A Modern Mafia Tale

Rating: 10/10 (7 February 2002)

For so long "The Godfather" and its superior sequel "The Godfather: Part II" were held up as the ultimate gangster movies. There had been imitators, yet none could match the originality and sheer weight of the Corleone saga.
If anyone were to recreate the mafia genre, or at least redefine it, it would have to be someone with the right cultural baggage. Martin Scorsese had already painted an indelible vision of New York through "Mean Streets", "Taxi Driver" and to a lesser extent, "Raging Bull." In that sense, he was the perfect choice to direct a modern version of a genre that inspires, fears and captures the imagination of audiences on a similar level to science fiction.
Instead of rehashing the past of "The Godfather", Scorsese drew from a more recent past: the 1960's and 70's. In fact Scorsese drew most inspiration from a book by journalist Nicholas Pileggi, entitled 'Wiseguy'. After both men made contact with one another they set about creating a script for a film based upon the book.
The premise for the film is based around the true story of a 1980's court case involving an informant for a New York mafia family. Henry Hill (Christopher Serrone) is a 13-year old boy growing up in 1950's Brooklyn. Awestruck by his daily mafia surroundings, Henry is drawn to the allure of a gangster's life. While his father, of Irish stock, works away in a blue-collar life of drudgery, Henry sees the mafia as a way out to a life of glamour, girls, money and ultimately, respect.
He begins his journey as an errand boy for local crime boss Paul Cicero (Paul Sorvino), collecting debts and doing damage when required. As Henry says in the narration, "I was earning more money at 14 than most of the adults in the neighbourhood." Absolutely and utterly enamoured with his new life, Henry is proud to be a mobster.
At this stage of the film, we feel as if we are in Corleone territory. Everything is nostalgic to the point of rose-tintedness, we as an audience are drawn to what the mafia represents: a tough guy fraternity that deals above the law. Henry's ascension into the mafia life is something we view with a smile rather than a frown.
By the 1960's we catch up with the adult Henry (Ray Liotta). Now 21 years old, he and his friend and cohort Tommy De Vito (Joe Pesci) are foot soldiers for boss Cicero. Robbing trucks for cigarettes, clothing and alcohol, the two forge a name for themselves as good earners. Despite their accomplishments, they pale in comparison the 'made' guys, the real Mafioso who run Cicero's shady underworld.
Scorsese introduces us to the Cicero family in a superb steadicam sequence early on in the film. As Henry walks through a nightclub we are shown the caricatures of mafia hitmen. He narrates over the top and presents us characters with names like Fat Andy, Frankie the Wop, Jimmy No Nose, Pete the Killer and Jimmy Two Times. If one were to be not paying attention, you could be mistaken that you were watching "Dick Tracy".
One character not caricatured at all is Jimmy Conway, played by the great Robert De Niro. Cool, calm, tough and quietly evil, Conway is the ultimate gangster, bristling with venom and style. Due to his Irish background, Conway will never be made, yet his presence is enough to suggest that his standing on the ladder is a non-issue. De Niro plays Conway brilliantly, drawing from his portrayl of Jake La Motta in "Raging Bull". Once again, the tag team combination of Scorsese and De Niro just about makes the film, despite the overall excellence of the movie.
Henry climbs higher and higher up the ladder of the mafia, marrying a Jewish girl named Karen (Lorraine Bracco) along the way and forging a name for himself as a gangster who's 'got things worked out'. He's earning big and the Cicero family is doing nicely. It all goes pear-shaped when Henry's goals change: he acquires a mistress and begins dealing cocaine. As his lavish tastes and dangerous lifestyle escalate, the workings of the Cicero family also begin to change. The 1970's introduce new, more violent and extravagant opportunities to make money for Henry, Tommy and Jimmy, all of which start the rot. It all begins to tumble down and Henry and Karen are forced to make decisions that could cost them dearly in the long run.

"Goodfellas" is blessed with outstanding performances all round. Liotta's Henry is understated, yet we travel along his journey of self-destruction easily. Like Henry himself, we are too caught up in the speed and glamour of the life to take stock of where he ends up. Pesci is amazing as the volatile yet charismatic Tommy. He won an Oscar for his role (and repeated this performance in 1995's "Casino") and it's obvious why. The sense of unease mixed with humour around Tommy is a credit to Pesci's ability to invisibly and unassumingly flick the switch between joker and psychopath. Bracco is also strong as Karen. She has since taken up a more subdued role on the television series "The Sopranos"; also based on the mafia. Also of note are Chuck Low as Morrie, Frank Vincent as Billy Bats and the late Catherine Scorsese as Tommy's mother.
Scorsese's collaborators Michael Ballhaus (cinematography) and Thelma Schoonmaker (editing) once again deliver. Ballhaus captures the mood of each decade perfectly: the nostalgia and innocence of the 1950's, the power of the 1960's and the seedy 1970's, they are all captured brilliantly. Also of note is the final few scenes involving a coked-up Henry trying to do a million things at once. The frenetic pace and quick editing of this section is a credit to both Ballhaus and Schoonmaker.
The director is in total control of proceedings, with the film never altering from its course. The use of music is superlative, the costumes and overall mise en scene of the film is pure genius. Scorsese hasn't matched "Goodfellas" since, and while "Taxi Driver" remains his best, "Goodfellas" ranks extremely close.
By the end of the film the viewer realises that they have witnessed a different kind of gangster movie. Brutal, fast, exciting and violent, "Goodfellas" is the anti-"Godfather". It portrays the mafia life as an uncompromising and shady world, yet one that rewards those who play by its rules. It is a difficult feat for the greatest of directors to create a movie that engrains itself on popular culture, but Scorsese once again delivers. "Goodfellas" is the best modern gangster movie and ranks alongside "The Godfather" as the best of the mobster genre.