Guide Note

Based on the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, Goodfellas is a 1990 American film about real life mobster turned FBI informant Henry Hill. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards and Joe Pesci received a "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar for his role as Hill's psychotic partner Tommy DeVito.

Stars Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci spent time with Hill to study for their film roles. According to Pesci, director Martin Scorcese encouraged the actors to improvise during rehearsals and then implemented successful ad-libs into the shooting script.

Fast Facts

1. USA Premiere: September 14, 1990
2. Director: Martin Scorcese
3. Co-starring: Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Frank Sivero and Debi Mazar
4. Screenwriters: Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorcese
5. Length: 146 minutes
6. Box office gross: $46.8 million
7. Budget: $25 million
8. Nominated for 5 Golden Globes

Starring Ray Liotta as Irish Italian-American Henry Hill, the story follows Hill's early days as an aspiring "wiseguy" through his rise to power within an influential mob family and subsequent decline.

1. "You know, we always called each other good fellas. Like you said to, uh, somebody, :You're gonna like this guy. He's all right. He's a good fella. He's one of us.: You understand? We were good fellas. Wiseguys."
2. "For us to live any other way was nuts. Uh, to us, those goody-good people who worked s****y jobs for bum paychecks and took the subway to work every day, and worried about their bills, were dead. I mean they were suckers. They had no balls. If we wanted something we just took it. If anyone complained twice they got hit so bad, believe me, they never complained again."