Analysis of 'Once Upon a Time in America'

How does Sergio Leoni Use Noir Characteristics, the Representation of Femme Fatales and other Thriller Conventions to Create Suspense?

The first signifier is the anthem ‘God Bless America’; it is played at low volume in the background of the opening scene. The soundtrack is ironic because it’s a critical comment about the USA. The first character that is shown in the film is a femme fatale, this sets the thriller theme. There are lots of close up shots used in the opening; this gives a sense of emotion to the audience and also the actors’ expressions draw the audience into the action. Also, close ups create suspense as nothing else can be seen in the scene. 

The femme fatale is wearing pearls; they could have the connotation of tears. She is also wearing red nail varnish; the red could signify danger or passion. Her hat with the net partially covers her face so the audience can only see some of her face. The bedside table lamp represents her: bright and radiant. Her name is Eve. When you hear her name it even suggests things about her. It’s linked to Adam and Eve, she was a temptress, and also it connotes evening, night and dusk, all of which are dark and mysterious.

The use of zoom onto the bed indicates there is something the audience needs to look at on the bed.  As well as the use of zoom, the rule of thirds picks out other important points in the frame for the audience to focus on.

All of the bad guys are wearing the same colour clothing, like a uniform and this creates an imaginary bond between them. They are portrayed as the bad guys even though they are the police; this is because they are killing people in the film. This blurs the line between good and bad or police and gangs.

In the scene ‘Opium Visions’ there is a persistent sound: the phone ringing. It’s both diagetic and non-diagetic because it’s not within the mise-en-scene but it’s in the actors head. The ringing causes agitation with Noodles and builds up suspense, the audience want to know who is on the other end of the phone and why it isn’t being answered. There is an influence of drugs because of the opium and the audience can see that the actor is in an opium-induced dream which creates flashbacks. Then the audience realises that the phone is a soundbridge between the scene and the next.

The next scene has been set on the night of prohibition ending. Prohibition in America was when the consumption of alcohol was banned. Once into the next scene the sound of the phone adds tension because it’s the police’s phone and Noodle’s has managed to get away from the police.

The lift shaft, a couple of scenes later, is a generic setting for a thriller scene, it’s claustrophobic and the sound is all diagetic. The sound of the lift adds tension because it’s clanking and squeaking.

The use of worm’s eye point of view intrigues the audience. It’s from the perspective of the man who has been beaten up. The purpose of this is to create confusion and this connotes a surreal, dream-like, out of this world feeling. The shot is also tilted to reinforce the sense of nightmare.

Finally in one of the last scenes of the opening, there is a use of lockers. They are a generic prop to use as the audience cannot tell what has been placed inside, for example weapons or money.

This is the scene ‘Opium Visions’.