10 Gangster Movies You Must See Before You Die
9. Once Upon A Time In America
Let’s note first of all that Sergio Leone’s epic is not for the faint of heart or weak of bladder. The Italian auteur’s final picture is an epic in every sense of the word, with the longest cut running four and a half hours and capturing an enormous chunk of American history.
Robert De Niro has played some unpalatable characters in his time, but few are as distasteful as “protagonist” Noodles, for long swathes of the film at least. Murders are piled up with sexual violence. He leaves destruction in his wake, and himself a haunted man, sending him scurrying for the lure of the opium den.
James Woods shines as Noodles’ erstwhile criminal buddy Max, and the two portray their characters across history. It’s a weird and winding story of regret and redemption, living up to the fairy tale allusions of its title.
The blood soaked, enormously long picture had troubled production and issues with its release – a hacked up version was met with derision. You need to see the full film in all its glory. It’s not a fun ride at times, but it’s an incredible piece of work.