Most memorable scene in this film?

[Simon]

Watching this wonderful epic again on DVD has I guess refreshed us all. So I thought it would be a good time to ask you guys what you think is your favourite and most memorable scene in the film?
Yet again I laughed until I nearly cried at the Chief Aiello baby-switching scene!
And the scene in the station, when Noodles leaves for exile and returns thirty years later always gets me.
But my favourite has to be that quite beautiful scene in which young Patsy slowly eats that cream cake (a charlotte mousse with whipped cream) rather than get laid.
I know that there really are so many. But what scene really does it for you?

[guybrush]

The scene when Noodles is in the railway station coming back from his 'going to bed early' period, and that 'Yesterday' theme starts.... just recalling that scene is sending shivers down my spine right now.

[Jon]

This really is a difficult one,there are so many scenes I love in  this movie.I suppose my top 5 bits,in no particular order.would be

The incredibly haunting and beautiful scene near the end when Noodles leaves Deborah,sees Max's son[played by the young Max]and Max appears out of the darkness to look out of that window.Sheer poetry,aided immeasurably of course bythe music

Early on when the old Noodles looks through the peep hole through which he used to observe Deborah,and we flashback to him as a boy looking[all of the flashbacks are wonderfully done,very subtle but efective]

The death of Dominic,what a powerful,moving scene."I slipped"!

The baby swiching scene,one of several really funny scenes in a film that has a general moon of sombreness.

The charlotte rousse scene,nuff said.

[Angel Eyes]

The last scene when Noodles goes back to his opium den, lays back, tales a pull and smiles as the camera pulls up through the vale, all of his troubles gone.

[Half-Soldier]

The last scene when Noodles goes back to his opium den, lays back, tales a pull and smiles as the camera pulls up through the vale, all of his troubles gone.

I like Leone's self parody scene with the exchange of glances as Noodles stirrs the coffee, taps the spoon, takes a sip then looks back at them all. It's a great moment of tension, right at the heart of the film. Everything is happening here because all eyes are on Noodles, they want him to be strong, a leader, and even the score Max, but it's not going to happen. The rape and departure scenes have just proceeded this one and we know (and Noodles knows), he has lost Deborah forever. Destined to a life smoking opium and going to bed early

[Jon]

Yeah,that's a cool scene,much more reminiscent of Leone's earlier style,from which OUATIA was a partial but not total departure.

[BDR529]

The ending is definitely one of the most moving endings to a film I've seen, but another pick of mine is when Noodles goes to the train station where Deborah's leaving, after he raped her.  Watching the train pull her away like that--with her eyes on Noodles's, pulling the shade down--just says so much about his utter loss, that HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR.  It's heartbreaking.  And then the camera turns to Noodles, watching her go.  Finally he turns away, with that mournful music, and then it goes to the intermission, which is perfect.  Lets it all soak into the audience.

Another favorite (not really a scene, though) is when Noodles enters the room with "Secretary Bailey" near the end, and Max turns around to face him, and we see Noodles's face.  De Niro expresses so much in one look it blows me away every time.  The way it feels to see his old friend after 35 years, the friend that he thought he'd killed and now had apparently betrayed him, is expressed in his face so much better than I could possibly put into words.  De Niro's acting all the way through the film is incredible in its subtlety.

And of course the rape scenes are memorable in the worst way.  The one with Deborah is particularly awful, but the one in the jewler's is also done really well, as we see Max and Patsy look over the jewels ("nice matzo balls") while we hear Carol's voice transform from horrified screams into sensual moans.  And now I've gone on much too long... anybody could just go on and on about the memorable parts of the film.

[cigar joe]

I always liked the Noodles Returns sequence with Fat Moe, Noodles thinks that Fat Moe made off with the money but finds out that he's on his ass worse than ever.

[Garry Cowell]

All of the above.

Plus...

"Did you get it?!"
"Yeah but I think his arsehole blinked"  

The red head in the hearse surprise.

...and the immortal line "Shitzy Lip Shitz didn't pay up!"  

[JimmyCleanHands]

My favorite scenes were when Max interrupted Noodles and Deborah to divy up , and then their encounter with Bugsy and his gang. My favorite line there was " You woulda been better off if you'd stayed in the Bronx" and Max's reply "It woulda been better for you too"

[Simon]

And...
" You'll put up and you'll shut up, you'll hear nothing and you'll see nothing. Just like you did for Bugsy. We made our deal, now take a walk"
Brilliant!!
Noodles lays down the new rules for Police Chief Aiello ( Fart Face) on their first step to power. Now they are in business!!

[cedet]

Sorry but I don't think that fart Face is police chief Aieilo...

[Simon]

Sorry but I don't think that fart Face is police chief Aieilo...

The young gangs nickname for Chief Aiello was indeed Fart Face. Go check out your DVD and go to the scene where the lads are trying to roll the drunk. Dominic is tying his shoe laces as Police Chief Aiello comes out of the station he runs to Noodles and shouts "It's Fart Face" and later when they use Max's wagon as cover Noodles says "The wagon will hide us from Fart Face"

[cedet]

Sorry Simon but the cop when they are Kids and the one whose baby is exchanged is a totally different guy played by 2 differents actors  Fart Face is played by Richard Foronji and Chief Aiello is played by Danny Aiiello...
so the cops aren't the same....

[Simon]

Yep! O.K Cedet you win!! I  just checked on IMDB. Fart Face was indeed played by Richard Foronjy.
My apologies. You know, after seventeen years of watching this movie, I'm still learning.