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Why did Scorsese choose "Wiseguy” of all mafia stories?

posted 6 years ago by MovieBuff224 (5053)
11 replies | jump to latest

I’ve read that when Scorsese came across the book “Wiseguy” by crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi on which Goodfellas is based, he immediately called him and said “I’ve been waiting for this book my whole life” to which Pileggi replied “I’ve been waiting for this phone call my whole life!”

Funny story but what about Wiseguy appealed to Scorsese so much? It’s an interesting story but aren’t there dozens of more interesting mafia stories? None of the main characters are even actual mafia members, nor were they even very well known. There is a lot of gritty street stuff that leaves the film feeling not very mafia related.

[–] AlfredTheGreat (471) 6 years ago

Henry Hill was a different kind of bird in wanting to open up about the life. I can't imagine there were any other stories to work with. These guys are up to their necks in murder and they do not want to tell anybody anything that might be considered a confession. Further, most believe that they are going to be in the life for a long time so they don't want to make any more enemies than they already have. A fair number have other family involved so the pressure multiplies if you care about not wanting your family reprised against. How do you get more mafia related than Goodfellas? I'd like to know.

[–] MovieBuff224 (5053) 6 years ago

Yeah that’s a good point, although I guess they could write a fictitious mafia story that involves real life or even made up characters? The beginning hour felt very mafia like, but the film’s final act felt like a drug movie. I guess they all got into drugs in the later years (80s-90s) and Scorsese likely deliberately chose this story to show the extreme dichotomy in the transition of old school mafiosos to the new age and decline of the mafia in America.

I suppose a better question would be how did Henry Hill not get whacked?

[–] db20db (17235) 6 years ago

I watched an interview with Henry Hill once where he concluded the drugs had been the bane of his life. He was eventually thrown out of the Witness Protection Program because he couldn't resist using and then also dealing again.

In the same interview, he talked about Scorsese paying him a surprise visit in his limousine, on his way to the Oscars where Goodfellas had several nominations.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

The Irishman should be good.

[–] db20db (17235) 6 years ago

Yes, that looks like a must watch for me.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

The Irishman and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood are about the only movies I am interested in for this year. I am not a Star Wars guy.

[–] db20db (17235) 6 years ago

When I first saw that, I confused it with Kill the Irishman, which I've seen and liked. I'm also interested in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I haven't seen a Star Wars movie since the first one.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Same here on the Star Wars front. I was one and done. I don't get its ongoing appeal.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77378) 6 years ago

Oh yeah!
Looks solid

[–] ShogunofYonkers (77378) 6 years ago

It was really great drama
Mob stuff, romance addiction, betrayal...the period sets and props really drove it all home
Good looking movie

I'd like to see the Roy Demeo story told in full (they covered the basics in the Iceman 2012)

[–] db20db (17235) 6 years ago

I once binge watched this very interesting series: https://moviechat.org/tt3311486 It was in one of the episodes that I saw the Henry Hill interview.