Once Upon a Time in America

"Crime, passion and lust for power."

Jun 1 1984 R 3h 49m
Crime, Drama

A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.

Plot

With the vivid memory of his long-gone childhood friends Max, Patsy, and Cockeye etched in his mind, his ferociously loyal partners-in-crime during their rise to prominence in New York's Prohibition-era Lower East Side, the defeated, penniless, and guilt-ridden former gangster David "Noodles" Aaronson returns to Manhattan. Not knowing what to expect on his mission to shed light on his opaque past, grizzled Noodles reunites with his only living friend Fat Moe after 35 haunted years of self-exile. However, the relentless, piercing sound of culpability stands in the way of finding closure, as the inscrutable content of a well-worn leather suitcase further complicates matters. And now, against the backdrop of a torn conscience, the sad, bittersweet recollections of more than 50 years of love, death, and everything in-between become inextricably intertwined, leading to even more puzzling questions. But what are a man's options when he is left with nothing?

Written by

Harry Grey, Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi

Directed by

Sergio Leone

Production Countries

United States of America, Italy

Production Companies

The Ladd Company, Embassy International Pictures, PSO, Warner Bros. Pictures, Rafran Cinematografica

Languages

, Français, Italiano, English

Awards

Won 2 BAFTA 11 wins & 13 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
392,017
Average Rating
8.3 out of 10
Metascore
75
Popularity
NA