The Sicilian (film) howlingly grandiose manner that only a filmmaker with visions of epic greatness working on a large scale with a multinational cast can achieve." Leonard Maltin rated the film a "BOMB", calling it a "militantly lugubrious bio of Salvatore Giuliano". Producer McNall was personally disappointed by the film. "Given that "The Sicilian" was a descendant of Puzo's "The Godfather"," wrote McNall, "I had expected something with the same beauty, drama, and emotion. Cimino had shown with "The Deer Hunter" that he was capable of making such a movie. But he had failed." McNall even quoted Ebert's review in his appraisal of
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote most troubled of productions, though given the director has waited nearly two decades to see his magnum opus on screen, he can stand to hold on for a few more months." BBC stated before the film's release "It is almost unbelievable that "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" is still being wounded by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" while "Vox" stated "It remains to be seen whether the film is any good. But at this point, it almost doesn't matter. It will be a long time before "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote" can be seen just as