 "Once Upon a Time in America" was a financial disaster, grossing $5.3 million on a $30 million budget.In 1990, De Niro starred in Penny Marshall's "Awakenings", based on Oliver Sacks's 1973 memoir of the same title and for his performance he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.The following year, De Niro appeared in Scorsese's psychological thriller "Cape Fear" as Max Cady, a convicted rapist  He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance.