Noodles calls the Police to try and save Max. Sgt Hallorhan (an unseen character in the film - and uncasted) does not answer the call. It rings and rings. Noodles hangs up. Max come in and beats the heck out of Noodles. Noodles leaves. That night he witnesses the corpses of this friends lying on the street, after they were killed by the FEDS (not the police). Noodles goes to the Opium den with the guilt of failing to save his friends - because he didn't reach the Police. Noodles gets high and dreams of a happy future where Max is still alive, and Deborah is still young and beautiiful. Eve doesn't die. All the rest is part of Noodles dream. That explains why the bullet hole body outline in Noodles apt looks like a cartoon. It's all in Noodles head. Thought?
There are two threads about this check them out belowhttp://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=4526.msg134002#msg134002http://www.fistful-of-leone.com/forums/index.php?topic=1934.msg16988#msg16988