You might be confused at seeing a prefix ‘The’
to the title of Martin Scorsese’s ‘Goodfellas’. The purpose of this article is
to address, and expose, the characterization of Goodfellas. What makes the
Goodfellas so appealing? They don’t give a fuck. The approach director Scorsese
and Editor Thelma Schoonmaker employ at making them give off that vibe is more
than meets the eye.
Scorsese chooses
long tracking shots to introduce us to the Goodfellas. You come to know of
their quirks. Take their style of nicknaming, Jimmy Two-Times who always said
everything twice”I’m gonna get the papers, get the papers.” Or that the sons
were named Peter or Paul and their wives were all Marie. The three principal
characters here are Henry Hill(Ray Liotta), Jimmy Conway (Robert Deniro) and
Tommy Devito (Joe Pesci). They work under caporegime Paulie (Paul Sorvino).
Let’s begin with
Henry Hill and his ambition. “Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be a
gangster. It meant being somebody in a neighbourhood full of nobodys. It meant
belonging somewhere and being treated like a grownup.” The moment that line
falls on your ears, you believe it.
