20 Movies That Are Flawed Masterpieces

2. Once Upon A Time In America (1984)

The second Sergio Leone movie to make the list, an epic gangster flick starring Robert De Niro and James Woods, has always held a reputation as something of a lost or forgotten masterpiece. Such reputation stems from the fact that Leone's movie was cut down from its original form and has existed in countless versions, only the most recent of which - that's to say, the one shown in Cannes in 2012 - aligns with what the master director intended.

But in said version, what a wonderful, strange, beautiful masterpiece this is - one that is interesting with its flaws taken into consideration, and as powerful and memorable as The Godfather (a film which it is often compared to, despite the fact that they aren't actually all that similar); the performances, musical score, and cinematography are utterly gorgeous. Once Upon a Time in America wasn't a masterpiece when it was first unveiled; it was messy, and edited all out of comprehension. But now, seen as it was intended, there is no doubt that Leone's take on the American dream is an all-time classic - warts and all.