The Godfather is widely considered the greatest gangster film ever made, but there is another mob movie which many argue is even better than Francis Ford Coppola’s classics
Ask a hundred film fans to name the greatest gangster movie of all time, and a sizeable chunk will likely plump for The Godfather (with many more probably opting for The Godfather Part Two). However, there’s a rival mob movie that many consider to be the better of the two, released around 20 years after Francis Ford Coppola’s classics, which starred Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Robert Duvall.
This 1990s film is packed with some of cinema’s most iconic moments, courtesy of a talented cast including Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, Paul Sorvino, and Lorraine Bracco. Standout performances also come from Michael Imperioli and Tony Sirico (who later shot to global fame in The Sopranos) and Samuel L. Jackson before his breakthrough role in Pulp Fiction.
The film even features real-life figures like Louis Eppolito, a former NYPD officer with mafia ties who died behind bars.
For those still scratching their heads, the film in question is, of course, the Michael Scorsese masterpiece Goodfellas, which boasts an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.7 score on IMDB, as well as a slew of glowing reviews.
Goodfellas explores the lives of Italian-American mobsters in the 1970s and 80s New York, focusing on Henry Hill, a mobster turned informant whose true story inspired the film. It opens with his unforgettable words: “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.”
The real-life Henry Hill’s story is one of transformation, from a major player in organised crime to entering the Witness Protection Programme after turning informant for the FBI, only to be kicked out for blowing his cover and continuing his life of crime, reports the Express.
Goodfellas, with its gritty depiction of Hill’s connections to mobsters like James Burke (portrayed as Jimmy Conway by Robert De Niro in the film) and Thomas DeSimone (played by Joe Pesci), offers a raw look into the heart of New York’s organised crime scene, dominated by the notorious “five families”.
Although it didn’t snag the Oscar for Best Picture, which went to Dances With Wolves, Scorsese’s Goodfellas is hailed as a cinematic masterpiece over three decades after its release, with many describing it as “unparalleled” and “unforgettable”.
“Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas is both a wildly entertaining gangster movie and a sobering cautionary tale warning against a life of crime,” notes Ben Sherlock of Screen Rant. David Denby from New York magazine calls it “the greatest film ever made about the sensual and monetary lure of crime, and the whole perversely brilliant movie comes into focus in a single, staggering shot”.
Hal Lipper of the Tampa Bay Times praises it as “an unparalleled achievement, the most chilling and savagely droll account of mob life ever recorded on film”.
But how does Goodfellas measure up against The Godfather?
On review platforms Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB, The Godfather narrowly takes the lead with scores of 97% and 9.2/10, respectively, indicating that both films are widely regarded as cinematic masterpieces.
However, in an article for The Independent in 2020, marking the 30th anniversary of Goodfellas, Ed Power argued that it was “a masterpiece” and “still the greatest gangster movie ever made.” His reasoning is particularly noteworthy.
Pointing to the film’s record-breaking use of profanity (over 300 instances), Power observes that “it is also uproarious to watch and often hilarious”.
“This is arguably why it eclipses The Godfather Parts One and Two and Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America,” he argues.
Power describes these films as significant, solemn gangster epics, steeped in their own sombre grandeur. In contrast, Goodfellas is portrayed as a wild and entertaining ride, full of comedic genius.
From Morrie Kessler’s outrageous wig adverts to the mob’s frustration with Henry’s marital problems, and Hill’s drug-fueled paranoia towards the end, Scorsese’s approach to drawing viewers into this dark world was through humour and surreal moments.
Power notes that the film “took all sorts of risks”. During early screenings, some audience members were so shocked by the opening scene, where Tommy stabs Billy Batts as he lies in the boot of the car, that they walked out.
Director Martin Scorsese did concede to reduce the number of stabs inflicted on Batts before the film’s general release. Despite being up for six Oscar nods, Goodfellas only bagged one Academy Award, with Joe Pesci taking home the gong for best supporting actor.
Fans can catch Goodfellas on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play for £3.49, or stream it with a Now premium subscription.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
