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  4. "Once Upon a Time in America" ​​Memories of 20th century America depicted through the lives of gangsters
"Once Upon a Time in America" ​​Memories of 20th century America depicted through the lives of gangsters

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"Once Upon a Time in America" ​​Memories of 20th century America depicted through the lives of gangsters

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“Once Upon a Time in America” Synopsis

New York in the 1920s. Noodles, a Jewish immigrant boy, meets Max, who is the same age as him, and although they struggle at first, they form a deep friendship. Eventually, they and their friends begin to make money by taking advantage of the prohibition law, but Noodles commits murder and is sent to prison. When Noodles was released from prison, Max, who had expanded his influence, was waiting for him...


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Sergio Leone, who rejected ' The Godfather', wanted a gangster movie



It's a well-known story that Sergio Leone was first offered the role of director of " The Godfather " (1972). Having produced many masterpiece westerns such as the "Dollar Trilogy" of "A A Fistful of Dollars For a Few Dollars More The Good, the Bad and the Ugly " (1965), and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (1966), "The Western " (1968) and " Mr. Nobody " (1973), he is even called the father of the spaghetti western. Although gangster movies may seem out of his league, Paramount executives thought, "He could spin a mythical story even if we moved the setting from the Wild West to early 20th century New York."


However, Sergio Leone did not shake his head. He simply couldn't like Mario Puzo's original work. The Corleone Family, an Italian mafia that rules New York and has gained both money and fame, is far too sophisticated to be called a gang. Leone's idea of ​​a gang was something more ambitious and rougher. This is not a gangster movie at all! Sergio Leone politely refused the offer.


``The Godfather'' was later made into a movie by Francis Ford Coppola, which became a huge hit. As you all know, it became a masterpiece that carved its name in Hollywood film history. Leone must have regretted missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime Being There. But he already had plans for a gangster movie. That is Leone's posthumous work and masterpiece, ``Once Upon a Time in America'' (1984). It is a monumental gangster movie on par with ``The Godfather.''


"Once Upon a Time in America" ​​trailer


The setting is New York in the 1920s. This epic film depicts the fateful encounter between Jewish immigrants Noodles (Robert De Niro) and Max (James Woods) in the slums of the Lower East Side, and how they develop a friendship and rise to become a gang member. A great epic. Everything Leone thought of as a gangster movie was packed here. This is the kind of movie I wanted to make, even beating out ``The Godfather.''


Come to think of it, `` The Godfather Part II '' (1974) was characterized by its mixing of present and past tenses, but ``Once Upon a Time in America'' also takes place in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1960s. Years and tenses flash back one after another. Leone may have had ``The Godfather'' in mind when making the movie. Robert De Niro also stars in both films.




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  1. CINEMORE
  2. movie
  3. Once Upon a Time in America
  4. "Once Upon a Time in America" ​​Memories of 20th century America depicted through the lives of gangsters