Analysis of a Cultural Work
For my project, I will be analyzing the cultural work “Goodfellas” created by Martin Scorsese. During the height of the American Mafia’s rise and fall, the mob captivated the public – television programs, movies, radio programs, etc. For an age without the internet, the American Mafia was a well-
known organization that was feared loved, and everything in between. The reason I chose this movie is because of my family’s ties to the Italian Mafia and American Mafia, dating back to when my father was living in Italy. The element of the movie that stands out most to me is the message delivered throughout
the film – the world is not black & white, and the mob is not an organization that stands for the regular people. Scorsese worked closely with Henry Hill in delivering the story as Hill had told it. Although many
former mobsters debate the authenticity of Hill’s claims, it is undeniable that the American Mafia is full of desperate people and conmen looking to take advantage of that desperation. The film explores many aspects of the “mob business”, from extortion to arson, it explores the scope of the damage and harm caused by the American Mafia. Scorsese is an Italian American with roots in Sicily and Campania (two regions known for their creation of the Italian Mafia). Scorsese has done many interviews over the years explaining how important Goodfellas was to him as an artist and a human being. He saw the mob in action during his childhood, which gave him a unique perspective on the brutality of the mafia. I believe he intended to create a movie showing the American Mafia's full scope. This meant no holding back. From the glamour to the mob hits. The elements of corruption, loyalty, betrayal, desperation, and love are explored. I believe that Scorsese wanted to show that the mob lifestyle was very uncomfortable and full of paranoia. We see this evolve over the movie through the main character, Henry Hill. I believe that Scorsese achieves this expression and will expand greatly on this in my project submission.
