Almost Cast! Jean Gabin Nearly Starred in a Sergio Leone Epic, Under One Condition

Before envisioning James Woods as Max, Sergio Leone had a markedly different vision for “Once Upon a Time in America.” The director fantasized about featuring one of the stalwarts of French cinema, Jean Gabin, in a bold and nearly surreal twist that was momentarily close to becoming reality under quite an unexpected condition.

In the mid-1970s, Leone was deeply engaged in what he considered his most personal project. In May 1974, he shared his initial visions for the film with his friend Noël Simsolo—a critic, writer, and screenwriter. At that time, the character of Max was not to be American but French, as he explained himself in Conversations with Sergio Leone.

“It was in the early stages [of the project]. I wanted Max to be French,” he told Noël Simsolo in the book. “It wasn’t just for co-production reasons: I wanted to evoke the French who lived in America. (…)”

Sergio Leone’s French Dream

The director considered several options. Gérard Depardieu was on his mind, charmed by his intensity and background: “Gérard Depardieu is a tremendous actor. He was bursting to be Max. (…) I was tempted. I found him truly brilliant in 1900, and I knew he had ties to the underworld…”

However, to portray an older Max, Sergio Leone immediately thought of a legendary figure: Jean Gabin. Always an admirer, Leone managed to meet him between 1974 and 1975. The meeting was memorable, and Leone recalls this unique interaction, marked by a very personal demand from the actor.

“I believe [Gabin] liked me. And I’ve admired him forever. He agreed on the condition that he wouldn’t fly. He told me: ‘Listen, Leone, we’ll go to America by boat. Just the two of us. That way, we’ll have all the time to discuss the role and prepare everything. I don’t like planes. I like boats. I know them. But what I prefer is the ‘hard’. The train. It’s the most peaceful way to travel.’”

When Fate Denied Leone His Hero

Regrettably, this project would never move beyond the planning stages. In 1976, shortly after the release of Jean Girault’s “L’Année sainte,” Jean Gabin passed away from leukemia on November 15. For Sergio Leone, it was both a personal and artistic shock. The original vision for the film was shaken.

Deprived of his ideal actor, the director profoundly revised his approach. He realized that this choice might limit the universal scope of his story and ultimately decided to revert to an American cast. Reflecting on this decision, Leone explained: “(…) I felt that I would diminish the impact of the story by giving it this slant. With a French hero, the adventure would seem to reflect a unique case. (…) It no longer made sense to have a French actor in this story. And thereby, I also abandoned another great idea: having different actors for different ages of the characters. There would have been children, adults, and the elderly… They would have resembled each other…”

Thus ends one of the most fascinating parallel stories in cinema: a “Once Upon a Time in America” led, at twilight, by Jean Gabin—a dream aborted, yet etched in the imagination of Sergio Leone.

“Once Upon a Time in America” is available for streaming on Disney+.

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