12 Directors Who Blamed Studios For Failed Movies

How do you take an iconic mobster flick by a master director and turn it into a disastrous mess? Cut over an hour of footage from the runtime and completely change the story structure. This is what tragically occurred for the US release of Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America, a project that was insanely culled by US distributors The Ladd Brothers without the knowledge of the legendary Italian director.

Despite having over eight hours of footage to use, Leone had managed to trim down his non-linear script down to a 229 minute runtime at the behest of the Ladd Brothers. This version of the film received a standing applause at Cannes and subsequent rave reviews across Europe. The same was not the case for the US release, with a shortened 139 minute version of the film distributed and the non-linear story structure removed. This version was panned by critics, and proved to be a significant box office flop.

Leone was distraught at the changes made to his film, all without his permission. Most cruelly, his masterpiece had been slaughtered for the very audience the film it had been targeted for. The impact on Leone was so much, that actor James Woods believes it was the major contributor to the heart attack that took his life three years later. Considering the film was very much a passion project for Leone, it isn't surprising that the desecration of his film broke the Italian's heart.