Award Season Series: The Scorsese Gangster Masterpiece “Goodfellas”

Initial release date: September 19, 1990

Streaming services: The Roku Channel/various PVOD services

Widely considered one of the greatest films in the history of the gangster genre, the 1990 Martin Scorsese film “Goodfellas” (which is also one of my personal favorites) swept critical awards despite famously losing several major categories at the Oscars (which is a complete shock).

Henry Hill knows only too well that he must put the Mob’s interests before everything, even his family, but when the good times turn sour, his loyalties in the face of greater rewards.

Faced with a terrible retribution, Hill can see only one way to get out alive.

Like I said in the first paragraph, the 1990 film “Goodfellas” is easily one of my favorite films. Even though I have seen this film so many times over the years, it can still keep me entertained and glued to the screen from start to finish - and without pausing the film (most of the time).

“Goodfellas”, over the years, has been heavily praised for its gritty, unflinching realism and fast-paced, stylish direction from Martin Scorsese, which provided an authentic, non-glamorized look at the mob. There are several things that easily makes this gritty gangster masterpiece so memorable, such as Joe Pesci’s iconic performance (“You think I’m funny?”), the immersive dark humor, the incredible, energetic soundtrack and so much more!

Every single actor in this film did a tremendous job bringing these complex, compelling characters to life on the screen, especially Joe Pesci, whose character Tommy DeVito (based on Thomas DeSimone) can bring both laughs with his very dark humor and some really intense moments.

Pesci’s performance as Tommy DeVito is widely regarded as one of the most intense and unpredictable in film history, characterized by a volatile mix of humor and sudden, lethal violence From moments like the “I’m Funny How?” scene to the infamous “Shine Box” scene, Pesci's character really stands out in this masterpiece.

“Goodfellas also has so many iconic and memorable moments that really stand out, such as the previously mentioned “Funny How?” scene, the long, uninterrupted camera shot leading through the Copacabana, the opening narration (“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster”) and even the scene where we see a few of the characters cooking in prison (which can actually make you hungry for some Italian), among many other moments.

“Goodfellas” is a definitive, high-octane crime masterpiece that chronicles the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill over three decades. Utilizing fast-paced editing, iconic performances and voiceovers, and a kinetic soundtrack, it explores the allure, brutality, and paranoia of organized crime. Often considered one of the greatest films in American cinema, this 1990 film is a landmark work that re-defined the gangster genre with its “no-holds-barred” approach.

“Goodfellas” won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Joe Pesci (who infamously had the shortest acceptance speech ever), and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Editing and Best Costume Design.

The film was also named Best Film by the New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and National Society of Film Critics. In 2000, “Goodfellas” was selected by the Library of Congress to be included in the US National Film Registry.

MPA: Rated R   (145 minutes)

Make sure to keep on checking my Wyoming Country Press Examiner review page on Facebook for some fun, interesting trivia bits on some of the films that I check out and to see some review line ups that I have planned coming up! My review line ups that I have planned are subject to change!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3QpxNI-PtE

• According to Henry Hill, whose life was the basis for the book and film, Joe Pesci's portrayal of Tommy DeSimone was 90-99% accurate, with one notable exception; the real Tommy DeSimone was massively built.

• Robert De Niro wanted to use real money for the scene where Jimmy hands out money, because he didn't like the way fake money felt in his hands. The prop master gave De Niro $5,000 of his own money. At the end of each take, no one was allowed to leave the set until all the money was returned and counted.

• (at around 20 mins) The "How am I funny?" scene is based on something that actually happened to Joe Pesci. While working in a restaurant, a young Pesci apparently told a mobster that he was funny, a compliment that was met with a less-than-enthusiastic response. Pesci relayed the anecdote to Martin Scorsese, who decided to include it in the film. Scorsese didn't include the scene in the shooting script, so that Pesci and Ray Liotta's interactions would elicit genuinely surprised reactions from the supporting cast.

• According to Nicholas Pileggi, some mobsters were hired as extras to lend authenticity to scenes. The mobsters gave Warner Bros. fake Social Security numbers, and no one knows how they received their paychecks.

• According to Nicholas Pileggi, some mobsters were hired as extras to lend authenticity to scenes. The mobsters gave Warner Bros. fake Social Security numbers, and no one knows how they received their paychecks.

• The studio was initially very nervous about the film, due to its extreme violence and language. The film reportedly received the worst preview response in the studio's history. Martin Scorsese said that "the numbers were so low, it was funny." Nevertheless, the film was released without alteration to overwhelming critical acclaim, cementing Scorsese's reputation as one of America's foremost filmmakers.

• Ray Liotta turned down the part of Harvey Dent in Batman (1989) in order to make this movie.

• (at around 2 mins) The line "As far back as I could remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster" was voted as number 20 in "The 100 Greatest Movie Lines" by Premiere in 2007.

• (at around 32 mins) The long tracking shot through the Copacabana nightclub came about because the filmmakers couldn't get permission to go in the short way, forcing them to go around the back. Martin Scorsese decided to film the sequence in one unbroken shot in order to symbolize that Henry's entire life was ahead of him. "It's his seduction of her (Karen), and it's also the lifestyle seducing him". This sequence was shot eight times.

• At Martin Scorsese's request, associates of the actual people were always on the set of the film, giving helpful and essential information about the life, people, settings, and moods.

• Henry's last day as a wiseguy was the hardest part of the film for Martin Scorsese to shoot. He wanted to properly show Henry's anxiety, paranoia, and racing thoughts caused by cocaine and amphetamine intoxication. Ray Liotta had never been under the influence of those drugs, and found it difficult to accurately portray.

• Ranked number two on the American Film Institute's list of the ten greatest films in the genre "Gangster" in June 2008.

• Joe Pesci's Oscar acceptance speech is the sixth shortest in the Academy's history, "it's my privilege, thank you." Pesci later admitted that he didn't say very much because he genuinely felt that he didn't have a chance of winning. Patty Duke said "Thank you" in 1963 when she won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Miracle Worker (1962). Louie Psihoyos said "Thank you" in 2010 when he won Best Documentary for The Cove (2009). Gloria Grahame and Alfred Newman both said "Thank you very much." in 1953. William Holden said "Thank you. Thank you." in 1954. Alfred Hitchcock said "Thank you. Very much indeed." when he won an Honorary Oscar in 1968.