There is a high likelihood that many people, if asked, would tell you that their favourite gangster movie is the Francis Ford Coppola classic The Godfather. However, there is another gangster film that is a strong contender in the running for the best of all time and it came out nearly 10 years after the first Godfather movie.
Running at a cool 3 hours and 49 minutes, it is a gangster epic that everyone should watch at least once in their lives. Once Upon a Time in America is a staple in the genre and a cinematic masterpiece. Each scene, frame and performance influenced its impact and defined what makes filmmaking great. Made in 1984, the film has a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.3/10 on IMDb.
The story follows best friends “Noodles” Aaronson, played by Robert De Niro and Max Bercovicz, played by James Woods, as they become prominent figures in New York’s criminal underworld by rising to the top of their local gang.
The film is based on Harry Grey’s book The Hoods (1952) and was adapted for the screen by Sergio Leone.
His timeless work would become the blueprint for many gangster films and performances later down the line.
Leone’s final film in his long directing career, he chose to delve into themes of fractured childhood friendships, desire for love, grieving and becoming greedy.
The score paired with the beautiful shots of a brutal gangster take the film to another level.
Leone was actually asked to direct The Godfather, but he turned it down as he felt the story glorified the mafia.
On top of De Niro and Bercovicz, the film starred Elizabeth McGovern, James Woods and Joe Pesci.
Once Upon a Time in America won two BAFTAs among its many awards and had even more nominations.
Commenting on a Reddit thread debating which film out of The Godfather (series), Once Upon a Time in America and Goodfellas, is the best, one person said: “Once Upon a Time in America is way better than either Godfather or Goodfellas.”