<P> In North America, the heavily edited 139 - minute version was made available on DVD in the late 1990s . This was followed by a two - disc special edition release on June 10, 2003, featuring the 229 - minute version of the film . This special edition was rereleased on January 11, 2011, on both DVD and Blu - ray . On September 30, 2014, Warner Bros. released a two - disc Blu - ray and DVD set of the 2012 251 - minute restoration shown at the Cannes Film Festival, dubbed the Extended Director's Cut . This version was previously released in Italy, on September 4, 2012 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This paragraph needs additional citations for verification . (October 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This paragraph needs additional citations for verification . (October 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> The initial critical response to Once Upon a Time in America was mixed, because of the different versions released worldwide . While internationally the film was well received in its original form, American critics were much more dissatisfied with the 139 - minute version released in North America . This condensed version was a critical and financial disaster and many American critics, who knew of Leone's original cut, attacked the short version . Some critics compared shortening the film to shortening Richard Wagner's operas, saying that works of art that are meant to be long should be given the respect they deserve . Roger Ebert wrote in his 1984 review that the uncut version was "an epic poem of violence and greed" but described the American theatrical version as a "travesty". Ebert's television film critic partner Gene Siskel considered the uncut version to be the best film of 1984 . </P>

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