FRINK Linked Data Fragments server

Matches in SemOpenAlex for { <https://semopenalex.org/work/W346389672> ?p ?o ?g. }

• W346389672 startingPage "65" @default.
• W346389672 abstract "Leone's use of genre conventions in Once Upon a Time in America (1984) seems to locate his film well within the confines of the American gangster film genre. The film bombards us with a string of cliches that we readily associate with American gangster films. These cliches are evident in, but are not limited to, patterns of speech in the film (Hold it boys, don't shoot!), patterns of nomenclature in the film (nicknames such as Noodles, Patsy, Cockeye, etc.), patterns of dress in the film (handkerchiefs worn as masks in a hold-up scene.), props appearing in the film (tommy-guns, antique cars, etc.), and patterns of action in the film (hold-ups, drive-by shootings, etc.). Because of this heavy emphasis of Leone's on compliance with genre conventions, we readily accept Once Upon a Time in America as an American gangster film. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When we examine Leone's use of theme in Once Upon a Time in America, however, we find the film quite subversive to the values of this genre. Leone is using an archetypal cultural genre in order to examine the impact of American cultural myth on American society. He does this by juxtaposing competing myth systems in American culture against their antitheses. By doing this Leone is able to examine the darker underpinnings of these easily recognizable myth systems. Leone's criticism of American culture will be examined in this paper by identifying those archetypal themes that Leone explores in his film, by relating those themes to their larger cultural context and to the genre of American gangster films and literature, and by discussing how those themes are incorporated by Leone into various elements of his films' structure. Characterization and the Noble Outsider The Noble Outsider is perhaps the definitive American culture hero and is the predominant cultural figure that we encounter in Leone's film. The Noble Outsider is an archetypal figure who exists on the fringes of respectable society, yet who also ultimately defends society's values. Examples of this figure in American culture range from James Fenimore Cooper's Deerslayer/Hawkeye (1841) to Shane (1953) to John McClane in Die Hard (1988). The character of Roy Earl in Raoul Walsh's film High Sierra (1941) is an example of a Noble Outsider archetype occurring in a gangster film. Earl steals in order to cure the woman he loves of a crippling illness, shows compassion to a homeless woman, and is killed when he steps out of a cave he has hidden inside in order to greet his pet dog. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Like Roy Earl, the character of Noodles in Leone's film is presented to us very much in terms of his sentimental side. As an adolescent, he sneaks into a washroom in order to read a Victorian romance novel. As an adult he has an entire seaside restaurant, complete with orchestra, opened during the off season in order to provide the perfect evening for the girl of his dreams. The gang that Noodles is a member of very much represents a society in microcosm in this film, and Noodles is the repository of its' memory and values. The film is presented to us almost entirely from his perspective, and relates to us his memory of the history of the gang from its' inception to its dissolution. It is Noodles' fidelity to the memory of the gang that forms the crux of this film. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The association of Noodles with romanticism is logical, for the myth of the Noble Outsider is rooted in the medieval myth of the courtly chevalier, which in turn, is the progenitor for the myth of male prowess. The very same set of cultural assumptions that provides the basis for Noodles' chivalrous behaviour toward Deborah therefore also provides the cultural underpinnings for violence and rape. Leone is scrupulously careful in presenting the darker side of Noodles' character just as prevalently as he does Noodles' nobler aspects. Noodles' grief as an adolescent at the death of a friend expresses itself in the vicious murder of Bugsy and a cop. …" @default.
• W346389672 created "2016-06-24" @default.
• W346389672 creator A5041603853 @default.
• W346389672 date "2007-03-22" @default.
• W346389672 modified "2023-09-23" @default.
• W346389672 title "Once upon a Time in America: Sergio Leone and the Construction of Myth" @default.
• W346389672 hasPublicationYear "2007" @default.
• W346389672 type Work @default.
• W346389672 sameAs 346389672 @default.
• W346389672 citedByCount "0" @default.
• W346389672 crossrefType "journal-article" @default.
• W346389672 hasAuthorship W346389672A5041603853 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C111919701 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C124952713 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C142362112 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C144024400 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C163999200 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C2549261 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C29595303 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C3018567284 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C33566652 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C41008148 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C519517224 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C519580073 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C7991579 @default.
• W346389672 hasConcept C95457728 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C111919701 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C124952713 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C142362112 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C144024400 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C163999200 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C2549261 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C29595303 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C3018567284 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C33566652 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C41008148 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C519517224 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C519580073 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C7991579 @default.
• W346389672 hasConceptScore W346389672C95457728 @default.
• W346389672 hasIssue "72" @default.
• W346389672 hasLocation W3463896721 @default.
• W346389672 hasOpenAccess W346389672 @default.
• W346389672 hasPrimaryLocation W3463896721 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W130722125 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W1501446576 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W1997252973 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W2053661076 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W2118087213 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W213583144 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W228571906 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W234786330 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W2486493069 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W2561365040 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W2580075588 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W2899747288 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W632713377 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W88420450 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W193253942 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W209492912 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W2510774395 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W257627077 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W305164670 @default.
• W346389672 hasRelatedWork W326693644 @default.
• W346389672 isParatext "false" @default.
• W346389672 isRetracted "false" @default.
• W346389672 magId "346389672" @default.
• W346389672 workType "article" @default.