But when all is said and done, the full cut of Once Upon a Time in America is one of the top five best gangster movies of all-time. Some of the content is extremely heavy and pushes the boundary, even for a gangster film. De Niro gives one of the best performances of his career as a conflicted, opium sick, mobster dreamer. It’s a decades-spanning story of friendship and loyalty in the mob in New York City. It wasn’t until 2012 that the restored 255-minute version was made available to the public - which is a shame because it’s such a terrific film. If the confusion wasn’t enough, the film was further censored for explicit content. The result of the cuts was mass confusion amongst audiences. Hardcore gang-member Lito steps into dangerous territory when he defies gang matriarch Tia within his hustle for power and riches while idealistic rookie cop. He conceded to a 229-minute version but the American version was further cut without his permission to 139 minutes. Leone cut it down to 269 minutes but the studio was not satisfied with his attempts at shortening it. He originally wanted the film to be split into two three-hour features but the studio told him he had to cut it into one film. It was the final film of Sergio Leone’s legendary career and the only film he completed in the last thirteen years of his life. But if this is the way Christmas films are going, then I am on board.Once Upon a Time in America is one of the craziest films ever made. Like the age-old debate of whether Die Hard is a Christmas film, Silent Night will certainly fall into that category as it is a film that doesn’t have much Chritsmasy going on and is only set during the festive period. What makes this an interesting viewing is that when you think you know where it is going there is a shift and right till the end it keeps you guessing. And what Thorne has been able to do is pull the best elements of films like Snatch and blend it together with something akin to Fight Club and produce a film that has you fully invested in its protagonist. An idealistic cop, hardcore gang member, and rebellious teenager attempt to navigate the complex web of modern American gang violence in Los Angeles. With some gruesome parts to the film, it is the bleak and dark sense of humour which really enhances the film and the moral struggle that Mark has with wanting to do right by his daughter but also wanting to earn some money.Īs previously mentioned there is a feel of the early Guy Ritchie British Gangster flicks to Silent Night, and that is certainly not a bad thing to be aiming for. It is Alan’s haphazard approach to the law which not only gets Mark in some deep water with his employer Caddy ( Frank Harper) but also the Metropolitan Police. After pushing back for a moment, it doesn’t take long for Mark to fall back into his old ways, but this time with Alan in toe. The film follows Mark ( Bradley Taylor) a convicted criminal just out of prison who is attempting to reconnect with his daughter and hopes to give her a Christmas to remember.ĭown, out and looking for work he pumps into an old friend from the inside – Alan ( Cary Crankson) – who persuades him to return to a life of crime in order to get the money he needs to provide for his daughter. This gritty British gangster film has more similarities to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels than it does Jingle All The Way. There is no fun run-in with Santa Claus, there is no magic that makes the impossible seem possible and there is certainly no Christmas cheer. However, Silent Night is by no means your average Christmas film. So there cannot be much more of a glaring signpost for director Will Throne than calling his festive thriller after one of the most recognisable Christmas carols known to man. When it comes to a holiday film there are many tropes that appear on our screens to signify that this is indeed a festive film. The bright lights, the warm nights snuggled up with the family all scenes that are all too familiar to avid film lovers.
Christmas is always seen as a time for joy, love, and giving.
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