Goodfellas
Goodfellas is a 1990 American biographical gangster film directed by Martin Scorsese.
Goodfellas is a 1990 American biographical gangster film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on Henry Hill’s life and on Nicholas Pileggi’s nonfiction book *Wiseguy*, which recounts Hill’s experiences with the Lucchese crime family. In Canada, the film is widely shown, studied, and discussed as a major American crime film.
Background
*Goodfellas* adapts Nicholas Pileggi’s nonfiction account of Henry Hill’s life in organized crime. The film focuses on Hill’s involvement with the Lucchese crime family and his eventual decline.
Production
Martin Scorsese directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Pileggi. It was released in 1990 and became widely noted for its performances, editing, and depiction of mob life.
Cast and characters
Ray Liotta plays Henry Hill, with Robert De Niro as Jimmy Conway, Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito, Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill, and Paul Sorvino as Paulie Cicero. The ensemble cast is one of the film’s defining features.
Historical basis
The film draws on real people and events associated with Henry Hill and the Lufthansa heist. Some characters and details were dramatized, but the film is explicitly presented as being based on a true story.
Key facts
- The film is a gangster drama that follows the rise and fall of Henry Hill and his associates.
- It is based on a true story and on Pileggi’s nonfiction book *Wiseguy*.
- Martin Scorsese directed the film.
- Ray Liotta portrayed Henry Hill.
- The film is regarded as one of Scorsese’s best-known works.
*Goodfellas* is widely shown, studied, and discussed in Canada as a major American crime film and one of Martin Scorsese’s best-known works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Goodfellas based on a true story?
Who directed Goodfellas?
Who played Henry Hill in Goodfellas?
What is the Goodfellas cast?
How long is Goodfellas?
References
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/topic/GoodFellasSupports: Film identification, director, basis on Henry Hill and Wiseguy, running time, and principal cast.
- BBC — https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001gp09Supports: Director, writers, and cast including Ray Liotta as Henry Hill.
- Biography.com — https://www.biography.com/crime/real-goodfellas-lufthansa-heist-henry-hillSupports: Connection between Henry Hill, the Lufthansa heist, and the film's real-life basis.
- IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/plotsummary/Supports: Plot summary identifying Henry Hill as the central character and the film as based on a true story.