Notes on 'Once Upon A Time In America' (1984)

Director: Sergio Leone.
Release Date: 1 June 1984 USA
Company Creditors: Warner Bros. Pictures

Whilst the opening credits role a sound bridge is used of God Bless America. The purpose of this sound bridge is to establish that it's set in USA. The film 'The Deer Hunter' (1979) also used this soundtrack. However, they used it to criticise the USA's underdevelopment during Vietnam. Leone could therefore be using this soundtrack to make the same critical statement about the USA. This film focuses on gangsters and police corruption.

Also playing, whilst the credits role, is the sound of footsteps. This non-diegetic sound is used to add tension to the film and create suspense to the audience.

The first image the audience see is a dark figure in a doorway. The noir lighting is typical of a thriller film, as it creates a spooky atmosphere. As the light is switched on, it becomes apparent that the dark figure is a woman. A high angle shot is used, which shows the woman- Eve- is inferior and powerless.

The next mise-en-scene is also a high angle shot, again to show lack of power. However, this is a shot of the bed, with all the bullet holes outlining a body shape. This image reinforces the genre of the film. This visual device is used often in TV crime dramas, such as C.S.I. This shot also reinforces the 'rule of thirds', as the bed takes up two thirds and Eve takes up one third. This indicates to the audience that in this shot the bed is superior and therefore our attention must be drawn to it.

The next mise-en-scene shows three intruders (gangsters). Their body language connotes that they're superior, dangerous and intimidating. Central to the group, again using the rule of thirds, is the alpha male. Noir lighting is used in this scene, to reinforce the genre. The three gangsters are also all dressed in brown, this connotes that they're dull.

The next mise-en-scene shows the three gangsters standing under the arch surrounding Eve. This represents claustrophobia- which is very common in thriller films and is used to create a sense of panic. The three men surrounding Eve shows she's inferior and immediately makes the audience feel she's being intimidated.

Behind Eve's figure is the bed (with the bullet holes). It makes it seem that she's trapped and her only escape of these three men is to fall into this outlined body on the bed.

The Lamp situated in the room represents Eve's character, they're even matching in colours. The lamp, to begin with, is switched on. This connotes it's full of life- just like Eve. Once Eve is shot, one of the three men turn off the light.

There's a quick cut between Eve being shot and the man being abused. An extreme close-up is used on the man, this is to really capture the emotion and establish the mood of this character. It also shows the vulnerability of the victim and the brutality of the attackers.

The three men choose vulnerable, easy victims- an unarmed man and a young woman. This, and the fact they travel around in a group, shows they're cowards.

The film then cuts to an opium den, this mise-en-scene with Noodles out of his head on
drugs reinforces the ironic representation that America is not blessed, it's corrupt and dangerous. In this shot the phone is ringing (a non-diegetic sound) links a flashback of his murdered friends.

There's then a scene with three bodies laying on the floor in stretchers, being put in to body bags. This leaves the audience questioning who's bodies they are. The body bags are used for a genre convention. There is a noir lighting which adds to the dull atmospehere. The non-diegetic sound of the phone ringing is still occurring in the background. The streets are soaked which connotes mortality. On the streets is a photographer (taking photos of the bodies) this photographer indicates there's been a crime present. Along with the photographer is Noodles which shows there's a link between Noodles and these three bodies.