Once Upon A Time In America: Opening Scene

Once Upon A Time In America (1984): Opening Scene

Info:

Title of Film: Once Upon A Time In America

Released: 1st June 1984 (USA)

Director: Sergio Leone

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

"A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to Brooklyn over 30 years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life." - IMDb

The opening to Once Upon A Time In America has many generic locations and characters which can be found in the thriller genre. These include:

Generic Characters:

• Criminals
• Innocent Victims
• Characters with dark pasts
• Twisted relationships/friendships
• Characters on the run
• Cops
• Gangster/s

Generic Locations:

• Confided spaces

The opening scene to "Once Upon A Time In America" starts with a circular narrative - often used in thriller films to give the audience a glimpse into the dark past of the character or characters within the film. In the first scene, we see "Eve" (actress Darlanne Fluegel) walk into a darkly lilt room. This opening scene is almost Noir-like due to the non-ambient lighting, this could also suggest that Eve is hiding something as her face is the only thing we see in the mise-en-scene whereas the rest of her body is in the darkness. This can represent that her beauty shines through. 

Because of this beauty, Eve can be seen as a Femme-Fatale. A Femme-Fatale is a woman who is seen as being mysterious and seductive. This is also represented as Eve is wearing pearls. White pearls have a historic symbolical meaning of purity. This can show us that she is innocent and without sin. However, as we can not see the rest of her body in the mice-en-scene this suggests that she is trying to hide something through her purity, or even that her looks can be deceiving.

(Improvement paragraph)

"Eve's" entreance can seen as an intertexual reference with Harry Lime's entrance from "The Third Man". Harry Lime appears from a narrow doorway, with only half of his face exposed to the Noir lighting and the rest in silhouette darkness. This can be seen as an intertexual reference as both Harry and Eve's faces appear from doorways/archways with only half of their face exposed to the camera and the rest in darkness.  

(End)


The sound within the opening scene is non-diegetic as it has been edited into the scene. The sound during the scene could also be seen as being diegetic, this is because when Eve goes into the room, there could be a radio which is playing a song called "God Bless America". This song has been edited into the opening scene to represent the mood and irony of the upcoming moments.

                                 Audio/MP3 - "God Bless America"

                   


During this scene, after Eve has walked into the room, she turns on a table lamp. The table lamp being turned on is representing Eve. The light from the pale cream glass reflect on Eve's face, which happens to be almost the same tone. This shows us that the lamp and Eve are the same, they are one within this scene.




Eve then spots an outline of a body made out of bullet holes on a bed. The camera angle is a high angle shot, this could be seen as a warning of danger, intimidation, and how little power Eve has over others. However the angle could even suggest a point of view shot of someone watching her. The outline of the body on the bed can also suggest a link to the police and authorities in America and how they can be corrupted and take matters into their on hands. 



We learn this latter on during the scene when three men in tweed coats walk into the room - they are cops. Their outfits represent that they are all together as a gang. The middle man carries a gun around with him, this gun is a symbol of male authority within this thriller film. The gun is pointed at a photo of a man, because the gun is pointing at the man in the photo, it could represent the man in the photo is being hunted by them and is on the run.


During the final shot of the opening scene, one of the cops shoots Eve. This can represent the cops as taking the law into their own hands, just like as if they are criminals on the run who will do anything to gain information which blocks their path - a common event in many thriller films. Also, the power statues of the three men outweigh Eve. Three v.s. one can be seen as another male authority over woman, this is used in many thriller films, an example of this is "Thelma & louise (1991)" where the women in the film are living in a dominated male world.

After Eve dies, one of the cops turns off the table lamp off which symbolises Eve. This is done to show that Eve's life has came to an end. The room then returns to darkness as the ambient lighting is no longer present and returns to an almost Noir-like thriller.