For Sergio Leone fans and scholars, it's almost too good to be true. A restored version of his 1984 film Once Upon a Time in America will premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival. Forty minutes will be added to the most complete edition of the film available today, bringing the running time to the 269 version Leone had envisioned. The film, like most of Leone's masterworks, was butchered in its initial release when the studio recut and edited the movie against his wishes. The resulting film was was trashed at the time by most critics, including influential reviewers Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Yet when the movie was partially restored to a 229 minute running time, both critics reversed their opinions and declared it a major achievement, with Siskel naming it the best film of 1984. For more click here
Click here for original Siskel and Ebert review 9 (approx. 4:36 into the segment)