceUponaTimeinAmericafirstranintheaters,therewerereportsthatpeopleintheaudiencelaughedwhenDeborahisreintroducedaftera35-yeargapintheaction.Shehadn’tagedatall.ButDeborahisrepresentationaltoLeone,beyondthecharacter. “Agecanwitherme,Noodles,”shesays.Butneitherthecharacternorthedirectorwillallowtheaudiencetoseeitbeyondthecoldcream.DeborahisthecharacterLeoneisansweringto.Shealsoembodiesthefluidchronologyofthestorytelling.Sheisitsonlyconstant. Therestofthefilmcanfeellikeafreefallthough.WhereasTheGodfathermovedinalinearfashion,OnceUponaTimeinAmericahastimeforflashbacks,andflashbackswithinflashbacks,anddetoursthatcareenbetweentheviolentandthequiet.It’savisceralexperienceaboutlandingwherewe,andthisgenre,began. GrowingupGangster BothTheGodfatherandOnceUponaTimeinAmericaspandecades;it’sthehistoryofimmigrantcrimein20thcenturyAmerica.Buttheydifferonchronologicalplacement.OnceUponaTimeissetinthreetime-frames.Theearliestis1918intheJewishghettosofNewYorkCity’sLowerEastSide.  YoungNoodles(ScottTiler),Patrick“Patsy”Goldberg(BrianBloom),Philip“Cockeye”Stein(AdrianCurran)andDominic(NoahMoazezi),areabushleaguestreetgangdoingpettycrimesforaminorneighborhoodmug,Bugsy(JamesRusso).Newontheblock,Max(RustyJacobs)interruptsthegangasthey’reabouttorolladrunk,andMaxmakesoffwiththeguy’swatchforhimself.Hesoonjoinsthegang,andtheyprogresstobiggercrimes. Thebulkofthefilmtakesplace,however,fromwhenDeNiro’sNoodlesgetsoutofprisonin1930,followingBugsy’smurder,andlastsuntiltheendofProhibitionin1933.Max,nowplayedbyWoods,hasbecomeasuccessfulbootleggerwithamortuarybusinessontheside.WithWilliamForsytheplayingthegrown-upCockeyeandJamesHaydenasPatsy,themobstersgofrombootleggingthroughcontractkilling,andultimatelytobackingthebiggesttruckingunioninthecountryasenforcers.TheyenjoymostoftheirdowntimeintheirchildhoodfriendFatMoe’s(LarryRapp)speakeasy.NoodlesisinlovewithFatMoe’ssister,Deborah,whoisonherwaytobecomingaHollywoodstar.Thegang’sriseendswiththeliquordeliverymassacre. Ad Ad–contentcontinuesbelow Thefinalpartofthefilmcomesin1968.After35yearsinhiding,NoodlesisuncoveredandpaidtodoaprivatecontractfortheU.S.SecretaryofCommerceChristopherBailey… Maxbyadifferentnamewho35yearsonhasbeenabletofeignrespectabilityandmakeDeborahhismistress.Anentirelifehasbecomeafaçade. Joinourmailinglist GetthebestofDenofGeekdeliveredrighttoyourinbox! Subscribe RecreatingaSeedierSideofNewYork’sImmigrantPast WhileTheGodfatherisanadaptationofMarioPuzo’sfictionalbestseller,OnceUponaTimeinAmericaisbasedontheautobiographicalcrimenovel,TheHoods.ItwaswrittenbyHerschel“Noodles”Goldberg,underthepennameofHarryGreywhilehewasservingtimeinSing-SingPrison.  Coppola’svisioninTheGodfatherisaestheticallycomparabletoLeone’sprojection.FromtheopiumpipesattheChinesepuppettheatertothetake-outLoMeinduringexecutionplanning,themulticulturalworldofoldNewYorkcrowdstheframesandtheplayersinbothfilms.MostofOnceUponaTimeinAmericawasshotatRome’sCinecittàStudios.The1918JewishneighborhoodinManhattanwasastreetinWilliamsburg,Brooklyn,whichwasmadetolookexactlyasithad60yearsearlier. Leoneskillfully,yetplayfully,capturesthepovertyofimmigrantlifeinNewYork.Thefirstcrimeweseethefour-membergangcommitcouldhavebeendonebytheDeadEndkids.Theytorchanewspaperstandbecausetheownerdoesn’tkickupprotectionmoneytothelocalmug.AndliketheDeadEndkids,theyneedletheirmark,andjokewitheachother.Attheendofthecrime,Cockeyisplayingthepanpipe,andtheveryyoungDominicisdancing.Theyareproudoftheirworkandenjoyit.It’sfuntobreakthingsformoney.Andevenbetterwhentheygetachoicebetweentakingpaymentincashorrollingitoverintothesurebetofrollingadrunk. ViolencewithouttheCannoli Gangsterfilms,likeHowardHawks’ScarfaceandWilliamA.Wellman’sThePublicEnemy,werealwaysattheforefrontofthebacklashtotheMotionPictureProductionCode.Whichmightbewhygangsterpictureswereoneofthefirstgenrestobenefitfromthecensors’fall.AdirectlinecanbedrawnfromthemachinegundeathwhichendsBonnieandClyde(1967)tothetoll-boothexecutionofSonnyCorleone(JamesCaan) inTheGodfather.AnotherfromwhenMoeGreene(AlexRocco)getsonethroughtheglassesandJoeMonaldigetsitintheeyeinOnceUponaTimeinAmerica. TheGodfatherhassomebrutalscenes.WegetalitanyofdeadBarzinisandTattaglias,horseheadsandspilledoranges.OnceUponaTimeinAmericaupstheantethough.Theshootingsandstabbingsareneatjobscomparedwiththebeatings,whichallowfarmoreartisticrenderingsofgore,andpassextremescrutiny.Theonetimetheeffectsteambalksatapayoffiswhenit’snotasgruesomeasthesetup. Ad Ad–contentcontinuesbelow “Inflammatorywordsfromaunionboss,”corporatethugChickenJoeasksasheisabouttolightJimmy“CleanHands”ConwayO’Donnellonfire.Themobsterhassuchanicesmile,andtheuniondelegate,playedbyTreatWilliams,lookssopatheticwhiledrippinggasolinethatitfeelslikeitmightevenbeamercykilling.Itisawonderfulsetpiece,perfectlyexecutedandtimed.WhenMaxandNoodles,andthegangdefusethesituation,ratherthanigniteit,itisalessoninthedangerousbalanceofsuspense. LikemanyspecificscenesinOnceUponaTimeinAmerica,Conway’sincendiaryintroductionwould’veworkedinanyera.Thisistheturningpointforthegang.TheendofProhibitioniscomingandallthosetrucksthey’reusingtohaulliquorcanberepurposedforamorelucrativefuture.  “YouDancing?” MusicisparamountinbothLeone’sandCoppola’sfilms.TheGodfatherismuchlikeanopera,thethirdinstallmentevenclosesthecurtainatone.OnceUponaTimeinAmericaisafrontierfilm.ThescorewascomposedbyEnnioMorricone,whowrotethemusicbehindLeone’sAFistfulofDollars,ForAFewDollarsMore,andTheGood,theBadandtheUgly. ThefilmopensandcloseswithKateSmith’sversionof“GodBlessAmerica.”Thoughthesceneoccursduringthe1968timeframe,thesongcomesoutoftheradioofacarseeminglyfromanotherpointintime. Morricone’saccompanimenttoOnceUponaTimeinAmericaisasrepresentationalasNinoRota’ssoundtrackinTheGodfather.Characters,settings,situations,andrelationshipsallhavethemes,whichbecomeasrecognizableastheProhibition-erasongswhichflavortheperiodpiece’sambience.FatMoeconductsthespeakeasyorchestrathroughJoséMaríaLacalleGarcía’s“Amapola”whilegrinningdreamilytoDeborahwhoischattingwithNoodles.He’saromantic. Readmore Movies TaxiDriver:ALookatNYC’sIngloriousPast Movies TheKingofComedy:What’stheRealPunchlineoftheMartinScorseseClassic? ThemusicbecomespartoftheactioninOnceUponaTimeinAmerica.Individualcouplescuttheirownrugs,doingtheCharlestonbetweentablesaswaitersandcigarettegirlsglideby.Cockeye,whohasbeenplayingthepanpipesincethebeginningofthefilm,wantstositinwiththeband.  Ad Ad–contentcontinuesbelow ForsythealmoststealsOnceUponaTimeinAmerica.HecrieswhatlooklikerealtearsatthemockfuneralforProhibitionanddrinksformulafromababybottleduringthematernitywardscene.Theblackmailscheme,whichinvolvesswappinginfants,playslikeanouttakefromaThreeStoogesmovie,somethingCoppolawouldneverdareforTheGodfather.TheruseischoreographedtothetuneofGioachinoRossini’s“TheThievingMagpie,”whichelicitstheyouthfulthuggerycelebratedinStanleyKubrick’sAClockworkOrange.  DevilswithCleanFaces Oneironicdifferencebetweenthetwofilmsiswhimsy.TheGodfather,whichglorifiescrimeascorporatemisadventure,isaseriousmoviewithnotimeforfunnybusiness.OnceUponaTimeinAmerica,whichisanindictmentofcriminallife,hasmomentsofinnocenceassyrupyasinanyfamilyfilm(ofthenon-crimevariety)andcanbecompletelykosher.It’ssweeterthanthecannoliClemenza(RichardCastellano)tookfromthecar,orthecakeNazorine(VitoScotti)madefortheweddingofDonVito’sdaughter.  ThescenewhereyoungPatsybringsaCharlotteRussetoPeggyinexchangeforsexisamasterworkofemotivestorytelling.Hechoosesatreatoversex.Ononelevel,yes,thisisasocioeconomicreality.Thatpastrywasexpensiveandsomethinghecouldneveraffordtogetforhimself.ButasPatsysneakseachtinybitofthecreamfromthepackaging,heisalsojustachild,akidwhowantssomecake.Helearnshecan’thaveitandeatit.Itissoplainlylaidout,andsobeautifullyrendered. TheCorleonefamilynevergetsthosemoments,notevenintheflashbackstoSicilyoraschildrenonthestooplisteningtostreetsingersplayguitars.WeknowlittleofMichaelCorleone(AlPacino)orSonnyasyoungsters,muchlessteenagers,andarerobbedoftheirhappiermomentsofbonding.Weknowtheyareclose,theyarefamily.ButMichaelhashisownbrotherkilledwhileNoodlesbalksattheveryidea.Twice,asitturnsout. Readmore Movies TheGodfatherCoda:TheDeathofMichaelCorleoneProvesaLittleLessisInfinitelyMore Movies MobAntipasta:BestGangsterMovieFoodScenes “TodaytheyaskustogetridofJoe.Tomorrowtheyaskmetogetridofyou.Isthatokaywithyou?Cosit’snotokaywithme,”NoodlestellsMaxafterthegangdeliversonaparticularlycostlycontract,double-crossingtheirpartnersinamajordiamondheist.Theyarenotbloodfamily,butfromthemomentMaxcallsNoodleshis“uncle”tofoolabeatcop,theyareallrelated.  Noodlesthendoeswhatyoungmenincoming-of-agemovieshavedonesinceCooleyHigh:Somethingreallystupid.AnindulgencetheCorleonescouldneverenjoy.Hespeedsthecarintothebay.Theguyscan’tbelieveit.Itaddstohislegend.ThescenecouldhavebeeninDiner,FerrisBueller’sDayOff,orevenThelma&Louise.Itishardtodislikethegangstersinthesemoments.Weknowthemtoowell,evenastheydosuchhorriblethings. LatestMoviereviews Shakespeare’sShitstormReview:TromaandLloydKaufmanMakeGoodonTitle TheNorthmanReview:TheDefinitiveVikingMovie AmbulanceIsMichaelBay’sBestFilminYears Ad–contentcontinuesbelow HowWomenareReallyTreatedbyanUnderworld TheGodfatheristoldfromthevantagepointofoneoftheheadsofthefiveestablishedcrimefamilies;organizedcrimeisasinsularastheCorleonemallonLongBeach.Thatmotionpicturereinvigoratedthe“gangsterfilm,”longconsideredaghettogenre,butitsperspectiveisinsulated.Bycontrast,nomatterhowfartheyclimb,Leone’scharactersneverreallygetofftheblock.Theyarestreetsavages,evenintuxedos.OnceUponaTimeinAmericawhackedthegangsterfilm,andtosseditslivingcorpseintothecompactorofapassinggarbagetruck. TheGodfatherdoesn’tjudgeitsgangsters.TheCorleonesarefamilymenwhokeeptoacodeofethicsandomerta.Theydiptheirbeaksin“harmless”viceslikegambling,liquor,andprostitution.Whiletherearescenesofextremedomesticviolence,andageneraldismissalofwomen,thefilmstopsshortofchallengingtheimageofhonorablemenwhododishonorablethings.Leoneoffersnosuchrestraint.Hishistorylessonisunabridged. LongbeforeMartinScorsese’sTheIrishmanstrippedgangsterloretoataleoftoxicmasculinity,OnceUponaTimeinAmericarobbeditofallglamor.ThereisaverynonchalantattitudetowardviolenceandotherdemeaningactsagainstwomeninLeone’sfilm,fromtheveryopeningscenewhereathugfondlesawoman’sbreastwithhisguninordertohumiliateherciviliandate. Thisisdeliberate.Thedirector,bestknownforSpaghettiWesterns,wantstoobliterateanygoodwillthegangstershaveaccumulatedthroughtheirmagneticantiheroism.OnescenebetweenMaxandhisgirlfriendCarol(TuesdayWeld)issohardtositthrough,eventheothermembersofthegangsquirmintheirchairs. Noodlessexuallyassaultstwowomenoverthecourseofthefilm.Whilethereissomemotivationalambiguityinthesceneduringthejewelheistattack,therapeofDeborahisdevastatinglydirect.Itkillsanyvestigeofromancethegangsterarchetypehasinfilm.Thecameradoesnotlookaway,andthescenelingerswithterrifyingferocityandtraumaticintimacy.Thereisavisiblevictim,andNoodles’wealthandpretensionsofhonorareworthless. TheUltimateGangsterEpic OnceUponaTimeinAmericabringsoneotherelementtothegenrewhichTheGodfatheravoids,alingeringmystery.Coppoladeliversshortriddles,likethefateofLucaBrasi,whicharerevealedasthestorywarrants.Butthe35-yeargapbetweentheslaughterofNoodles’crewandtheintroductionofSecretaryBaileyisalmostunfathomable.HowdidMaxgofromlong-deadtoamanwithlegitimatepower? Ad Ad–contentcontinuesbelow WhathappenstoNoodlesinthoseyearsisfairlyeasytoguess,withoutanyspecifics.Hegotby.Thegang’ssharedsecretbankrollwasemptywhenhetriedtoretrieveitasthelastsurvivingmember.Heputhisgunawayandekedoutaquietlife.ButevenasthedetailsspilloutonthetruefateofMax,itisunexpectedlysurprising,asmuchfortheaudienceasNoodles. “Itookawayyourwholelifefromyou,”Max/Baileysays.“I’vebeenlivinginyourplace.Itookeverything.Itookyourmoney.Itookyourgirl.AllIleftforyouwas35yearsofgriefoverhavingkilledme.Nowwhydon’tyoushoot?”Thisfinalbetrayal,andNoodles’inertrevenge,takeOnceUponaTimeInAmericaintoalmostunexploredcinematicdepths.  Maxhasgoneaslowashecouldgo.ThejokeisonNoodles,everyone’sinonit,including“CleanHands,”whoistiedinto“theBaileyscandal.”Thecopsareinonit,andsoisthemob.Maxadmitseventheliquordropoffwasasyndicateset-up.He’dplannedthisallalong.JustlikeMichaelCorleonehadalongtermstrategytomakehisfamilylegitimate.  Thisisanambitiousstory.Beyondgenre,thisbendsAmericancelluloidintoEuropeancinema.BysheervirtueofbeingoutsideofHollywood,Leonetranscendstraditionalboundaries.Hehasafarmorelimitlesspallettodrawfrom.HecanaimacameraatDeNiro’sspooninacoffeecupforthreeminutesandneverlosetheaudience’sraptattention.Leonecanpulltherugoutfromeverythingwithalastminutereveal.CoppolabentAmericanfilmmakingforTheGodfather,butstayedwithinproscribedparameters.HenevergetsassweetasaCharlotteRussenorasrepulsiveasthebackseatofalimo.  Ad OnceUponaTimeinAmericarippedthegenre’sinsidesoutanddisplayedthemwithunflinchingveracityandtheatricalbeauty.Itisaperfectfilm,gorgeouslyshot,masterfullytimed,andslightlyajar. Share:ShareonFacebook(opensinanewtab)ShareonTwitter(opensinanewtab)ShareonLinkedin(opensinanewtab)Shareonemail(opensinanewtab)|Comment: Commentscount:0 Tags:CrimeMoviesRobertDeNiro Writtenby TonySokol | @tsokol CultureEditorTonySokolisawriter,playwrightandmusician.HecontributedtoAltvariety,Chiseler,Smashpipe,andothermagazines.HeistheTVEditoratEntertainment… ReadmorefromTonySokol MoreonCrimeMovies Movies WhyTheGodfatherPartIVNeverHappened Movies RedeemingTheLegacyOfTheGodfatherPartIII Culture TheRealGoodfellas:GangstersThatInspiredtheMartinScorseseFilm Movies WhyHarveyKeitel'sLanskyLooksforGoodnessinBadMen Ad-contentcontinuesbelow Popular Movies BestMovieComediesoftheLast15Years Movies HowTheAvengersSetuptheFutureoftheMCU TV WhatDoestheFutureHoldforSailorMoon? TV BatwomanandLegendsofTomorrowCanceled:AreCWDCTVShowsinTrouble? Readthelatestissue Ad PrivacySettings