Hello friends,
Il maestro Sergio Leone famously wisecracked, “When I was young, I believed in three things: Marxism; the redemptive power of cinema; and dynamite. Now, I just believe in dynamite.” Once Upon a Time in America, the film that would consume well over a quarter of his working career and ultimately prove to be his swansong, would seem to demonstrate his point. In this rather crushing epic, Leone rips apart the American dream, political action and even his own cinema and leaves us with the impression that for those of us in the gutter there may—despite endless hopeful illusions, including those on the screen—be no way out.On the other hand, so what if the cultural image is yet another lie? Whether he wants to or not, Leone proves here that a personal (and, indeed, persuasively proletarian) creative vision can remain vital—alive, ever in motion and burning with passion and empathy for the substantial sins and contradictions of humanity. As a young man, Leone had nearly joined the antifascist resistance; instead, he found the cinema. Make of all this what you will.
Our first episode delves into a popular favourite that, in its steady refusal to move quickly, to moralise or to simplify, somehow seems to naturally grow intoits extreme length. It just becomes long. (And so happens to breach Leone’s commercial contract agreements!) Join us as we delve into the various meanings and feelings of this most dreamlike of gangster epics and try to figure out just what we’re left with after nearly four hours of melancholic mayhem.
On that note, a content warning: the film has a conspicuously grim sequence of sexual assault which we do discuss on mic, and which we do forewarn of when it comes up. For those watching along in advance, it comes about 2h33 into the film and lasts about five minutes.
Thanks for listening!
—Calum & Eddie
