Once Upon a Time in America
1984 · Movie · R · 229 min · ★ 8.4 · 81% critics
A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, facing the ghosts and regrets tied to his old life. The story unfolds across decades as the city and the choices he made leave lasting marks.
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Details
- Years
- 1984
- Release date
- 1984-05-23
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 229 min
- Critic score
- 81/100
- TMDB rating
- 8.4/10 (6,063 votes)
- Box office
- $5,321,508
- Budget
- $30,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this epic, slow-burning gangster story if you like dense, character-focused crime dramas like The Godfather Part II or Casino; Not for you if very long films, heavy brutality/sexist themes, or confusing, multi-decade storytelling are dealbreakers.
Pros: epic mob saga; strong acting; music-driven mood | Cons: very long runtime; choppy/edited feel; harsh/sexist content
Themes
- new york city
- regret
- lovesickness
- rape
- life and death
- sexual abuse
- street gang
- corruption
- based on novel or book
- prohibition era
- gangster
- sadistic
- +14 more
Awards & recognition
- Silver nugget — the best foreign film · 1985
Cast & crew
Robert De Niro
as Noodles
James Woods
as Max
Elizabeth McGovern
as Deborah
Joe Pesci
as Frankie
Burt Young
as Joe
Tuesday Weld
as Carol
Treat Williams
as Jimmy O'Donnell
Danny Aiello
as Police Chief Aiello
Richard Bright
as Chicken Joe
James Hayden
as Patsy
Directed by Sergio Leone