《美國往事》講述的並非是一個邏輯完整的傳統故事，而是他本人對他一生所鍾愛的美國曆史、文化與精神的一次純粹自我的表達。影片以紐約的猶太社區爲背景，敘述四個從小一起長大的童年玩伴之間糾葛的恩怨情仇。
《美國往事》經典臺詞
1.對你的思念讓我熬過了這一切你知道你對我有多重要嗎?
And that would get me through it know how important that was to me?
2.在墓園裏翻雲覆雨，他們經常如此別擔心，他不是同性戀
Turning over in the grave. They do it every 't worry. A pansy he ain't.
3.你們拍到了我沒穿褲子的.照片，不，我們拍到你在和未成年少女亂搞
You boys caught me with my pants down that , we caught you with your schmuck in a minor.
4.人生何其妙，如是而已 其實也不是什麼大事
Life is stranger than shit, that's all. It's a pisser. No big story.
5.我真不敢相信 我的第一次是個爛條子替我付錢
I can't believe it. My first time, and a lousy cop's paying for it.
6.今晚我們喝下的不只是酒還有我們十年的歲月 十年，不虛此行
There's more onboard tonight than just 's 10 years of our lives. Ten years that were really worth living.
7.她將要得到他的第一個吻 奪去我天堂中無上的快樂
and spend that kiss which is my heaven to have.
8.情同手足的朋友 爲紀念永恆的回憶而立
Your youngest and strongest will fall by the sword.
9.當有朋友背叛你時，你就該反擊
When you've been betrayed by a friend, you hit back.
10.好死不如賴活
Better off than being dead.
11.你說的沒錯，貝利先生，我殺過人。有時是爲了自衛，有時是爲了錢。曾有許多人來找我們，生意上的夥伴，對手，女人。。。有些事情我們做，有些我們不做。我們永遠猜不透你在想什麼。
It's ture, I have killed people, Mr. Bailey. Sometime to defend myself. Sometimes for money. And many people used to come to us. Business partners, rivals, of the jobs we took, and some we didn't. Yours is one we would never touch.
12.不准你這麼說 不准你再這麼說我
Don't you ever say that to me. Don't ever say that to me again!
13.即使是黑社會，也能帶來好結局
Ends justify means in decisive gangland encounter.
