Once Upon A Noodle

by Anastasia Papas (the godmotherr)

Once Upon A Time In America is but a classic mafia movie of the past 40 years. Next to 

The Godfather trilogy (may Michael Corleone rest in peace) this film, starring Robert De Niro, is one of the most famous films done by Sergio Leone. It is actually speculated to be the film that ultimately sent Leone to his deathbed (I mean with 4 hours of film and one's vision is still not complete how must one feel?) Nevertheless, I took it upon myself to watch the film that so many people spoke so highly of. 

In the year 1984 Leone's Once Upon A Time In America (based off of Harry Grey's novel Hoods) was released to the public. It boasted various well-established actors such as the already mentioned Robert De Niro, James Woods (the voice of Hades from my childhood Hercules), Elizabeth McGovern and Joe Pesci (my fellow goodfella). The film tells a story of a man, Noodles (De Niro) who is forced to run away from his hometown after some of his mafia business goes wrong. It shows us Noodles as an old man reminiscing about his past and simultaneously piecing the puzzle as to who is looking for him now in his old age. From childish thievery to full blown rape and murder, the film shows the progression of personality amongst a gang of 4 boys (sorry Dominic) whom Noodles was a part of. Noodles, Maxie, Cockeye and Patsy rise up from their jewish slum in the Lower East side of New York and become the bosses of their town, but not without the typical mafia call for bloodshed and theft. 

Once Upon A Time In America is more than a mafia movie. It is a film about betrayal amongst brothers. From the first moment Noodles met Maxie it was evident that Maxie would be some kind of threat to Noodles' happiness. That was so clear to me when young Maxie swooped right infront of Noodles, beating him to the drunkard Noodles intended on robbing. Yes, thereafter they do manage to become friends because when pitted against the police what kind of gangster would rat out his fellow gangster? Regardless, their bond in the film is always stressed as the most important thing the two of them could ever have. They constantly make promises to one another and always want to prove to the other that their friendship is priceless (not even Carol can get in the way of that). It is evident that the two are in a power struggle for the entirety of the film and Noodles is ultimately the one who loses. Before Noodles goes to prison, him and Maxie are almost at the same power level - in my opinion - because Noodles is the first out of the boys to actually kill someone. However, Noodles loses all his time in prison when Maxie only becomes stronger and more knowledgeable about the business the young boys had always intended on being in. When Noodles leaves prison he and Maxie are quite different. What Maxie knew, Noodles did not know because Maxie had the time to learn and grow when Noodles was mindfully stuck in prison. Perhaps if Noodles and Maxie had grown up together and not separated Maxie would not have had the mind to do what he did. But then again, Maxie was always the greediest and smartest of the gang. 

I'm not going to lie, I did not in the slightest, catch the ending of this one. So I took to the internet to read some analyses and have my questions answered. And as always, I returned triumphant to break it down for you all. In the end of this 4 hour film, Noodles (as his old self) finally comes into contact with Maxie again who is disguised as Mr Bailey - a pseudonym he undertakes after faking his own death. It is made known at this point in the film that Maxie has taken everything Noodles ever wanted. So he provides Noodles with the opportunity to shoot him, but now wise, old Noodles knows better. He leaves through the door Mr Bailey has assigned for him to leave after the scheduled assassination that never occurred and finds himself on the streets. It is there where he sees an enormous garbage truck parked right outside the gate of Mr Bailey's estate. Maxie planned to have Noodles killed after he himself was assassinated which indicates that even in death Maxie had to have a one-up on Noodles. What's interesting about the scene between Maxie and Noodles is that Noodles insists on calling Maxie "Mr Bailey" and goes on to say, "Many years ago I tried to save a friend of mine by turning him in. He was a very close friend. Things worked out bad for him and for me." This line from Noodles clearly shows that he feels nothing more for Maxie and that perhaps he knew all along that Maxie was behind the deaths of their friends.

The last thought that I would like to unpack is the theme of innocence that surrounds Deborah and the overall portrayal of women in the film. I am aware that the role of women in society during this time is no where near what it is today, but it still bothers me that instances of rape in this film are completely normalized and underplayed. In the scene where the gang robs Carol and her husband the rape scene that ensues between Carol and Noodles is outwardly disgusting. Moreover, the fact that Carol is okay with her own rape and allows herself to become a part of this mafia family baffles me. It is clear that most females in this film are no more than sexual objects, but I hoped more from Leone with Deborah's character. Deborah is the pinnacle of innocence and purity in this film and like all things once innocent, she becomes damaged and tainted. I suppose that is done as a brutally honest correlation to the real world and everything fundamentally wrong with the mafia way, but that is not what really upset me. What upset me was the way in which it was handled thereafter. Noodles comes nowhere near to apologizing and Deborah seems to have forgiven him when he shows up 40 years later at her door. This absence of confrontation as well as the fact that the movie does not confront it either (besides a long silence amongst the gang when Noodles stirs his tea) truly depresses me. If not for this lack of attention I probably would have appreciated the film on a higher level.

There is so much more to this film than what I have written here. After all, it is 4 hours long. Packed with questions and an ambiguous ending, I could go on for hours about any part - especially the question of whether or not some parts of the movie are a hallucination - but alas, I only have so much time. Not only does this movie have an impeccable storyline, the actors have done an excellent job of portraying their characters honestly and beautifully. In addition, the score by Ennio Morricone is a masterpiece and adds meaning to all and every part of the film. So go forth friends, watch this fairytale, but again I must warn you. If you are not okay with blood, rape and strong language watch with caution. If you are, proceed. And if you figure out why Noodles is nicknamed Noodles, please let me know. 

The Verdict: 8/10

- the godmotherr