Once Upon a Time in America
A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan 35 years later, where he must once again confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.
Directed by Sergio Leone · Crime · Drama · 229 min · 1984
Trailer
Director
Sergio Leone
Studio
The Ladd Company / PSO International / Embassy International Pictures / Rafran Cinematografica{{cite web / url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/7643203 / title=Once Upon a Time in America / work=Trove / access-date=October 11, 2016 / archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012074633/http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/7643203 / archive-date=October 12, 2016 / url-status=live}}{{cite web / url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6e31e32e / title=Once Upon a Time in America (1983) / website=British Film Institute / access-date=February 1, 2020 / archive-date=November 14, 2020 / archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114151424/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6e31e32e / url-status=dead
Release
01 Jun 1984
Runtime
229 min
Genres
Crime, Drama
Full Plot
With the vivid memory of his long-gone childhood friends Max, Patsy, and Cockeye etched in his mind, his ferociously loyal partners-in-crime during their rise to prominence in New York's Prohibition-era Lower East Side, the defeated, penniless, and guilt-ridden former gangster David "Noodles" Aaronson returns to Manhattan. Not knowing what to expect on his mission to shed light on his opaque past, grizzled Noodles reunites with his only living friend Fat Moe after 35 haunted years of self-exile. However, the relentless, piercing sound of culpability stands in the way of finding closure, as the inscrutable content of a well-worn leather suitcase further complicates matters. And now, against the backdrop of a torn conscience, the sad, bittersweet recollections of more than 50 years of love, death, and everything in-between become inextricably intertwined, leading to even more puzzling questions. But what are a man's options when he is left with nothing?
Cast & Characters
David "Noodles" Aaronson
Robert De Niro
Maximilian "Max" Bercovicz
James Woods
Deborah Gelly
Elizabeth McGovern
young Noodles
Scott Tiler
young Max and David Bailey
Rusty Jacobs
Frankie Minaldi
Joe Pesci
Joe Minaldi
Burt Young
Carol
Tuesday Weld
Jimmy Conway O'Donnell
Treat Williams
Police Chief Vincent Aiello
Danny Aiello
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $30.0M, Once Upon a Time in America has grossed $5.5M worldwide — about 0.2x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Sergio Leone has directed 4 films in our catalog, including The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, For a Few Dollars More.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Robert De Niro appears in 9 films in our catalog, including Joker, Taxi Driver.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Once Upon a Time in America
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Sergio Leone read the novel The Hoods by Harry Grey before making his film?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Robert De Niro's commitment to the role of Max was crucial for securing financial backing for the film?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Once Upon a Time in America holds 8.3/10 on IMDb (408,370 votes), 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.3/10 on IMDb (408,370 votes), 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Once Upon a Time in America's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Once Upon a Time in America holds a 86% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Once Upon a Time in America's IMDb rating?+
Once Upon a Time in America has a 8.3/10 rating on IMDb from 408,370 votes.
What is Once Upon a Time in America's Metacritic score?+
Once Upon a Time in America has a Metascore of 75/100 on Metacritic.
Is Once Upon a Time in America good? What are critics saying?+
Once Upon a Time in America holds 8.3/10 on IMDb (408,370 votes), 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Once Upon a Time in America?+
Once Upon a Time in America has a runtime of 229 min.
Who directed Once Upon a Time in America?+
Once Upon a Time in America was directed by Sergio Leone.
Where can I watch Once Upon a Time in America?+
Once Upon a Time in America is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Disney Plus, Rakuten TV, VI movies and tv.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The film has received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its historical significance, performances, and post-production quality, while others criticize its pacing and editing. One reviewer noted that the film's 4-hour runtime is impressive, despite being cut to fit on DVD releases. The trailer comments also vary in tone, with some expressing admiration for Leone's legacy.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Stereotypical Sergio Leone film with endless waitings and sight crossings. One of the performances that made Robert de Niro de actor he is and an interesting way of telling a story and the evolution of America during the years of the alcohol prohibition.
Andres Gomez · 8/10**It's an excellent film, which proves the importance of good post-production, and how bad editing can ruin the whole thing.** There are certain films that impress us so much when we see them that we are really surprised when we discover how ignored they were by the great awards.…
Filipe Manuel Neto · 8/10Told by way of a really potent (and well scored by Morricone) retrospective, this sits us down and takes us through a forty year period in the life of the now down-at-heel "Noodles" (Robert De Niro) and of the development of the city of New York. The contents of an old briefcase…
CinemaSerf · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
One of the Greatest Movies of all times
@sylvianixon7000 · 53 likesI remember this movie coming out at a time when I was coming of age (16) and thinking about the friends I had then, well fast forward 36 years, and those same friends are still a big part of my life. Although, some have past on, this amazing movie captures that and will have a sp…
@freddy20703 · 69 likesGrazie Senor Leone, you were one of the greatest filmmakers that ever traversed this God forsaken planet, no one could ever replace you
@chotimaara · 8 likesLeone, king of the widescreen.
@dougstyles5091 · 12 likesI watched the uncensored version of 4 hours and 40 minutes before. it was perfect (now the price is not available on Google Play in my country) but if we buy it in the future, will it be 4 hours and 40 minutes, then it's perfect. If the dvd is cut, it's a fiasco, but despite ever…
@Life4SpeedTv · 7 likesGreat epic. Watch again and again.
@MarkLaher-t5p · 0 likesEnnio Morricone音樂總是讓人潸然淚下....對於流逝的青春、恩怨....在年老的時候，早已不重要....
@tomorrowmemo · 2 likesI love this kind of movies more like era
@syedhashmi8398 · 3 likes
