With the latest casino movie reviews, we also decided that one of the movies that influenced another casino film, Casino, deserved a full review, as it has been airing across various streaming channels lately. Below not only do we review the movie from the Filmzie perspective, we also give you two trailers and at the end there is a bonus review from one actual members of the crew the Goodfella’s movie was based on.
Martin Scorcese’s iconic movie was a masterpiece set in New York is all about organized crime in the City.
A Night on the Highway
The opening scene shows a car containing Robert De Niro who plays Jimmy Conway, Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito and Ray Liotta as Henry Hill, on a late-night drive on the highway. Henry is driving while the other two are sleeping. A sudden loud bang startles Henry so pulls over to check where that came from. They open the trunk only to find a badly beaten man wrapped in some blood-soaked tablecloths. Tommy angrily stabs the man, and Jimmy shoots him, and the trunk is slammed shut. This is the introduction to the gangland life that Henry always wanted.
Aspirations of a Young Gangster: Henry’s Early Days
During his childhood in Brooklyn, Henry admired the well-known gangster family, the Luchese’s, in the mainly Italian neighborhood. As soon as he left school he went to work for the family which gave him the taste of gangland life and set him on his future lifestyle and career. One of the local hoods, Paul Cicero and his colleague, Jimmy Conway both assisted to teach Henry the ropes. These early days saw Henry join forces with Tommy and began to make cash by selling cigarettes that Jimmy gave them, to workers at a local factory, along with some local police and a crossing guard. Two plain clothes cops catch them and confiscate the cigarettes. Henry is arrested and is given a warning at court after he takes the blame and keeps quiet on his colleagues. For his silence Henry is given a generous reward. His action guarantees him acceptance to the gang.
The Big Score: The JFK Airport Heist
When they reach adulthood, Henry and Tommy make plans, along with Conway, for a big robbery. They decide to target the JFK airport where huge amounts of cargo pass through worth billions. They have success when they steal more than five hundred thousand dollars from the Air France cargo terminal. This just increases more rust for Henry who earns a sizeable chunk of their illgotten gains. Henry and Jimmy realise they can never be fully accepted into the gang as they both have Irish blood.
Increasing Dangers: A Cycle of Violence
The gang become more daring and the crimes become more dangerous with truck hijacks and violence. One such incident sees Tommy makes fun of a young waiter, Spider, making him dance followed by shooting him in the foot. A little later Spider decides to stand up for himself, resulting in him being shot and killed by Tommy, which angers Jimmy.
Romantic Entanglements: Henry Meets Karen
Love rears its head when Henry falls for Karen, a young Jewish girl played by Lorraine Bracco. She is a very straight girl who won’t take any nonsense. When she understands what Henry does for a living she feels uneasy but in a strange way also finds it a turn-on. The pair decide to marry.
A Fatal Mistake: The Murder of Billy Batts
During 1970 Tommy and Jimmy commit a murder. They kill Billy Batts, played by Frank Vincent, who is a member of the Gambino family, another family who are part of the gangland fraternity. This murder was over a simple insult. The big concern here is that if the Gambinos find out it puts all their lives in danger. Henry, along with Conway and DeVito set off in a car to bury the body of Batts. This was the opening scene when they discovered that Batts was still alive in the car trunk. Once they finished him off they buried the body in an empty field. After six months they learn that this field has been sold. The only answer is to dig up the corpse and move it elsewhere.
Infidelity and Consequences: Henry’s Downward Spiral
Henry takes on a lover, Janice Rossi, which of course causes problems with his marriage, including Henry waking up to Karen pointing a gun at him. When Henry and Jimmy attack a Florida gambler who has a huge debt, and hang him from over a lion cage, they are caught and end up with a four-year jail sentence. Henry is forced to earn money by dealing in drugs. He wants to support his family so this is his only method in the jail. By the time of his release he has made a lucrative drug connection and wants to continue with the money-making deals. Cicero tries to warn him from getting involved in the drug deals as it could cause problems for the family but Henry is determined to continue with this lucrative business.
Expanding the Operation: A New Venture in 1978
Henry, along with his wife and new mistress, Tommy, and Jimmy, set up a big smuggling business in 1978. At the same time, Jimmy and his team were successful in another robbery at the JFL airport. This time, it was the Lufthansa terminal, and the proceeds were six million dollars.
No more poilers from here, but we will say things start to go wrong when some of the team start to flaunt their new wealth, resulting in some killings. Where will it all end?
An alternative Review from one of the actual Members of the Italian Mob
Aslo, below, take a look at one of the only lasting members of the mob from the Goodfellas original Italian mob! He talks about how he is mentioned in the film and about the accuracy of the film. Well, at least without revealing too much.
Why do we like this movie review so much? Well, Michael Franzese was a made man!