Sergio Leone’s “Leningrad: The 900 Days” | THE GREAT UNMADE

For well over a decade, director Sergio Leone sought to adapt the Harry Grey novel “The Hoods” into a film. He had turned down the director’s chair for “The Godfather,” but wanted to make a crime epic of his own. The film, “Once Upon a Time in America,” saw a release in 1984, but due to studio interference, the film’s original cut did not see a release in the U.S.
As Leone fought to get the film shown, he began working on other projects. One of which he had been working on for nearly twenty years.
This was Leningrad: The 900 Days.
With little to no help from the major studios of the time, Leone approached the Soviet Union to gain permission for the film. Despite being turned down numerous times, Leone was adamant on the project being made.
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Time Code
0:00 Introduction
2:06 Part I: The Beginning of the Project
13:35 Part II: Trying to Continue On
16:30 Part III: The "Screenplay"
20:24 Part IV: Could It Be Made Today? (and End Credits)
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Music:
“Once Upon a Time in America [Main Theme]” by Ennio Morricone
“Shostakovich Symphony No. 7 in C Major, Op. 60 Leningrad - I. Allegretto” by the London Philharmonic Orchestra
“Deborah’s Theme - Amapola” by Ennio Morricone
“Amapola I” by Ennio Morricone
“Malèna [Main Theme]” by Ennio Morricone
“Chi Mai” by Ennio Morricone

[@Spartan-qg2wy]

It’s unfortunate Leone never got to make another masterpiece like this

[@FuturePast2019]

And Kubrick's Napoleon too... That turned into Barry Lyndon
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Kubrick%27s_unrealized_projects#Napoleon

[@mightisright]

Spaghetti and vino takes its toll.

[@ДмитрийИпримкнувшийкнимшепилов]

Probably the best film never made.

[@filmsbyhen]

God I wish Leone made more movies

[@skyeslaton3435]

We all do

[@skyeslaton3435]

@lrig snart career cut short due to his death at 60 still a young age to die

[@turkishwarriorinexileadven9174]

Leone was and is my biggest inspiration since i am 18 years old. I am 35 now, yesterday i watched Once Upon A Time In America for the 100000th time. Thank you for the video

[@ColourBlindHero]

It's a shame we will never see this film, it sounds like it would have been great.

[@jamesstanfield7692]

This is heartbreaking

[@FrancoisDressler]

Truly.

[@skyeslaton3435]

It's sad we'll never get this film

[@Snorky_88]

You can tell this movie would have been a masterpiece. Wish he could have made it.

[@duncaidan]

Great video! Sergio Leone is my favorite director so I have known about this for a while, but this video taught me a lot of new stuff! It's really tragic how this was never made but, then again, Once Upon a Time in America is an amazing ending to an amazing career. That final shot will always be in my head. I hope you upload some more videos like this soon!

[@bohemianbum6082]

Don’t worry Sergio I’ll make it, if I can follow my dreams and passion I’ll do it

[@Largentina.]

The problem isn't that we didn't get a Leningrad movie. The problem is that we didn't get Leone's Leningrad movie. You making one doesn't change anything.

[@TheUnderratedSeries]

Thanks for this incredible video. One of the great unmade films in history up there with Kubrick’s Napoleon and Fincher’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Anyway you could make a vid on David Lean’s attempts to make Nostromo before he died?

[@KeeganComedy]

Great video. I love stuff like this. Hope you upload again

[@thefilmsmith9122]

Thanks. Unfortunately the past few months were a bit busy for me (lots of work to say the least). And since the videos take a bit of time to research and reach out to anyone involved, they're not as quick to make. I am hoping to get back to making more videos soon though.

[@timmylenox]

Great video! Keep up the good work.

[@shindersamra4020]

One of great directors..

[@oobrocks]

The phrase is "it can't be 'overstated,' not 'understated"'

[@bryantbarth31]

Nice Video, you should do a video on Kubrick's Napoleon

[@Ahoom]

Thank you.

[@michaelscribe4827]

Fascinating!

[@LeonessaMaschio]

Leone was not a "Hollywood director".

[@moonman19]

All Sergio Leone 's films still (2022) heavly Cut:(((

[@batcaveloner1383]

Still yearning for the 4 hour version of duck you sucker, and the 6 hour version of OUATIA.

[@bryantbarth31]

Question, Are you going to make videos again?

[@Heartclose24]

I heard that Solidado Solima, director of Sicario 2, zero zero zero has stepped in to make it.

[@turkishmaningermany8819]

Wieso hat dieses Video so wenig klicks !

[@bryantbarth31]

Will you come back?

[@boreduser2843]

😢

[@JorgeGarcia-jw7ct]

Subtitles in spanish, please uwu
Great video uwu

[@ujoepost]

Some other director should pick it up

[@FrancoisDressler]

It should be Tarantino’s last film if Tornatore doesn’t do it.

[@Ratchet2431]

@@FrancoisDressler All of Tarantino's movies have stylized scenes of violence, which would be completely out of place in a movie like this.

[@FrancoisDressler]

@@Ratchet2431 While I do think Tornatore is the sensible choice, Jackie Brown was a different kind of Tarantino film because it was adapted material. I think his great admiration for Leone would keep him in line on a production like this.

[@Johnny_Savage]

The only living director who could pull it off is Polanski, but he's also quite old and at the end of his career. There are many great younger directors like Villeneuve but there's nobody around with the lyricism of Leone, sadly. Tarantino is not a good fit because his style is reminiscent of the first couple of Leone's movies, but Leone matured progressively as he went on and became more nostalgic and meditative, the "Once Upon" movies are stuff QT could never do, and Leningrad would have been most likely in that style.