Once Upon a Time in America (1984), directed by Sergio Leone and starring Robert De Niro (VIDEO)

Sergio Leone’s epic mob drama recently received an upgrade, closer to its original 269-minute running time. Can it even be improved upon? The standout section remains Leone’s heartbreaking evocation of 1920s Jewish tenement life on the LES, starring a cast of kids. Wanna-be toughs roam cart-strewn streets, chow down on deli food and flirt with a preteen Jennifer Connelly.—Joshua Rothkopf

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Watch the trailer for Once Upon a Time in America

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