History YMMV / OnceUponATimeInAmerica

* CatharsisFactor: Even though Noodles injured a police officer and got arrested shortly after, one can't help but agree that Bugsy deserved to be stabbed after he abused Noodles and Max and [[spoiler: murders Dominic, the youngest boy of Noodles' crew.]]

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Naturally, as it has a soundtrack by Music/EnnioMorricone. Not only that, but Sergio Leone considered the film's soundtrack the best work that Morricone had ever done for him. [[Film/AFistfulOfDollars Just]] [[Film/ForAFewDollarsMore think]] [[Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly about]] [[Film/OnceUponATimeInTheWest that]] for a second. Particularly awesome: Morricone's instrumentals of Music/TheBeatles' "Yesterday"--which ultimately brings the poignancy of Noodles's reunion with [[spoiler: Max]] UpToEleven.

** Creator/EstelleHarris (of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' fame) as young Peggy's mother.

** 12 year old Creator/JenniferConnelly makes her film debut as the young Deborah. Creator/BrianBloom is young Patsy.

* VindicatedByHistory: While original 229 minute European cut was always highly regarded, the US release was made over an hour shorter and had the order of events changed thanks to ExecutiveMeddling. Critics and audiences were left confused thanks to the removal of several scenes. As a result, the film was a financial flop and received lukewarm reactions. The few American critics who praised the film were the ones who had seen the original cut, and some even attacked The Ladd Company and the American release. The original 229 minute release has since been made widely available, and the film is now widely recognized as a classic.

* AwardSnub: Music/EnnioMorricone's score was not nominated for an Oscar thanks to an error on the submission form.

** [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364680/ Estelle Harris]] (of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'' fame) as young Peggy's mother.

** Future Music/RobZombie regular [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001235/?ref_=nv_sr_1 William Forsythe]] in one of his earliest roles as Cockeye.

* SpecialEffectFailure: '60s Deborah barely looks any older than in the '30s in stark contrast to everyone else, likely because the scene has her removing theater makeup and Elizabeth [=McGovern=] having another makeup job under it which wouldn't get removed was unworkable.

* ValuesDissonance: There is no way a movie like this would be released in today's world, due to the GratuitousRape scenes. These were indeed controversial during the film's initial European release, but didn't hurt its critical reception (and since the rape scenes were heavily trimmed for international prints, the protests made little impact overseas). Due to the rise of the Me Too and Time's Up movements in the late 2010s, if this movie was to be released today, it would be protested - or even boycotted, by female moviegoers, and likely receive a more negative critical reception.

* ValuesDissonance: There is no way a movie like this would be released in today's world, due to the GratuitousRape scenes. Due to the rise of the Me Too and Time's Up movements in the late 2010s, if this movie was to be released today, it would be protested - or even boycotted, by female moviegoers.

* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments: Max's purchase of an elaborate chair that was a gift to a Pope. And according to the commentary it may even be a self-deprecating joke, as Creator/SergioLeone was an avid furniture collector.

** [[spoiler: Crossed by Noodles himself when he rapes Deborah in the back of a moving taxi. Granted, he does rape Carol earlier in the movie, but that one's relatively emotionless on both ends and you're not stuck watching it during the heist. Since Deborah is the only character in the movie who the viewer has a conventionally positive investment in, not to mention how Noodles rips her dress apart for round two when you think/hope it's over and he's already got her in the palm of his hand, it's tough stuff. Really makes that bitch-slap from Michael to Kay in ''Film/TheGodfatherPartII'' look tame.]]
** [[spoiler:Max tricking Noodles into tipping off to the cops and taking all of the money from the suitcase for himself, which gets Patsy and Cockeye killed and effectively ruins Noodles's life, all for the sake of ambition and greed.]]
** [[spoiler: Bugsy also crosses this when [[WouldHurtAChild he shoots Dominic, killing him]], and when [[KickTheDog little Dominic says, "Noodles, I slipped!" before dying]], it also adds a KickTheDog moment to the scene. And unlike Noodles who felt remorse and guilt for raping Deborah, [[LackOfEmpathy Bugsy showed no guilt over killing the child]], only being concerned about himself and his business.]]

* VindicatedByHistory: While original 229 minute European cut was always highly regarded, the US release was made over an hour shorter and had the order of events changed thanks to ExecutiveMeddling. Critics and audiences were left confused thanks to the removal of several scenes. As a result, the film was a financial flop and received lukewarm reactions. The few American critics who praised the film were the ones who had seen the original cut, and some even attacked the American release. The original 229 minute release has since been made widely available, and the film is now widely recognized as a classic.

* FakeNationality: In an odd [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of the classic Hollywood trope of casting Jewish actors in Italian roles, famously Italian actor Creator/RobertDeNiro portrays Jewish gangster Noodles.
** Almost none of the lead, Jewish characters are played by actual Jewish actors. Creator/JamesWoods (Max), Elizabeth [=McGovern=] (Deborah), James Hayden (Patsy), and William Forsythe (Cockeye) are all of Irish descent, and James Russo (Bugsy) is the son of Italian and German immigrants.

** Future RobZombie regular [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001235/?ref_=nv_sr_1 William Forsythe]] in one of his earliest roles as Cockeye.
** [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0364680/ Estelle Harris]] (of ''{{Seinfeld}}'' and ''ToyStory'' fame) as young Peggy's mother.

** Almost none of the lead, Jewish characters are played by actual Jewish actors. James Woods (Max), Elizabeth [=McGovern=] (Deborah), James Hayden (Patsy), and William Forsythe (Cockeye) are all of Irish descent, and James Russo (Bugsy) is the son of Italian and German immigrants.

* FakeNationality: In an odd [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of the classic Hollywood trope of casting Jewish actors in Italian roles, famously Italian actor RobertDeNiro portrays Jewish gangster Noodles.

* RetroactiveRecognition: 12 year old Creator/JenniferConnelly makes her film debut as the young Deborah. Creator/BrianBloom is young Patsy.

* MoralEventHorizon: [[spoiler: Crossed by Noodles himself when he rapes Deborah in the back of a moving taxi. Granted, he does rape Carol earlier in the movie, but that one's relatively emotionless on both ends and you're not stuck watching it during the heist. Since Deborah is the only character in the movie who the viewer has a conventionally positive investment in, not to mention how Noodles rips her dress apart for round two when you think/hope it's over and he's already got her in the palm of his hand, it's tough stuff. Really makes that bitch-slap from Michael to Kay in ''Film/TheGodfather Part II'' look tame.]]
** [[spoiler: Bugsy also crosses this when [[WouldHurtaChild he shoots Dominic, killing him]], and when [[KicktheDog little Dominic says, "Noodles, I slipped!" before dying]], it also adds a KicktheDog moment to the scene. And unlike Noodles who felt remorse and guilt for raping Deborah, [[LackofEmpathy Bugsy showed no guilt over killing the child]], only being concerned about himself and his business.]]

* [[spoiler: Bugsy also crosses this when [[WouldHurtaChild he shoots Dominic, killing him]], and when [[KicktheDog little Dominic says, "Noodles, I slipped!" before dying]], it also adds a KicktheDog moment to the scene. And unlike Noodles who felt remorse and guilt for raping Deborah, [[LackofEmpathy Bugsy showed no guilt over killing the child]], only being concerned about himself and his business.]]

* VindicatedByCable: The Z Channel's broadcasts of it in its original cut helped restore its reputation in the US.

[[spoiler: Bugsy also crosses this when [[WouldHurtaChild he shoots Dominic, killing him]], and when [[KicktheDog little Dominic says, "Noodles, I slipped!" before dying]], it also adds a KicktheDog moment to the scene. And unlike Noodles who felt remorse and guilt for raping Deborah, [[LackofEmpathy Bugsy showed no guilt over killing the child]], only being concerned about himself and his business.]]

* [[spoiler: Bugsy also crosses this when [[WouldHurtaChild he shoots Dominic, killing him]], and when [[KicktheDog little Dominic says, "Noodles, I slipped!" before dying]], it also adds a KicktheDog moment to the scene. And unlike Noodles who felt remorse and guilt for raping Deborah, [[LackofEmpathy Bugsy showed no guilt over killing the child]], only being concerned about himself and his business.]]

* [[spoiler: Bugsy also crosses this when [[WouldHurtaChild he shoots Dominic, killing him]], and when [[KicktheDog little Dominic says, "Noodles, I slipped!" before dying]], it also adds a KicktheDog moment to the scene. [[Foil And unlike Noodles who felt remorse and guilt for raping Deborah]], [[LackofEmpathy Bugsy showed no guilt over killing the child]], only being concerned about himself and his business.]]