Classic Movies #45: Once Upon a Time in America
Sergio Leone's Anti-Godfather classic
Sergio Leone’s majestically sombre gangster epic lands on Classic Movies this month. Endeavour and I dive into the Jewishness of the film, its uncompromising deconstruction of gangster tropes, and, of course, Ennio Morricone’s sublime music.
I also go off on a lengthy tangent on cultural vs personal nostalgia and the dangers inherent in the latter. Once Upon A Time In America, for all its bleakness and violence, is also an extended meditation on men reflecting on their lives, idealizing the past, and regretting decisions made. It is, unfortunately, often a lethal brew that leads to lonely nights and an abyss that can be too much for many men.
Around 130 min mark Morgoth discusses the risks of personal nostalgia past certain age....really powerful stuff..had to stop and relisten again
Morgoth your take on Munich and the cruelty towards the blond woman in Once Upon a Time in America is spot on. I felt exactly the same when I watched Inglorious Basterds. Just a weird expression of racial loathing and animus towards us. Especially the scene at the end where they are indiscriminately firing into the crowd at the theater. I got up and walked out during that scene. My girlfriend didn't understand until I explained to her that there were total innocents in that crowd: women, some of whom could be pregnant, serving staff, as well as some of the soldiers who were just doing their duty.