The Most Disturbing Scene in 'Once Upon a Time in America'
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- Опубліковано 28 чер 2024
- "Once Upon a Time in America" is a crime film directed by Sergio Leone, released in 1984. The film is an epic tale that spans several decades and follows the lives of a group of Jewish gangsters in New York City. The story primarily focuses on the character David "Noodles" Aaronson, played by Robert De Niro, and his friends as they rise to power during Prohibition and the Great Depression.
The film explores themes of friendship, betrayal, crime, and the passage of time. It's known for its intricate narrative structure, as it weaves between different time periods, creating a non-linear storytelling experience. The cinematography and Ennio Morricone's musical score are also widely praised.
"Once Upon a Time in America" is considered one of Sergio Leone's masterpieces and has gained a cult following over the years. It's notable for its extended runtime and was initially released in a heavily edited version, which led to confusion and mixed reviews. The restored and uncut version, closer to Leone's original vision, has since been widely acclaimed.
Today I wanted to talk about the scene in the film I found to be the most disturbing. - Фільми й анімація
Release the 6 hour cut!
Ditto!!
sweet lord have mercy, that would be orgasmic!!!!!
You're not overreacting at all. "Gangsters" are the most despicable people that exist. But the wonderful films made in their name can sometimes make us forget.
There are people more despicable than them but I agree that they shouldn't be glorified as much as they are in American media.
The gang and the government are no different.
@@stwargis21 What's more despicable than rape, murder and human trafficking?
@@lowandodor1150 They are very different.
Gangsters are a lot more noble than you make out. Especially the old mafia families who are nowhere near as bad as governments, drug gangs and just modern day street gangs, they had morals and looked out for their communities
One of the few films that teaches you to never root for the main character. Great video, man!
It is harsh, definitely, but the rape scene in the car with the driver half-watching, disgusted, but doing nothing to intervene, is definitely worse.
I wouldn't call it the most disturbing scene in the movie, but I definitely agree that it seemed like a very cruel and evil thing to do, even when compared to the other deplorable acts in the film. I was surprised at how quickly it was swept under the rug when I first saw the movie. Like, it doesn't become a crucial part of the rest of the plot. They randomly switched up children and gave them to random parents and it's never really mentioned again, if my memory serves.
Eh but why would it be mentioned. Criminals do evil stuff nonchalantly all the time
@@AbdulGabagool83I agree. I don’t think it’s ever addressed again because it shows how sociopathic the gangsters are. Drastically and probably for the worse they are altering kids lives. And they don’t even give enough of a shit to think about it again.
I can't help but think perhaps they might have saved a life or two. You're just assuming their life might have been bad. I believe, or hope they would of got better parents. And the parents, blessed with child lives got better too. Kids brighten a parents life too.
This makes no sense. All of the new parents had children--their OWN children@@ButtersCCookie
Leone's depiction of these gangsters was meant to be gross and nasty. These are people who are not meant to be nice, they are not heros, they are not role models there is nothing good about thrm and the world they inhabit. These scene involving the babies and the R of Debra shows to me why these monster deserved everything they got in the end. Im glad noodles didnt die in the end as death would have been too easy. Instead he is left a broken, old, lonely man with nothing but memories and regrets. I think both the Debra scene and the baby scene are equally atrocious.
Max didn't really get what he deserved. He lived the life he wanted.
You're not alone, I consider this to be at least one of the most disturbing scenes in the movie too.
I was sure you were referring to the odd garbage truck scene, but the child swapping was right up there.
I want to see the 6 hour two part cut of this film.
I've only ever seen the 3 hour version and I must admit, I found it a little hard to follow even though I enjoyed it. I dunno if anyone else agrees with me but I felt that the ending seemed a little disconnected from the beginning of the film, purely because of the length of the movie. I'm not sure if a 6 hour version would be easier to follow or more confusing to me 😂
As the scene is fucked up... The rape scene is far more fucked
Thank you!!
The rape of Debrah I watched when I was 12 and it did a real number on me.
The other one, by the robbers with the line up later, I just did not understand
The scene itself isn't fucked up (the baby switch scene I'm talking about) but the idea of it is beyond fucked up.
The baby switch bothered me too. Some of the mothers will know right away they have the wrong baby and will know what theirs looked like. Though some might be mixed up forever sense they didn't take reference photos or finger print them. They did though weigh all the babies which would also help ID them.
Nah. The weight fluctuates too often with babies. They are off every hour. Won't help.
@@gioluvs1893 Damn
My man, I think, made a reference to Gaspar Noe. He mentioned the word, "Irreversible " mentioning that hard to watch rape scene which is really hard to watch. Frankly I cannot stomach that one.
baby switching contributes to the theme of shifting identities. Noodles become 'Robert Williams', and Max becomes 'Mr. Bailey'. All their identities got switched in their pursuit of greed and flight from fear.
unrelated to this video but I was just thinking why Michael Franzese says his favorite mob movie is Gotti 1996 and I realized its because it doesn't really criticize mob guys and their ugly character, and how they have no values or principles, it actually ends up by doing whataboutism about how John Gotti isn't even that bad, because there are politicians and way more powerful people that are way worse, and Franzese loves it because he can tell himself he's not so bad, its like if someone who murdered 30 people points at someone who murdered a thousand people and be like "I'm not so bad, there's way worse"
Very perceptive comment.
I fully understood the production of the film but after several watches over and over I found it unsatisfying. Great production and covers decades - the end was disturbing and haunting. B-
Ha, I agree. I can’t consider this the faultless masterpiece others say. I love Leone but this is probably 4th in my personal list of his films. A beautiful film, expertly made, but not the best.
Once Upon A Time In the West is preferred Leone movie.
Think about it. America itself has always done exactly what those gangsters did in this film, just on a much larger scale to far more children and families. If you don't believe it feel free to read some history. That scene could be a metaphor for American society as a whole. During an interview about his film "Heat" some years back, Micheal Mann said that gangsters often deeply love their families, especially their children but they couldn't care less about your children or families or about mine. Because at their heart, many of them are sociopaths. I think Sergio Leone was saying something similar here.
Great video, super underrated movie. Loved how scummy all the gangster characters are, no sugarcoating about "honor" and "codes" like The Godfather, the baby swapping scene is the perfect example. Any thoughts on where Noodles was all those years besides going to bed early?
I think this highlights one of the major messages of this film. Your actions in life cannot be erased. What’s done is done and you live with your decisions. This is not fate but the result of your life.
This scene shows how the characters play with children’s fate. It never sat right with me and showed how cold these characters are in playing up to the role of fate, something I consider counter to the message of the film . I do consider this a line that stood out to me. My belief is Leone wanted this to be a reprehensible line and I’m impressed someone else is highlighting what is quite a powerful message in the film.
this movie did a great job of showing how soulless and empty and inhuman Gangsters really are, and they usually don't come off that way, not even IRL because a lot of the high ranking ones that become Capo/Captain, they have to have Charisma and a level of likability to reach those heights, but behind that facade, there's an empty vessel, a shell of a man, and this movie does a great job focusing on that
Oh man, I remember how it shocked me when I watched the movie for the first time as a kid with my dad back in 90s. My parents were not particullary strict so I had a chance to see some really violent movies as a child, but it's those type of scenes that always affected me the most. I just felt nothing but hate towards those characters for doing that. Intentionally or not, this scene was really effective in it's unglamourous portrayal of what gangsters really are - sick violent sociopaths who see no value in human life.
I have the opportunity to see the 3hr 49min cut at my local theater in 35mm this Friday... I've never seen it. Do I go?
I saw this film on HBO when I was 12...that one scene was so disturbing to me that it made me sick. It's the one scene that I skip whenever I watch it.
If that scene disturbed you consider that the Catholic church in Spain did essentially the same thing to 10s of 1000s of kids over several decades.
For me the most disturbing scene was when the kid brought a pastry to barter for sex and then ravaged the pastry as he was too impulsive. That summed up all the actions of the gangsters in the movie.
That scene with the pastry is one of the best in film history imo, also in Ireland the Catholic Church ruined the lives of thousands of mothers and babies in a scheme called the Magdalene Laundries where unmarried mothers would be sent to these “mother and baby homes” run by nuns where the mothers would be essentially treated like slaves and beaten and the babies would get sold to rich families around the world and this went on up until like the 1980s so isn’t ancient history at all which is probably the most disturbing thing. A few years ago too a septic tank was found at one of the homes with the corpses of hundreds of babies inside. They’re actually making a movie about that horrific part of our history starring Cillian Murphy this year called All These Small Things or something like that
@2:02 the tall apartment building in the background looks out of place when that action is set. Public housing projects like that (now run by NYCHA) were built post-WWII, initially intended for returning GI’s. In the Prohibition era, Manhattan’s Lower East Side would’ve been all 6 story walk up tenements.
Noticed that the first time I saw the film, kinda broke the 4th wall for me.
Just noticed that in this vid
I haven't seen this video yet, but I know the EXACT scene that popped into my head when I saw the title😂
Such is life, my friend
The cutting of the film reminds me of Erich Von Stroheim,s Greed ( 1924 ) . It suffered the same fate and we were left with a two hour truncated version.
I never knew this was a disturbing movie. Thanks. I have to watch it
It's sick and unfair. At the same time the movie makes a point about how unfair life is. How the fate of a baby is determinated for a significant part by the family you are born in.
I thought this was the most disturbing scene. It’s kind of frightening to think about that four slimy criminals were in a seedy room together dictating the lives of newborn babies.
Thank you so much for another great analysis on one of the greatest movies ever made. I would like to hear your opinion about another scene.
Why do you think Noodles is so cold to Fat Moe when they reunite after so many years?
Fat Moe is so happy to see Noodles, offers him a drink and a place to sleep. But Noodles barely even acknowledges any of it.
I've always wondered why and I'd like to know what you think.
Good day!
That scene was indeed very disturbing in so many levels. It was a major crime against humanity and unfortunately as mentioned in one of the comments, it happened in Spain for several decades.
But i did like the way the limo driver made it clear to noodles that he was complete scum, and he kinda insinuated that noodles knew he screwed up.
I think the whole movie was absolutely brilliant!!! 😇
Watched years ago, both the long and short version. I have always thought one of the best movies made. Sadly, few have seen it and harder to find every year.
I really hope they could one day release a new restoration of the film. The 4 hour+ cut of the film is great and adds some needed context to the story. But some scenes look do look pretty poorly preserved. Idk, with today's technology I feel it should be possible to restore them with authentic colours.
Greatest movie about the prohibition era mob and even more unique about the Jewish mob.
The level of brutality and depravity has never been matched even by Scorsese, who even though more realistic still made his gangsters likeable working class types.
Great video, thanks, I'll watch that classic movie again. An interesting aspect is the characters are Jewish not Italian, more accurate for Manhattan.
This scene/sequence never disturbed me thematically, thematically it fits in - but it does disturb the whole 3hr+ film in that it was filmed more as if it was on the production of "Johnny Dangerously" and not a serious movie. It's out of place; that's more disturbing.
Very disturbing scene. as a parent it makes me sick to my stomach to think about this
Why, if you are talking about Deborah at length, do you not show us even one still of her?
Also, why bring up the similarities in the baby switching scene with Clockwork Orange, without telling us why you think it is similar? My guess would be that both films share the use of Rossini's The Thieving Magpie: OUATIA uses it during the baby switching scene and Clockwork Orange employs it for the fight with the Billy Boys. It's playful tone dampens the seriousness of the situation in both scenes and aims to have the actions on screen come off as lighthearted mischief, rather than focus on the utter brutality of both respective scenes. Perhaps the use of The Thieving Magpie is why I remember both scenes so vividly, and only remembered the actual fight scene in Clockwork Orange as a distorted ballet of sorts, and the switcheroo in OUATIA as a sneaky prank, without realizing the actual destruction to so many families caused by the gang's actions. Cheers!!
Sergio Leone appeared in this film, like Hitchcock's cameos, as the station agent selling Noodles the ticket to Buffalo. Such an excellent, sad movie...
4:43 the "cab workers"? I believe the term you're looking for is SCAB workers.
Not “most” disturbing but damn sure horrifying.
Another favourite
Great Movie but quite disturbing scenes…………especially the switched at birth scene.
This movie was a masterpiece. It was pretty brutal though. And I mean it doesn't hold back. A lot of disturbing scenes. But it's a damn good movie.
Totally agree!
As you explained at the beginning, the film was intended have been twice as long, which suggests most of the history of the characters was cut out, leaving their actions as adults cold and stark and somewhat unreasoned, hence the comments. Like trying to complete a jigsaw without all the pieces. What stood out for me is that De Niro must hold the All-time record for how long it takes to stir a cup of tea...
Great vid. Great point about the overall scumminess of movie
A truly great movie! A classic American movie and a classic mob movie! Still on my list of important, must see, films!
The heart ache and sadness is there throughout; and is itself a sort of character...
I'm still trying to get my wife to sit for the whole thing!
U should do something on narcos especially the 1st season
The failure of this film, in my opinion, is that the main character is unlikeable
Well, it's a hot take considering there is murder and rape in the film.
The rape scene in the car is the most disturbing scene in the history of cinema let alone this film. I remember physically wanting to pull De Niros character away - I felt heartbroken that a character I’d invested so much emotion in would do such a thing.
There were scumbags.
Is there not a scene with a bin truck at the end where Noodles get's dumped...?
I think that this was the intention of the director of the movie to let us see who they realy are and that ther is nothing good in the gangsters world. It was very disturbing.
The director cut is best crime movies ever!!!
They were scumbags. Where's the surprise
You're not alone in this. I mean, this movie has its share of griminess. Messing up so many lives so casually and laughing about is diabolical. These guys are the scum of the Earth. If they wanted to extort the commissioner, they could have done so by switching just one kid and making sure they send them back to their parents once the guy caves.
Based on the 1952 book "The Hoods" by Harry Grey aka Hershel Goldberg? Noodles the Shiv!
This film is the most brutal gangster movie I’ve ever scene
Nah man, you ain't overreacting. First time I saw the film, it disturbed me more than Noodles' monstrous lust.
It's one of several messed-up scenes in that movie - and is a very cruel and evil thing to do, just as messed-up as the rape scene even though the latter is more confronting - but remember, the protagonists are very bad people. Having said that, you are not overreacting, even most gangsters would no doubt be disgusted, if not horrified at the idea of ruining the lives of the wholly innocent the way Max, Noodles et al did with those poor babies.
I find a lot of scenes in this movie disturbing. The one with the babies is put in scene with such lightness and a comedic tone while it is quite bad, and that is messed up. Still, I find the r scene and scenes where people get killed more disturbing.
The first scene that shocked me was when the gang decide to lose thier virginity to Debra(?) when they were still kids.
Noodles I slipped
William Forsyth was fuckin insane in this movie.
There's a meta vision in this movie and I'm sure you all know what that is.
Ye that turned my stomach.
Guess what Chuckles that happens every day in family court and no one gives a damn!
Noodles is not a good person, at the same time he had to endure horrible things in prison when he was incarcerated for 12 years.
I thought the same thing.
That was their lowest act.
Yeah man I would have lost my mind if my kid had been switched.
This is one if thecweakest scenes in the film.
The most powerful is the scene donnlminated by silence atvthe mausoleum.
Eh, you’re not wrong
Deborah was a tease.
That's the DCYF. Maybe that's the idea that formed them. Some asshole saw this movie.
Clickbait here.
id rather be a gangster than james woods
I see your point. But no. It's still the rape.
Huh. I thought this video would have been exactly the other way around, the rape scene swapped for the baby-switch scenes
Deborah was never about purity. She was always a tease and ambitious as hell. Noodles tells her, 'you and Max are alike. That's why you hate each other'. Debbie is a go-getter, a gangster in her own way. Later, even knowing what Max did to his friends, she settles down with him cuz he got the money and power.
And Noodles took her after she told him she's headed to the sin city of Hollywood. she wants to be where the money and action are.
Why do you keep pronouncing his name lee-own, it's pronounced Lee-own-nee.
Its cold but not the most disturbing. The casual sex an adult had with a child is the most disturbing then the actual rape scenes
This movie was wayyyyy too long brah. I watched it on Netflix one time and it was four hours long
There's an unreleased 6 hour version.
The jewish mob always interested me. I always enjoy the mix between religion and organised crime. Because most mob films are Italian or irish so it usually has Catholic elements. I was born catholic (now agnostic) so it related to me. I wish this film had shown more about Judaism and jewish gangs. Stuff like they will kill people but still eat kosher etc. There was an early gangster called Monk Eastman who was said to be jewish also. I wouldn't mind seeing a film based off him but theres probably not enough info on him. A muslim gangster film would be interesting too but ive never heard of muslim gangsters back then in the U.S.
Would the "ovarian lottery" have been more just? Random chance is random chance to those born in the gutter. Why them? Why anyone?
I didn't make it that far in the movie. I didn't care about one character, and their actions were despicable to the point I stopped the video and never watched it again.
Joe pesci isnt in this movie
You should rewatch it. He has a very small part
Yes he is
@bhoywonder8892: Joe Pesci is the mob boss asks "the kids' to put in work, which he describes as "kid stuff" on a man whom he introduces as a close friend..
Jesus 6mins waiting for him to get to the point and it's not even that interesting.. 😂
James Woods is so slimy as this character and how he is in Casino, I mean he's such a gross weasel that it doesn't even feel like acting, I swear I feel like he has to be slimy IRL too to be able to do it to this degree
Or…or..he could just be a really good actor. Or do you make these judgements on all actors who can play really good”Bad Guys”? Ever seen Denzel in Training Day? I hear he’s a pretty decent person “IRL”.
He is a damn good bad guy.
Honestly i think it is Not so Bad, in the end These Babys have no Personality yet so it technically Dienst matter of it is your Child, important is how it is raised
Terrible film
The rape scene ruined the movie.
I think you mean made the movie better
Meh.
A baby's a baby. Their actual births are random anyway.
Why do you think that? Genetics are real, impacting everything from health to personality traits to intelligence. If someone stole your baby and replaced it with a random one, would that be your response?
I don't find it any more deplorable than living in a completely random world. Who cares if the babies are mixed up, it was random chance they were born to who they naturally were anyway, what would mixing them up make any problem, especially back then.
So if you ever have a son or daughter & you find out someone mixed them up, what then? You want me to laugh & say who cares? Sad.
@@Mr152008 Honestly, I really don't care. My genetics are not going to guarantee anything. A person is a result of environment, genetics plays a very, very small role in how a person turns out. Then again, IMO with over 8 billion people we really need to encourage people to NOT breed as we have limited resources. In other words, I chose not to breed like some mindless animal and save the world the burden of another useless resource taker. Let's face it, the likelihood your kid will amount to anything significant is maybe 1 in a million at best, most likely they will be a disappointment. Truth.
What a psychopath take
@@tedwojtasik8781 Your pessimistic & defeatist attitude is hardly worth responding to. Sad to hear that if you did have children you wouldn’t value them even on the day of their birth.
Beyond that I can tell that your comment on most children growing up to be a disappointment is your way of saying the quiet part out loud. I am sorry that you are a disappointment & that you see yourself as such.
If you really want the truth, children don’t need to be the person who cures cancer to make the world a better place. Every person is capable of doing something small to help someone else; that includes you boy. Showing kindness, comfort or even sacrifice to one person will change the world because it can change their world. *If you agree that you are capable of doing something good for others, don’t reply, just do it.* Facts.
Let me guess: Trump supporter.
Very very overrated film
Overrated? 🤣 How on earth is this "overrated" when this film is one of the most forgotten gangster films today and a box office flop when it released???
@@Tusc9969 it was rubbish, most irritating start to a film, bad acting, poor story that made little sense. Absolutely overrated, if you say it's been forgotten then that's a good thing
@@tallshort1849 Name 3 good or terrific movies in your opinion, please.
@@tallshort1849 whether you like the film or not is subjective and irrelevant.
Fact is, judging by the general consensus it's a great film that was butchered by the studio and a film that's overshadowed by films like Godfather, Goodfellas etc
Gotti is another gangster film that suffers from the same issue..
Avrai visto il film di due ore e mezza. E comunque da quello che dici di recitazione non capisci molto.@@tallshort1849