No character development

I finally saw the 3 hr 40 min version last night, and although it was better than I expected, it was an air-ball with much potential. I didn't really care for any of the characters because no time was spent on any of them. Who were the immigrants? Where are they from? Why are they there? Subtitles to know what they are saying? The bad guys had no development either. The scene with the list took no time at all-let's vote to kill people!!!!!!!!!!! Yippie!!!!!!!!!! Where is Ella from? How many accents were used in the movie? Had they explained some of the history behind the actual events it may have done wonders.
The score made me think of the Godfather and/or Waltzing,which probably was more accurate instead of the soundtracks of Hollywood, but combined with numerous foreign languages and no character development, it added to the feeling of it not being a moment in time as opposed to a cheap spaghetti western.
Cimino had an opportunity to educate and teach us about a dark part of our past (and present), had he taken more of an approach about storytelling as opposed to movie-making, this could have been a great movie.
ps- Ella is beautiful but a foreign madame? Bad casting.