Directed by Sergio Leone of "spaghetti western" fame, Once Upon A Time In America (1984; reissued director's cut 2003) features a rare attempt to portray opium smoking outside the Orient. Although the storyline spans four decades, an opium-smoking scene featuring Robert De Niro is supposed to be taking place in New York City circa 1933.

The opium den depicted here is based on old photos that survive of an opium den in New York in the early 20th century. Certain elements of this set were obviously taken from these photos, although the size of the den has been enlarged for this scene and the decor has been enhanced. The system of tiered bunks lining the walls was a typical feature of downmarket opium dens in Asia as well as North America. However in real life they never stretched so high as these do -- the highest bunk would have been only about eye-level with a person standing before one.

The giant image of the Mahayana Buddhist deity, the clusters of flickering candles and lamps, and the mock-Chinese erotica, are all details that are more fitting of one of Manhattan's early 21st century über-hip Asian-fusion cuisine eateries than a mid-20th century opium den. If I wanted to get really nitpicky I could also mention that Chinese men were no longer wearing their hair in queues (that long pig-tail) after the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911, nor would it be likely that the "Chinese theatre" that is adjacent to the opium den in this film would feature Indonesian "wayang kulit" shadow puppetry accompanied by "gamelan" music (Yes, I'm sure New York was very cosmopolitan even back then, but come on!).

Still, it's a magical scene, and Leone's depiction of an opium den outside the Orient is vastly superior to another that comes to mind -- that featured in the opening scenes of From Hell starring Johnny Depp as Jack the Ripper. That depiction of an opium den in Victorian London is wholly and laughably groundless, being based on the tabloid journalism and trash novels of the day which were meant to scandalize Londoners with the goings on within the foggy confines of the Limehouse dockyards. No such dens of posh debauchery ever existed in London.

New York's opium dens were, on the other hand, fact not fiction, and were minutely described by Dr. H.H. Kane in an article in Harpers Weekly in 1881. According to author Nick Tosches, the last opium den in New York City was raided and shut down in the 1950s.