Do you know what I never wanted to be growing up?
A gangster…but being an Italian American most people imagine that when you talk about us. When you think about standard Italian American representation in the media, what do you see? The Godfather. The Sopranos. Goodfellas (but we will get into that plenty during this article). You see us being crooks, doing jobs, gambling, and overall, just getting up to no good. There is always a code of ethics which means we all live within our own rules outside of everyone else. This probably stems from the initial isolation of Italians when they came here. Who would look after our people? The Mafia.
But what is so interesting about the perception of the Mafia in the media?
Many Italian Americans love them! The Godfather is (for the most part) universally beloved by Italians. Heck, even my grandfather made me watch the film when I was 10 years old. You have a more traditional look at things in The Godfather, but more recent films and television shows deliver a little more angst and attitude. Those other films and TV shows are also beloved by Italian Americans. When it really comes down to it, you latch onto the representation that you get. Outside of grotesque reality TV trash like Jersey Shore…there is not a whole lot to latch onto.
There is also a distinct genuine feel to many of these films because they were made by other Italian Americans. The authenticity of The Godfather comes from Francis Ford Coppola’s presence and influence. The same can be said about plenty of works by Martin Scorsese.
He might be the most prolific of all Italian American filmmakers. Certainly, he knows how to put together the right team for the job at hand.
What does Scorsese bring to his films that make them so authentic to the Italian American experience?
One film, Italian Americans, shows how significant his ethnicity is to his experiences. Seeing Scorsese’s parents being just an older Italian couple is so sincere and engaging. They are really about the struggles that went on and are going on. Scorsese’s mother is one of the most genuine presences to show up in one of his films. One scene in Goodfellas delivers such a meaningful and relatable experience for me. When Henry Hill and his little crew of Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito need to get rid of a body and don’t have a shovel, they need to go to Tommy’s mom’s house. They sneak in…but Mrs. DeVito is wide awake. But she cannot let them go hungry in the middle of the night, right? GIANT spread of food on the table because a good Italian mother cannot let her child go hungry (I know from experience). She also wants to know why Henry is so quiet. How can a nice Italian boy just sit there silently? Not going to lie…that was most of my existence growing up. This one scene could not have been captured so perfectly without an Italian American behind the wheel. THAT is what is so special when it comes to Scorsese’s work. There is a personal touch that brings an authenticity that is needed to make his film avoid feeling like disrespectful stereotypes.
But now it is time to discuss the million-dollar question…why is this the most “Scorsese” film of all?
Everywhere you look, you see the trademark he has been developing throughout his career. When you take a deep dive into his filmography, you can see the evolution of Scorsese as a director. You know from the start that this is going to ooze his style. That fast zoom up on Henry as he says his iconic line is just pitch-perfect. “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster”. What a perfect way to open the film? The filmmaking choices are bold, and the voiceover works great. Probably the most iconic sequence in the film is Henry and Karen’s date at the Copacabana. That tracking shot is incredible. How did Scorsese (and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus) make this work? Mean Streets set this up but this scene in Goodfellas turns it up to 11. Scorsese’s penchant for channeling perfect musical choices thrives in this film as well. There are a few instances that work so well. “Sunshine of Your Love” from Cream kicks in just in time for a slow zoom-in on De Niro choosing violence. The physical acting from De Niro mixed with the style of music makes for a mesmerizing moment of cinema. Soon after, one of the best montages on film is played with the instrumental climax of “Layla”. This somber and beautiful musicianship over dead bodies being discovered causes quite the effect. Quickly transitioning songs from George Harrison and Muddy Waters film the paranoid head of Henry as he tries to avoid helicopter surveillance at the climax of the film. One intense sequence captures a simple but effective bit of filmmaking. As Henry wakes up to Karen pointing a gun at him, Scorsese gets great performances out of his two actors who are forced to act as camera operators instead.
But the direction is not the only great feat that Scorsese delivers with this film, right?
Scorsese co-wrote the screenplay of the film with author Nicholas Pileggi. You can feel it because of how genuine the connection is with the Italian American heritage of the film. But that is not all. This is an expertly crafted and structure narrative. The progression of Henry’s life is perfectly paced and structured. As the runtime flies by, the descent that Henry makes is poignant. You can feel the impactful moments of the story including a problematic mound of cocaine (introduced by “Gimme Shelter” which is a trademark of Scorsese’s in itself. The story packs in plenty of conflict and subplots that never feel forced. You have Henry’s dynamics with his three connections in the Mafia (Paul, Jimmy, and Tommy). You experience the progression of Henry and Karen’s relationship as they go from apathy to intense intrigue to a perfect pairing. Then of course Henry needs his side women which really begins the spiral of their marriage. There are plenty of shocking and tense moments to through around as well. Most of which stem from Tommy’s loose cannon behavior (poor Spider). The tension is written so well that each violent end causes plenty of tension and shocking effect. By the time things really hit the fan, Henry is on the bring of meltdown and is completely irredeemable. The most interesting aspect of writing in the film must be the narration. So many films overdo it…but Scorsese makes Henry’s narrative just click so well. Through a little from Karen too and it is an engrossing and enthralling projection of thoughts and feelings.
But what is the real purpose of this story? Is this a cautionary tale? Is it meant to channel the real-life consequences of a life of crime?
To be honest, you can learn SO many things NOT to do based on the terrible decision-making of the characters. The film flirts with the temptation of a life of luxury but then shows the dire consequences of this “easy out”. Through its relationships, it looks at the fragility of human connections and trust that we make. Henry time and time again fracture the trust that others had in him. The cheating on his wife and the selling drugs behind Paul’s back are great examples as both shatters the trust placed on Henry. In the end, Goodfellas is really a playbook on how to avoid terrible decisions in life.
With such fully realized and complicated characters, how do you properly bring them to life?
The most important role in the film must be Henry Hill and Ray Liotta was tasked with bringing our narrator to life. His voice-over work is engaging and filled with personality. From opening line to closing line, Liotta sounds organic and invested. His ability to play a wide-eyed young man at the beginning of the film and play an absolute drugged-out, paranoid wreck shows how much talent he has. Liotta steps up in a film filled with veteran presence to make a splash for himself. We have a Scorsese film, right? Well then, we need some De Niro. He brings an interesting role to life. In the first half of the film, Conway is not a huge character, and De Niro offers a level-headed and veteran performance. As the film goes on, De Niro is given plenty more moments to shine as his paranoia and rage both begin to rise. He is intimidating but classy. This is an unassuming role for much of the run time and it is an interesting role for De Niro to play. You cannot avoid talking about Joe Pesci and his performance as Tommy DeVito. There is a reason he won the Oscar. Fiery and unhinged, you never know what to expect out of Tommy because of the pure energy that Pesci brings to the role. The “Funny how” sequence as well as those with Spider are HARD to watch because they are so tense with Pesci bringing a whole other level of intensity. Lorraine Bracco gives a strong performance as Karen. One moment captures my attention when she confronts Henry after being blown off for a date. I think Henry even got enticed by her confidence and approach. Paul Sorvino is a calm and commanding presence as a mob boss. You know he is in charge whenever he shows up. Throw in a laundry list of Italian Americans including both of Scorsese’s parents and you have a film full of genuine and natural performances (bring that need authenticity).
Is there much more I should say about this film?
Along with the first two The Godfather films, these are the greatest Mafia films of all time.
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Scorsese is still able to enthrall his audience with unlikeable but compelling figures. Scorsese is at the height of his cinema persona and entertains you every minute. From the opening hard zoom in until the final frames of Tommy shooting at the camera, this is an iconic film that has to be experienced.
