A Cornucopia of Mobsters

Rating: 7/10 (2 March 2017)

What a feeling of fulfillment when you beat the system. The thrill of getting away with something with the presence of malice. Back in the 1970's I met a friend in Junior College who was a huge hockey fan. He lived in East Meadow, New York adjacent to the Nassau Coliseum which was the home arena for the New York Islanders ice hockey team. My friend wasn't made of money yet he attended all the home games. He invited me to one and I witnessed his underhanded operation of sneaking in to games. It didn't stop there. Not only did my friend sneak me inside,, He would go right back out and bring other people inside for a small fee. The patrons were not promised a seat but at least they had entrance and could watch by sitting in the aisle and hallways throughout the hockey match. The ticket takers were in on the scam as well. These employees of the coliseum were basically moonlighting for a second income. Our personal ticket taker was a Math teacher, we called him Mugsy. My friend was in his eighth grade math class. That's how the money making operation started. Between the second intermission we would meet at gate #9 and dive up the loot we collected and the scheme was born. We were thinking small so we expanded to all events rock concerts and basketball etc. We had it all and enjoyed the profits. Goodfellas is about a journey through the eyes of an impressionable young Henry Hill (Chris Serrone). We follow his journey into the underworld from his deficient living conditions in a poor Brooklyn Neighborhood watching his Father struggle financially, taking the Subway to work. From his bedroom window Henry discovered a new and exciting world watching the Mobsters at the Taxi stand across the street. He saw these fellows in business suits who parked their cars anywhere they wanted . Played card all hours of the night and controlled the neighborhood more efficiently than the cops with numbers and betting sheets. Henry was introduced to Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino) the head of the crew. Paulie had his hand in everything from high jacking trucks and stealing precious cargo at Idlewild Airport. Henry would accompany his rotund Brother Tuddy (Frank DiLeo) who also ran the neighborhood pizzeria. Henry worked himself upward in this world of gangsters. Henry was so involved that he quit going to school. One day Henry's Father received a letter from the school that Henry hasn't attended in months. A ballistic Mr. Hill beat up his son giving him a black eye. Henry intern went to Toody and said he has to quit. Toody and some fellows waited in front of the local post office for Henry's Mailman to return from his route. Henry Picked out the postman and they grabbed him and throw him in the back of their car drove over to the pizzeria and put his head in the oven. No more letters from school, No more letters to the house. It got so bad that Henry's Mother had to go down to post office and ask for her bills. To earn his keep and acclaim to the mob Henry would vandalize cars, sell bootleg cartons of cigarettes and accompany Tuddy on using outside telephones. Bar tending for Paulie in which he meets an out of control Jimmy Conway (Robert DiNero). Jimmy takes a shine to the young delinquent. Henry watched how Jimmy carried himself by hijacking trucks and downright stealing. Jimmy teams Henry up with another helper Tommy DeVito. Henry wins over the trust and honor of the mob by a recent bust by the FBI as they grab Henry for selling illegal cigarettes. Henry is acquitted of all charges from being a first time offender. Henry thought he failed them by getting caught but Jimmy tells a teary eyed boy the facts about loyalty. He didn't rat on his friends by not saying anything and telling them nothing as he slips a bill in his shirt pocket to the ovation and delight of the gaudy clad mobsters. Henry grows into adulthood Played now by Ray Liotta,working mostly with Tommy Played now by Joe Pesce working the airport and planning a huge heist. It was a glorious time with wiseguys and mobsters everywhere . One of my favorite scenes in this movie is the regular frequented mob restaurant as Henry narrates all the wiseguys in the joint. From Nicky Eyes,Pete the Killer, Freddy No Nose, Anthony Stabile and who could forget Jimmy Two Times. This movie continues through the corrupt life and slow down word spiral of organized crime through the eyes of Henry Hill. From his first big score to his marriage to Karen (Lorraine Bracco), his carousing and brief stint in the joint. Finally dealing in cocaine with his Pittsburgh connection. Honorable mention to actor Chuck Low as the Wig salesman/bookie Morris Kessler who I found very amusing throughout his scenes. Joe Pesce also with a violent performance along with Robert DiNero makes this an addiction in watching the wiseguys do their stuff. The film is enticing to any impressionable kid who wants life in the dangerous lane. The editing and period music adds to the charm of the life of the Goodfellas who had it all for the taking, so they thought! Meanwhile we used the Coliseum for
profit at least 10 more years before we were caught sneaking people inside. Our operation was finally shut down and an expensive court case followed as we were fined with malicious mischief plus lifetime banishment from the Nassau Coliseum.