No charater to identify with

[cigar joe]

I think OUTIA is a great film, a masterpiece, however that said it is a story with main characters that are generally unsympathetic. With all the rest of Leone's films you can at least identify with one or two characters. You can feel that with a certain set of circumstances (and a bit of skill with a pistol, lol) you could conceivably become one of them.

In OUTIA every main character has a fatal flaw, Max is a coniving double crossing weasle with a short temper, Noodles is a self destructive, a rapist and a opium addict, Deborah though a good person is beelining on a career leaving the neighborhood and family far behind in the dust. Patsy and Cockeye are not really fleshed out so there is not much to be said for them.  Their Madam/childhood girlfriend is treated much like Patsy and Cockeye. Perhaps it is this character depiction that stands OUTIA apart, makes a great story from the interaction of unsympathetic  people but taken as a whole creates a sympathetic masterpiece.

Only Fat Moe, a minor character is a regular guy that you can relate to. This is why I usually rate OUTIA lower on my prefrence list of Leone's films, I find myself touched not by exhilaration but by melancholy.

[guybrush]

This is why I usually rate OUTIA lower on my prefrence list of Leone's films, I find myself touched not by exhilaration but by melancholy.

I agree with you when you say that OUATIA doesn't show any fully likable character.
But, as a matter of fact, that might as well be one of the reasons why I like it so much.

Let's think of all the movies we have seen:  in the 99% of them the main character has no flaws or in the end he / she quits his / her flaws and grows to be a much better person. Why is it so? Because directors and producers feel like the audience will like a certain movie only if it portrays at least a likable character. Cinema makers know that most people go to the cinema to forget about life for a while, because they are more or less aware that real life is made of flawed people, and they know that the audience unconsciously needs to get reassured that life is not that bad after all, that there's always a happy ending waiting for us decent people. But the truth is that you and I and our best friends have our big or small flaws, and none of us is 100% likable to the people who get to know us well.

Imho this is one of the aspects that contribute to the success of OUATIA. Leone was able to make a masterpiece out of it even if more than a bit of real life with realistic characters got into a movie. For once at least...

[cigar joe]

That sums it up pretty well, it is more like real life to a degree and not about escapism.

[shorty larsen]

I like Noodles character.

I think it takes more courage to live a whole life as a coward than to die as a hero.

Noodles is a tragic character with a tragic history.

[Walter]

I think OUTIA is a great film, a masterpiece, however that said it is a story with main characters that are generally unsympathetic. With all the rest of Leone's films you can at least identify with one or two characters. You can feel that with a certain set of circumstances (and a bit of skill with a pistol, lol) you could conceivably become one of them.

I agree that all the main characters have fatal flaws, but I do not agree in that identification is important in order to invest interest. I can easily get interested in the fate of a character that I for the life of me wouldn't want to identify with, or see myself as in another situation.

But I also think that OUATIA is a bit more complicated than this. Because Leone actually makes us identify with Noodles in the beginning. When he is a bright punk, fighting against poverty in the ghetto, I sure identified with him.

Which makes it very strong, not to mention downright hurtful when his life turns to self-destruction (I think that is the key to all his vices, even the rape of his dream woman).

I remember when OUATIA was new, and I saw the movie with a group of friends. One of the girls told me she got so sad she almost cried when Noodles raped Deborah. Not because of the violence itself, but because she had liked him so much.

I think that still sums it up for me.
 

[Jon]

I felt the same way the first time I saw it.It was almost painful to watch Noodles desperately trying impress Deborah at the restaurant,I really wanted him to have her.Of course he than did,but in a completely different way than expected.I did indeed like Noodles up to that point-sure,he is a violent man,but so is James Bond.

Towards the end of the film,I think we[or me,amyway]start to like Noodles again,but that may be more a feeling of pity than anything else.Noodles had so much potential,and threw it all away.He is one of the great tragic [anti]heroes.

A friend of mine said he admired Max more,here is somebody who through deception and determination actually achieves what he probably intended.Max has goals,while Noodles seems to have none,except maybe get Deborah,and later call the police,and both of these attempts end up in disaster.

Nevertheless,at the end of the film it is Noodles who,finally,has a bit of dignity.

[Il Buono]

I think OUTIA is a great film, a masterpiece, however that said it is a story with main characters that are generally unsympathetic. With all the rest of Leone's films you can at least identify with one or two characters. You can feel that with a certain set of circumstances (and a bit of skill with a pistol, lol) you could conceivably become one of them.

In OUTIA every main character has a fatal flaw, Max is a coniving double crossing weasle with a short temper, Noodles is a self destructive, a rapist and a opium addict, Deborah though a good person is beelining on a career leaving the neighborhood and family far behind in the dust. Patsy and Cockeye are not really fleshed out so there is not much to be said for them.  Their Madam/childhood girlfriend is treated much like Patsy and Cockeye. Perhaps it is this character depiction that stands OUTIA apart, makes a great story from the interaction of unsympathetic  people but taken as a whole creates a sympathetic masterpiece.

Only Fat Moe, a minor character is a regular guy that you can relate to. This is why I usually rate OUTIA lower on my prefrence list of Leone's films, I find myself touched not by exhilaration but by melancholy.

I feel the same way.  To me, it is a very interesting film, especially the 2 first hours, but towards the end it gets so sad that it becomes painful.  Indeed, you like the Noodles character first, and later on, you feel sorry you liked him, and it's an interesting point of view, but there I feel losing all bonds I have made with this character.  
You could maybe compare it to when you start disliking a good friend.  
So in the end, I'm full of melancholy, but I think it's more the style and the music of the film than Noodles' story itself that emotes me.

[COLONNA]

Fat Moe is a good guy, but who wants to be identifyed with Fat Moe ?
Cockeye is also kind , he likes food,drinks and women overall but who wants..
Patsy is handsome, funny but...

Clearly OUATIA  is a Leone product: there are winners and losers.

Noodles interest us because he is both .

But the "American Dream" proposed us many Debra and  Max by past no ?

[guybrush]

sure there is no character to identify with?

with all his flaws and bad behaviours, Noodles still remains the perfect example of the average next guy, who wants so much from life (even if he thinks he just wants the basical things) but gets much less in the end.

Do we like the idea to be found similar to such a character? maybe not.

Aren't we all a little bit like him (without being rapists...)? I do think so.
If you do not identify yourselves at least a little bit with that next guy, you must be living a 100% wonderful life, you must be achieving all your goals bar none, and I envy you so much...

 

[Mw/NNrules]

Fat Moe has always struck me as the most sympathetic of characters as well. Just by himself, he's still the number one nicest guy in the movie, but how he treats Noodles as a superior is what gets to me, blissfully unaware of what made Deborah leave.

[Tuco the ugly]

sure there is no character to identify with?

with all his flaws and bad behaviours, Noodles still remains the perfect example of the average next guy, who wants so much from life (even if he thinks he just wants the basic things) but gets much less in the end.

Do we like the idea to be found similar to such a character? maybe not.

Aren't we all a little bit like him (without being rapists...)? I do think so.
If you do not identify yourselves at least a little bit with that next guy, you must be living a 100% wonderful life, you must be achieving all your goals bar none, and I envy you so much...

I don't think so gaybrush.

 A rapist?

You must be out of your mind...

[Tuco the ugly]

I think OUTIA is a great film, a masterpiece, however that said it is a story with main characters that are generally unsympathetic. With all the rest of Leone's films you can at least identify with one or two characters. You can feel that with a certain set of circumstances (and a bit of skill with a pistol, lol) you could conceivably become one of them.

In OUTIA every main character has a fatal flaw, Max is a coniving double crossing weasel with a short temper, Noodles is a self destructive, a rapist and a opium addict, Deborah though a good person is beelining on a career leaving the neighborhood and family far behind in the dust. Patsy and Cockeye are not really fleshed out so there is not much to be said for them.  Their Madam/childhood girlfriend is treated much like Patsy and Cockeye. Perhaps it is this character depiction that stands OUTIA apart, makes a great story from the interaction of unsympathetic  people but taken as a whole creates a sympathetic masterpiece.

I must say this is a great post cj. Can't believe I haven't seen this before, I must be out of my mind.

Only Fat Moe, a minor character is a regular guy that you can relate to. This is why I usually rate OUTIA lower on my preference list of Leone's films, I find myself touched not by exhilaration but by melancholy.

Although I don't think that's the reason why I rate it lower that GBU, OUATITW and FFDM. I just like them better.


Still, a great post. 

[Groggy]

I think I identify more with Chicken Joe than any other character in this film...

[shades]

Noodles is an exact mirror of my life - except the members of the group to which I belonged were more interested in playing guitars than committing crimes.

 

[Groggy]

Well I can relate with Noodles to some extent, smart, thoughtful guy, wrapped up in his memories (although in my case much less so than say a year or two ago), unsuccessful with women... But overall, nah, he's not me.