Plot
Follows the life of Henry Hill, from his youth in New York in the mid 1950’s, all the way to his adulthood in the early 1980’s – and the mobsters he meets and works with.
Direction/Cinematography
Directed by screen legend Martin Scorsese, with cinematography by Michael Ballhause.
Some fantastic use of long shots, as well as a terrific use of the “Vertigo” Dolly shot – where Jimmy and Henry are sitting in a diner booth, and the background slowly gets closer and closer… simply brilliant.
The film was written by Nicholas Pileggi, journalist and widower of Nora Ephron.
Cast/Characters
The late great Ray Liotta plays Henry, his maturity, delight, fear and even drug induced paranoia are all on display here, and all exceptionally done.
Robert DeNiro plays Jimmy Conway (based on the real life James Burke). He too plays his role exceptionally, with his calm demeanor at times, which turns on its head in a heartbeat into sheer terror when his anger is exposed.
It is however Joe Pesci’s role as Tommy Devito (based on the real life Tommy DeSimone) that makes the movie. He is simply frightening at times, and Pesci deserved his Oscar for his role. The scene in which he kills Spider is simply frightening how quickly these people could turn on each other.
Other cast include Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill (Henry’s long faithful and suffering wife), Paul Sorvino as Paulie Cicero the leader and made man of the crime family Hill belongs to).
Many of the cast of this film (Bracco, Frank Vincent, Tony Sirico, Michael Imeriolli, and a stack of others) would go on to appear in the Mobster based television show Sopranos nearly a decade later.
Breakdown
Told in a ‘mostly’ linear fashion, Henry Hill (Liotta) explains how his life as a ‘wannabe gangster’ started – working for a local mobster in the mean streets of New York. He becomes acquainted with the likes of Jimmy Conway, and Tommy DeVito – even having a first arrest before he’s even 20.
In 1963 he meets Karen, who despite reluctance at first marries him, and comes to be part of his lifestyle herself. Bracco herself becomes a second narrator throughout the rest of the film. I usually don’t like narration in film, but it worked in the context here, as it adds more to both sides of the characters stories.
The next decade or so Henry and Karen go through a series of drama, as Henry’s “mistress” occupies more of his time than his wife does (I actually did not like how Karen turned so suddenly and the arc where she goes berserk at both Henry and his mistress… it just felt out of place and happens too quickly, then is barely discussed again?)
Henry also has drama in his ‘other family’ (hiding the body that the trio were carrying – which is a continuation of a scene from the beginning of the film), as well as a jail stint following his arrest.
Henry is never seen to be as dark as those around him; Tommy and Jimmy are both more intimidating and frightening, killing at random (the person they are carrying in the beginning of the film, where we see who they kill – leading to Tommy’s own demise), and Jimmy taking ‘care’ of everyone who worked in the Lufthansa vault job.
The final arc, in which Jimmy seemingly turns on Henry and Karen (asking Henry to go interstate to do a hit for him, and trying to send Karen to an off road shop to buy some clothes) – cements Henry’s decision to go against the family and become an informant (this would lead to the arrest of both Jimmy and Paulie), and leave Henry in a boring average life in witness protection.
Even within all the ‘horror’ there is a moment of sweetness, where Tommy brings Henry and Jimmy to his mothers house, and she welcomes them and cooks them food. The beauty of this is Tommy’s mother is played by Scorsese’s real life mother Catherine (RIP).
Despite the many uses of one four letter word starting with ‘f’ – this doesn’t even sit in the top 15 films of the most usage
Overall
Simply brilliant film from legendary director Scorsese. This is the film that is likely studied and admired for its portrayal of the world of organised crime.
From the cast (Liotta, DeNiro, Pesci and Bracco), to the camera work, this is shear perfection.
Deserves its top marks
5/5
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