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

Manhattan Bridge reflects the “transition of time”

Every time I look back at ``Once Upon a Time in America,'' I feel a sense of ``time passing.'' Things that change and things that never change. By contrasting them, the nostalgia for a bygone era becomes even deeper. Perhaps Leone designed the movie with this in mind.

The film flashes back to three different tenses: the 1920s, 1930s, and 1960s. It's impressive that there are long shots inserted here and there, but the one that always looks down on the protagonists is the Manhattan Bridge spanning the East River. Things that change (human beings) and things that never change (Manhattan Bridge) are displayed on a single screen.

Leone reportedly used paintings by Edward Hopper and Norman Rockwell as references for the visual design. They used their unique brushwork to depict ordinary people in the city. I can't help but feel that this feeling is alive in Once Upon a Time in America. Although the focus of the story is on Noodles, if you pull back the camera quickly, you will see a wide variety of people living there. The real hero of this story is the city of New York itself.

"Once Upon a Time in America" ​​(c)Photofest / Getty Images

Another thing that impressed me about the “transition of time” production was the scene where Noodles and Deborah meet again for the first time in 35 years. At the end of the performance, she takes off her makeup in the costume room and has a conversation with the audience. In other words, at the beginning, she is covered in Cleopatra's pure white makeup, and it is difficult to tell how she has changed over time. “Deborah as she used to be” is reflected there. And every time she removes her makeup, the wrinkles in her skin are revealed, revealing the ``current Deborah.'' It's a wonderful performance.

``Once Upon a Time in America'' literally depicts the memories of America in the early 20th century with a magnificent touch. Sergio Leone believed that it was above all cinematic. To conclude this article, I would like to quote his own words.

``What I made is a film about time, about memory, and also about cinema.'' (Quoted from an interview with Sergio Leone*)

*Source: Quarterly Lumiere October 1987 issue

Text: Rui Takeshima

A pop culture writer who wants to be kicked by Hit Girl. Host of the web magazine "POP MASTER".

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(c) Photofest / Getty Images