#ouatia

[molinavalentin]

Noodles e Sergio

[365days365movies]

31 (Films) to Life: Once Upon a Time in America (1984) - Recap: Part Two

There’s still so...so much more movie to review.

So, to hell with it; no navel gazing, let’s get back into it!

SPOILERS AHEAD!!! Check out Part One for more!

Recap: Part Two

Back to old Noodles, at the Riverdale mausoleum that holds his old friends. And at this point, I have to say…why is the score composed of a pan-flute? Like…that’s definitely a pan-flute, right? It’s iconic and noticeable, but…why a pan-flute? Anyway, when he goes there, he finds that it’s been erected…by him? Ah, but this is a message, as a key is hanging from that placard, leading to the old locker they kept their money in as children. And lo and behold, it’s a briefcase full of money, labeled as an advance payment for his “next job”? The plot thickens.

Old Noodles walks through downtown, as a Frisbee unexpectedly flies towards him AND…back to 1930, and Noodles is released from prison. He’s greeted by a now adult Max (James Woods), complete with a hearse for his transport, and a sex worker in the back for…well, you know why, They head to Fat Moe’s, now a speakeasy run by the gang, who’ve gotten wealthy during the Prohibition. 

Included in the gang is Patsy (James Hayden), Cockeye (William Forsythe), Fat Moe (Larry Rapp), and Peggy (Amy Ryder), all grown up and happy to see him. But perhaps most prominently is Deborah (Elizabeth McGovern), who’s surprisingly there to see Noodles post-release, and has been waiting for him since his arrest. She’s a dancer at the Palace Theatre, as she’d always wanted to be, and invites Noodles to see her there. There’s definitely a romantic tension there, so we’ll have to see how that goes, especially since she doesn’t approve of his criminal lifestyle and associations.

Speaking of criminal associations, we’re introduced to Frankie Monaldi, AKA the inevitable Joe Pesci role. Sort of amazing that he hasn’t appeared in a movie I review up until now, since…y’know, it’s Joe goddamn Pesci. Also appearing is Joe (Burt Young), who presents the boys with an opportunity: a diamond heist. They carry it out as planned, with the assistance of teller Carol (Tuesday Weld), whose involvement is…unclear. See, she lets them in, although it appears to be trickery on her at first, but it becomes apparent that she’s in on the scene. She also…fakes sexual assault by Noodles on her by actually having sex with him? I think it’s consensual…but even I’m not sure.

The boys deliver the diamonds to Joe, only to take them all out at the behest of Frankie, who wanted to take out the competition that Joe posed. Noodles balks at this, as he dislikes the idea of working for a boss, fearing the future consequences of getting in bed with Manoldi and other mobsters.

Back in the late ‘60s, the news is reporting on the attempted assassination of the Secretary of Commerce, amidst reports of government corruption. This includes an interview with a man named Jimmie O’Donnell (Treat Williams), whom Noodles recognizes. We cut back in time to the 1930s, where union workers Jimmie is being intimidated by Chicken Joe (Richard Bright), possibly under the command of the government. Rescued by Noodles and the gang, Jimmie reluctantly accepts protection from the mob.

This is undercut by the appearance of obviously corrupt police chief Aiello (Danny…Aiello), who’s taking interviews on various allegations of corruption, as well as celebrating the birth of a son. But with that son at the moment is the gang, who;ve snuck into the newborn unit of the hospital to…switch around the bassinets? That is insanely chaotic in the weirdest ways. And sure enough, Noodles gives him a call, revealing their plot: stop the cops from interfering with the unions, and they’ll undo the switch. A very clever and insidious plot, while also being…kinda funny, not gonna lie. At least, it WOULD be…if Patsy hadn’t lost the switch list. Ooooooh…oh, yeah, that’s absolutely fucked.

At the same time, we find out what the deal is with Carol. Turns out she’s…we’ll I guess she’s a very committed swinger? She’s married, and worked at the jewelry store as her side job, which means she…didn’t know about the robbery plans? She just ran with it, including the assault? Well, I guess it was…consensual? Jesus, this is a weird kind of problematic. After becoming reacquainted with the boys, she starts a relationship with…Max. Yeah, this lady is all kinds of confusing, gotta say. She recommends a threesome with Noodles, but he’s not into it.

Instead, Noodles goes back to his true love: Deborah. They go on a date in a nice restaurant, where they are the only customers. On this date, Deborah reveals that she does indeed care about Noodles, but is afraid of the parameters of their potential relationship, desiring a freedom and holding an ambition for Hollywood that she believes she could never achieve with Noodles. In fact, she’s going to Hollywood right after this, despite her feelings. And I gotta say…this is one of the better love interest characters I’ve seen in these movies. Like, she’s not a helpless waif, because she knows what she wants from Noodles and from life. However…it doesn’t end well…because Noodles rapes her. 

Fuck. It’s, uh…it’s hard to watch.

Well, after that absolute fucking horror show, Noodles takes some time to reflect, Deborah leaves for Hollywood permanently, and I start to realize that I’m watching a movie about a bad person. Like…I mean, I knew that, because he’s killed multiple people and is part of a budding crime syndicate, but it’s been somehow lessened by De Niro’s acting and the circumstances Noodles has been in, but…yeah, no, he’s a bad person. And as he watches Deborah leave on the train to Hollywood, and Deborah gives him the “fuck you you piece of shit” eyes (understandably), we…cut to intermission?

Wait…really? We’re 70% through the movie, and NOW you let me go to the bathroom? That makes…no sense. I mean…OK? 

See you in Part Three, I guess.

[cry-bastion]

ROBERT DE NIRO as DAVID "NOODLES" AARONSON in Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

There were two things I couldn't get out of my mind. One was Dominic, the way he said, "I slipped," just before he died. The other was you. How you used to read me your Song of Songs, remember? "How beautiful are your feet / In sandals, O prince's daughter." I used to read the Bible every night. Every night I used to think about you.

[acerothstein]

Robert De Niro as Noodles in Once Upon A Time in America (1984)

[la-fabrique-de-miss-red]

Some more Dai/Kiho’s awesomeness from Takarazuka’s adaptation of “Once upon a time in America”.

Nozomi Fuuto: David “Noodles” Aaronson

Maaya Kiho: Deborah Wiseman

[otsukare-katsukare]

Sergio Leone gay round up

Much has been said on the gayness of Sergio Leone films and the western genre in general, but I thought an actual round up would be useful:

Blondie/TMWNN - has never heard of a woman in his life. Has a new boyfriend every month

Tuco - I'll give his spiel about having "lots of women" the benefit of the doubt and say that this man does like girls, but his only true love is Clint Eastwood

Angeleyes - more interested in money than either gender, but again he makes an exception for a certain blonde haired guardian angel

Harmonica: this man has also never heard of a woman in his life. He spends the whole film very confused about how to act around claudia and plays his harmonica instead of communicating. doesn’t have a boyfriend yet :(

Col. Mortimer: one of Clint Eastwood’s boyfriends again. You think he’s going to have a tragic straight backstory but nope, turns out that girl is his sister

Max: pretty ironic that the gayest leone character is the only one to have an actual relationship with a girl - twice, no less. But make no mistake, this man is in love with his best friend Noodles, although he has to show it by ruining his life and stealing the girl of his dreams. It’s the price he pays for not being a cowboy and being able to let his gay thoughts run free in the wild west

Even the straight Leone characters - Cheyenne and Noodles - have more chemistry with their male companions than the (grossly sexist depictions of) women they actually pursue. And though sex itself is basically never mentioned except with references to sex workers, the physicality of the characters is laden with sensual energy in some places and outright sexual coding in others. thank you for coming to my ted talk that’s all for now

[molinavalentin]

[molinavalentin]

Con una canzone dei Doors