Casting
Au départ, Leone pensait confier le rôle de Noodles à Steve McQueen, mais l'écriture du scénario prit beaucoup plus de temps que prévu et Steve McQueen décéda en 1980. C'est alors qu'il pensa à une autre star montante du cinéma en la personne de Robert De Niro.Le rôle de Max fut un temps envisagé par plusieurs comédiens dont Gérard Depardieu (Aaaarrrgh!!!!)et Klaus Kinski qui avait déjà joué sous la direction de Sergio Leone dans Et pour quelques dollars de plus.
C'est finalement James Woods qui hérita du rôle. Joe Pesci, partenaire de Robert De Niro dans nombre de leurs films réalise sa deuxième collaboration avec celui-ci, leur première rencontre ayant opéré dans Raging Bull.Claudia Cardinale, déjà présente au générique d'Il était une fois dans l'Ouest, se présenta à nouveau à Sergio Leone pour interpréter le rôle de Carol, mais le réalisateur préféra l'attribuer à Tuesday Weld. Jennifer Connelly fait ici ses débuts à l'écran dans le rôle de Deborah (jeune).
A sprawling, deliberately paced, and generally a superbly crafted piece of work
Author: MisterWhiplash from United States
19 October 2003
It's been said that when one watches a "spaghetti" western (one of the "Man with no name" films with Clint Eastwood) filmmaker Sergio Leone's trademark cinema style and flair for clear storytelling is instantly recognizable. This is no truer than in his most ambitious effort, Once Upon a Time in America, in which his usage of close-ups, concise camera movement, sound transitions and syncs, and the sudden change in some scenes from tenderness to violence. And, he pulls it off without making the viewer feel dis-interested.
*
Of course, it's hard to feel that way when watching the cast he has put together; even the child actors (one of which a young Jennifer Connelly as the young Deborah) are believable. Robert De Niro projects his subtitles like a pro , with his occasional outburst in the right place ; James Woods gives one of his first great performances as Max; Elizabeth McGovern is the heart of the film; and Joe Pesci should've had more than just a one scene appearance, thought it's still good.
It's a story of life-long friends, in the tradition of the Godfather movies with obvious differences, and the story cuts back and forth to Noodles (De Niro) in his old age returning from exile, looking back on his childhood in Brooklyn, his rise to power with his partners, and the twists come quite unexpectedly. The pace is slow, but not detrimental, and it gives the viewer time to let the emotions sink in. The story is also non-linear, and yet doesn't give away facts to the viewer- this is something that more than likely influenced Tarantino (and many others) in style.
By the end, every detail that has mounted up makes the whole experience rather fulfilling, if not perfect. Finally, I'd like to point out the exceptional musical score. Ennio Morricone, as it says on this site, has scored over four hundred films in forty years, including Leone's movies. This would have to be, arguably, one of his ten best works- his score is equally lively, saddened, intense, and perhaps majestic for a gangster epic. Overall, it's filled with the same spirit Leone had in directing the picture, and it corresponds beautifully- there are some scenes in this film that would simply not work without the strings. Grade: A
