Synopsis

In 1950s Brooklyn, young Henry Hill is drawn to the glamour and power of organized crime. As he rises through the ranks alongside Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito, violence, addiction, and betrayal gradually destroy the life he once admired. When federal investigators close in, Henry must choose between loyalty to his criminal associates and survival through cooperation with the authorities.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is adapted from Nicholas Pileggi's nonfiction book Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family, which chronicles the real-life experiences of mob associate Henry Hill.

• The project was originally known as Wiseguy and later Wise Guys before becoming Goodfellas. The changes helped avoid confusion with the television series Wiseguy.

• The "How am I funny?" exchange was based on an incident from Joe Pesci's own life. It was kept out of the shooting script so the supporting performers' reactions would be spontaneous.

• Some real-life mobsters were reportedly hired as extras. Their presence helped give the nightclub, restaurant, and street scenes a more convincing atmosphere.

• Hill considered the film highly accurate, although he disputed certain physical details concerning Tommy DeVito, the character based on Tommy DeSimone.

• The film received six Academy Award nominations and won for Joe Pesci's supporting performance.

• In 2000, Goodfellas was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress National Film Registry for its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.

• The film became a major influence on later gangster movies and television, including The Sopranos. Several performers from Goodfellas later appeared in that series.