While many directors have embraced the gangster genre as a means to tell stories of excess, danger, and criminality, few have managed to capture the allure and brutality of organized crime quite like Martin Scorsese. From early movies like Mean Streets to later works like The Departed and The Irishman, no one has examined the world of the Mafia and gangsters quite like him. He has spent decades exploring the criminal underworld, all while creating some of the most compelling characters, both real and fictional, in cinematic history. For all his success in the genre, it is perhaps his magnum opus, Goodfellas, that has had the most staying power, along with the crime genre’s greatest opening scene. More than three decades since it premiered, Goodfellas remains one of the best movies ever made, thanks in no small part to its incredible performances, unforgettable soundtrack, and Scorsese’s direction.
For all the movie’s iconic moments, nothing quite captures the brilliance of Goodfellas — and the gangster genre in general — like its opening scene. Movies like Francis Ford Coppola’s legendary The Godfather open by suggesting that organizations like the Mafia can help those pursuing justice, but Goodfellas doesn’t waste time establishing that; despite what they tell themselves, gangsters are out for themselves alone. In just 13 words, Scorsese establishes the thesis of his masterpiece, a line so unforgettable it is still quoted to this day and introduces audiences to a man whose fascination with organized crime will ultimately be his undoing.
‘Goodfellas’ Has One of the Greatest Opening Lines in Movie History
“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.”
Delivered in Ray Liotta‘s instantly recognizable voice, this line has become iconic and sets the stage for what is to come: a tale of ambition, greed, violence, betrayal, and what it means to succeed in America. Set in New York City from the 1950s through the 1980s, Goodfellas follows Henry Hill, portrayed by Liotta, as he navigates his rise and eventual fall as an associate of one of the city’s Mafia families. Along the way, he interacts with many mafiosos, but none are more important to his life than Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci).
As the film opens, Hill, Conway, and DeVito are roaring down a dark highway, when they hear noises from the trunk. When they pull over to investigate, the audience sees the source: a badly wounded gangster named Billy Batts, played by the late Frank Vincent. While the audience doesn’t quite understand the circumstances yet, what follows is a shocking display of violence, as Tommy stabs Billy before Jimmy finishes the job with a gunshot. As Henry closes the trunk, Liotta delivers the film’s unforgettable opening line as Tony Bennett’s “Rags to Riches” begins to play.
It’s a masterful introduction, immediately establishing the inherent disconnect between Henry’s romanticized view of organized crime and the horrifying reality of what it really is. The movie showcases this horrible act of violence and then immediately transports the audience back to Henry’s childhood, showing how he became the man he is today. He “always wanted to be a gangster” because the men he sees every day represent everything he wants from life: money, power, respect, and freedom from society’s laws. The opening quote isn’t merely an introduction to Henry’s story; it’s an explanation of the dangerous mythology that shapes his life. From the beginning to the end, Goodfellas establishes itself as a “rags to riches” story, but one that should be avoided rather than chased.
Henry Hill’s Opening Quote Ultimately Defines His Tragic Downfall
The brilliance of Goodfellas becomes even clearer when it’s revealed how Henry’s story ultimately concludes. After spending years trying to become a gangster, he is swallowed by the life, sees friends die, and is forced to turn his back on everything he knows. He betrays those closest to him and meekly enters the witness protection program, a fate deemed by most mobsters as the ultimate betrayal. The final narration reveals how deeply organized crime has shaped his worldview, and instead of expressing any remorse for what he’s done, he doubles down. His only regret is that he can no longer live the life of luxury he’s become accustomed to. His greatest punishment, to him, is being forced to live the life of an ordinary person.
“Today everything is different; there’s no action . . . have to wait around like everyone else. Can’t even get decent food — right after I got here, I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce, and I got egg noodles and ketchup. I’m an average nobody . . . get to live the rest of my life like a schnook,” Henry laments as the film ends.
It’s the perfect conclusion to the promise of the opening scene. Henry spends his entire life chasing an idealized version of organized crime, only to discover the lifestyle is unsustainable. Even after escaping the danger that threatens his life, he remains emotionally attached to the fantasy that nearly destroyed him.
More than 35 years after Goodfellas premiered, the opening scene and legendary opening quote remain one of the crime genre’s defining achievements. While The Godfather and other crime movies may present a more operatic portrayal of the Mafia, Scorsese’s masterpiece captures the reality of that life, and something more unsettling: the ease with which ordinary people can become enamored with a world built on violence and exploitation. Henry Hill’s opening declaration isn’t just a memorable line of dialogue; it is the essence of one of the greatest crime movies ever made, and a warning that its protagonist never understands.
- Release Date
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September 19, 1990
- Runtime
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145 minutes
