Goodfellas (screenplay) - Softcover

Martin Scorsese; Nicholas Pileggi

Softcover

ISBN 10: 057120404X ISBN 13: 9780571204045

Publisher: Faber & Faber, 2000

Synopsis

"As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster."\n\nHenry Hill grew up in the midst of New York City's criminal underworld, finally achieving the coveted status of "wiseguy." But in 1980, he made the decision to exchange his knowledge for a new identity. GoodFellas, Hill's own account of crude hierarchies, casual murders, and collaboration with the Feds (as a member of the Witness Protection Program) was adapted for the screen by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi--and is now seen as a contemporary classic. The film drew rave reviews everywhere upon its theatrical release in 1990, and was nominated for Oscars in both the Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay categories. \n\nThis book also offers an introduction by David Thompson, the noted film critic and co-editor of Scorsese on Scorsese.

About this title

Review:

Welcome to the world of New York organised crime; of heists, extortion, family, gambling, molls and casual violence. This is the book that inspired the film, written by Nicholas Pileggi in 1985 and originally entitled Wiseguy. Martin Scorsese read it, contacted Pileggi who apparently "had been waiting for this phone call all my life", and between them they wrote the screenplay for the hugely popular 1990 movie. The resulting blend of snappy dialogue, snappier editing and superb ensemble acting tended to overshadow Scorsese's dubious ambivalence towards violence, but the audience was blown away more spectacularly than one of Tommy De Vito's victims.

Pileggi's book was written with Henry Hill, whose life it describes. The narrative switches between Pileggi, Hill, and Hill's wife Karen, all delivered with the smooth action of a well-polished Magnum. It proves utterly compelling, breathlessly serving up an action-fuelled life of criminal excess with Henry starting as an aspirant 12-year-old errand runner ("To be a wiseguy was better than being president of the United States. To be a wiseguy was to own the world"), and progressing to such a status within the Mob that when he is finally nailed he turns Federal witness to implicate his former cronies, a move that represents his only chance to save his family's necks. The irony for Hill is that his fictionalised life story has been seen by millions, but he cannot tell anyone without jeopardising his new identity, which means he gets "to live the rest of my life as a shnook". As a source the book runs very close to the film, and someone who know the film will find it hard not to picture Scorseses's stylised realisation as they read, while those who don't will discover a grittily related, authentically grim amorality tale of a life shot through with brutality and survivalist scheming that stands on its own without the Big Screen treatment. Surprisingly bleak. --David Vincent

Review:

'Absolutely engrossing' New York Times 'The best book ever written on organised crime' Cosmopolitan 'A riveting account of organised crime as a way of life ... extraordinary' Publishers Weekly 'This book chronicles Hill's criminal successes ... smuggling, hijacking, union racketeering, credit card fraud, robbery, bribery, drug dealing, prison, marriage, and assorted girlfriends ... faithfully portrayed' Library Journal

About this edition

• Publisher: Faber & Faber
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 057120404X
• ISBN 13: 9780571204045
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 137