Once Upon a Time in America
Once Upon a Time in America (Italian title C'era una volta in America) is a 1984 film about a group of gangsters, following their lives from the 1900s to the 1960s.
- Directed by Sergio Leone. Written by Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, Franco Arcalli, Franco Ferrini and Sergio Leone
Crime, passion and lust for power - Sergio Leone's explosive saga of gangland America. (taglines)
David 'Noodles' Aaronson
[edit]- Why was that a surprise? You can always pick the winners at the starting gate - the winners and the losers. Who woulda put a penny on me?
- I hope the investigation turns out to be nothing; it'd be a shame to see a lifetime of work go to waste.
- You see, I have a story too, Mr. Bailey. I had a friend once. A dear friend. I turned him in to save his life. He died. But he wanted it that way. Things went bad for my friend, and they went bad for me, too.
- I haven't had a gun in my hands for many, many years. My eyes aren't what they used to be, even with the glasses. My hands shake. And I wouldn't want to miss.
- I'm not that type of guy, besides if I hit you, I'm afraid you'd like it.
Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz
[edit]- Some we give them the good life, others we give it right up the ass.
- When you've been betrayed by a friend, you hit back.
- You know, if we listened to you, we would still be out rolling drunks.
- This country's still growing up. Certain diseases, you're better off having when you're still young.
Others
[edit]- Police Chief Aiello: I'm the chief of police, not the chief of the people.
- Joe Minaldi: Life is... funnier than shit.
- Dominic: [dying words after being shot by Bugsy] Noodles, I slipped!
- Chicken Joe: [as he and another thug are torturing Jimmy O'Donnell] I don't give a *shit* about you and your Socialist workers!
- Patrick 'Patsy' Goldberg: Hey, scotch heating!
- Frankie Minaldi: [introducing the gang to Joe] Here they are, "The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse"! Did you happen to see that movie, Joe? It's a good movie.
- Deborah Gelly: I read books, I want to learn everything, I want to know everything. Doesn't it make sense to have plans?
Dialogue
[edit]- Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz: You're looking good.
- David 'Noodles' Aaronson: You're looking a little better.
- Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz: You'll live with the stink of the streets all your life.
- David 'Noodles' Aaronson: I like the stink of the streets. It makes me feel good. I like the smell, and it opens up my lungs. And it gives me a hard-on.
- Joe Minaldi: [inspecting diamonds through a loupe] Any trouble?
- Patrick 'Patsy' Goldberg: No trouble. Kid stuff. [Pulls out a gun and shoots Joe in the eye through the loupe]
- David 'Noodles' Aaronson: You really are crazy, Max.
- Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz: [pulls out a gun and hits Noodles over the head with the butt, repeatedly] Don't you ever, ever say that!
- Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz: Is this your idea of revenge?
- David 'Noodles' Aaronson: No. It's just the way I see things.
- James Conway O'Donnell: [to Max] You boys ain't a mild case of the measles - you're the plague. And bastards like him - [motioning at Crowning] - are immune. That's the difference between us and them.
- David 'Noodles' Aaronson: [puts a jacket on O'Donnell, who flinches] Take it easy. The difference is, they're always gonna win. And you're gonna keep gettin' it up the ass.
- Crowning: Sooner than you think.
- Patrick 'Patsy' Goldberg: [Patsy and Max have Crowning at gunpoint and are trying to get Chicken Joe and Willie the Ape to release O'Donnell] Just swapping prisoners.
- Philip 'Cockeye' Stein: Fair trade, huh, chickenhead? [Chicken Joe turns and sees Cockeye and Noodles standing to his right] Union boy over here, for Mister Boss Man.
- Chicken Joe: Well, look who's here - Fat Moe's boneyard boys!
- Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz: Which reminds me... how's that cancer in your gut comin' along, Chicken Joe?
- Sharkey: [O'Donnell has been shot in the leg by Crowning's henchmen] Don't worry, Jimmy. With one leg a little shy, you're gonna take giant steps.
- James Conway O'Donnell: Yeah... always one step behind you, eh Sharkey?
- Fat Moe: When did you get back?
- David 'Noodles' Aaronson: Today.
- Fat Moe: Why?
- David 'Noodles' Aaronson: They got in touch with me.
- Fat Moe: Who?
- David 'Noodles' Aaronson: I thought you might know.
- Fat Moe: Me? I don't know nothin' 'bout nobody no more.
Taglines
[edit]- Crime, passion and lust for power - Sergio Leone's explosive saga of gangland America.
- As boys, they made a pact to share their fortunes, their loves, their lives. As men, they shared a dream to rise from poverty to power. Their story is now a "once upon a time" motion picture experience.
- Sergio Leone's three-hour, forty-minute epic masterpiece starring Robert de Niro.
- As boys, they said they would die for each other. As men, they did.
- As boys, they made a pact to share their fortunes, their loves, their lives. As men, they shared a dream to rise from poverty to power. Forging an empire built on greed, violence and betrayal, their dream would end as a mystery that refuse to die.
Cast
[edit]- Robert De Niro - David 'Noodles' Aaronson
- James Woods - Maximilian 'Max' Bercovicz
- Elizabeth McGovern - Deborah Gelly
- Joe Pesci - Frankie Manoldi
