☆★☆★☆★☆★
Roger Ebert’s four-star, best-of-1990 review is discussed, including his claim that no finer organized-crime film had been made and his praise of Scorsese at his peak.
In the discussion (3)
- Ebert gave Goodfellas four stars and named it his best film of 1990.
- Ebert wrote that no finer film about organized crime had been made, including The Godfather.
- He described Scorsese as America’s finest filmmaker at the peak of his form.
De Niro’s choice of Jimmy, Malkovich and William Petersen alternatives, Liotta and Sean Penn possibilities, Sorvino’s self-discovery, and Cruise/Madonna rumors are discussed.
In the discussion (6)
- De Niro was offered Jimmy or Tommy, chose Jimmy, and his commitment secured financing.
- John Malkovich and William Petersen are discussed as reported Jimmy alternatives.
- Liotta’s Something Wild work helped establish him for Henry, and he reportedly turned down Harvey Dent in Batman.
- Sean Penn is discussed as a possible Henry.
- Paul Sorvino reportedly considered leaving until he saw a frightening expression in the mirror and found Paulie.
- Tom Cruise and Madonna are discussed as reported alternate star casting, though the panel questions how real the offers were.
Linda Fiorentino is selected as a stronger Janice or gumar option, over Annabella Sciorra.
In the discussion (2)
- Linda Fiorentino is proposed and selected.
- Annabella Sciorra is proposed as an alternative.
The research pass covers the Scorsese–Pileggi call, Henry Hill payment, a pistol-whip accident, filmmakers’ relationships, Imperioli’s injury, the painting, Oscar-winning killer roles, the closing shot, music planning, made-man rules, ratings edits, and profanity.
In the discussion (13)
- Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi’s reciprocal “waiting for this” phone-call lines are recounted.
- Henry Hill was reportedly paid $480,000.
- The actor pistol-whipped by Henry describes Liotta maintaining rage between takes and accidentally getting too close.
- Scorsese dating Illeana Douglas and Lorraine Bracco’s marriage to Harvey Keitel are discussed.
- Michael Imperioli broke glass in his hand, and hospital staff initially thought it was a gunshot wound.
- Scorsese predicted Imperioli would tell the injury story on Jay Leno, which he later did.
- Tommy’s mother’s painting was reportedly based on a 1977 National Geographic image.
- Five actors said to have won Oscars for portraying real-life killers are counted.
- Pesci shooting at the camera is connected to The Great Train Robbery and Henry always looking over his shoulder.
- The music editor said Scorsese planned songs years before shooting and included them in the script.
- A 2000 change to made-man ancestry rules is described.
- Scorsese reportedly removed ten frames of blood to secure an R rating.
- The movie is reported to contain 321 uses or derivatives of “fuck.”
Age mismatches, Sonny confronting Tommy publicly, absent strip clubs, prison meals, a mannequin-like assault victim, post-wedding housing, Billy Batts’s party, Lufthansa associates who fail to flee, Karen locating Henry, and payphones supply distinct nitpicks.
In the discussion (10)
- Liotta and Pesci are judged much too old for the early ages they portray.
- Sonny discussing the restaurant bill in front of Tommy’s friends is questioned.
- The absence of an obligatory strip-club scene is questioned.
- The elaborate prison meals are questioned but accepted as fun.
- The pistol-whipping victim stands like a mannequin.
- Henry and Karen living with her mother after receiving substantial wedding cash is questioned, then defended as living off-grid.
- Billy Batts’s sparsely attended party and friends leaving him with a rival crew are questioned; Jimmy may have kept him there and drunk.
- Lufthansa associates fail to flee despite participating in Jimmy’s other murders.
- How Karen knows Henry is at Morrie’s shop after Bruce assaults her is questioned.
- Mobsters repeatedly using the same supposedly untraceable payphone is questioned.
Liotta, Bracco, bodies, cocaine acting, and Jimmy’s plan for Karen anchor the questions.
In the discussion (5)
- Why did Ray Liotta’s career not produce more roles at this level?
- Why did Lorraine Bracco’s movie career not become larger?
- Did the smell of Billy Batts’s corpse ever leave Henry’s trunk?
- How much of Liotta’s cocaine performance was method or physical technique?
- Was Jimmy truly planning to kill Karen?
Roger Ebert's review