Goodfellasis widely regarded as one of Martin Scorsese’s best gangster movies, and it broke a very specific and fitting record in Scorsese’s career. Despite having explored a variety of genres in his movies, Martin Scorsese is best known for his gangster movies, and one of the most praised ones isGoodfellas. Based on the non-fiction bookWiseguy, by Nicholas Pileggi,Goodfellaschronicles the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill(Ray Liotta), from his days running errands for the crew of Paul Cicero (Paul Sorvino) to becoming an FBI informant.
In the middle of that, Henry Hill became very close to some notable names in the mob, such as Jimmy “The Gent” Conway (Robert De Niro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). Together they committed a variety of crimes, including the planning, execution, and deadly aftermath ofthe Lufthansa heistin 1978.Goodfellashas been praised for its story, direction, cast, and more, and is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made – and it also broke a lesser-known but very fitting record in Scorsese’s career thanks to one specific word.
Goodfellas Used The F-Word 300 Times
Goodfellas Wasn’t Afraid To Use Strong Language
Given the themes and topics inGoodfellas, it’s not surprising that there’s strong language in it. It’s even expected that a movie about the true story of a former mobster will use words that can be controversial and others that, even though they are commonly used, can be too much for some viewers. Scorsese and Pileggi had no problems with using the f-word as many times as they felt needed inGoodfellas, leading it tobreak the record of most f-words used in a Scorsese movie with 300.
At the time of writing,Goodfellasis #24 on the list of movies with the most f-words.
While it might seem excessive when seeing the number of times the f-word was used inGoodfellas, the truth is thatit makes sense within the story and it doesn’t seem like it’s used that many timeswhen watching the movies. Characters like Tommy DeVito, due to how impulsive and aggressive they are, had to use colorful language in almost every interaction they had, which also brings more realism tothe story of Henry Hilland company. Most used f-words might not be a career record many filmmakers would want, but it’s part of the essence of a gangster movie likeGoodfellas.
The Wolf Of Wall Street Now Has The Highest F-Word Count In Scorsese’s Career
23 Years Later, The Wolf Of Wall Street Went Higher Than Goodfellas
Goodfellas’ f-word record was broken five years later by another gangster movie inScorsese’s filmography. In 1995, Scorsese broughtCasino, based on the nonfiction bookCasino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, also written by Pileggi.Casinois the story of Sam “Ace” Rothstein (De Nito), a gambling expert handicapper asked by the Chicago Outfit to oversee the day-to-day casino and hotel operations at the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas.Casinowas a critical success, though it didn’t get as much praise asGoodfellas.
The Real Life Inspiration Behind Martin Scorsese’s Casino
Casino, like other gangster movies by Martin Scorsese, is based on real-life events and people, though with a couple of differences.
Casinohas a total of 422 f-words, and it held the record for the highest f-word count in Scorsese’s career for 18 years. The record was broken in 2013 byThe Wolf of Wall Street, based on Jordan Belfort’s 2007 memoir of the same name.The Wolf of Wall Streettells the story of Belfort and his career as a stockbroker in New York City, including the corruption and fraud committed by his firm on Wall Street.
The Wolf of Wall Streethas an f-word count of 569, giving it the #3 spot on the list of movies with the most use of this word. At the time of writing, the movie with the highest f-word count is the 2014 black comedySwearnet: The Movie, with 935, and it’s to be seen if there will be a movie that goes higher than that in an organic way.
Goodfellas
GoodFellas chronicles the life of Henry Hill, a young Brooklynite with half-Irish, half-Sicilian heritage, as he rises through the ranks of a Mafia family. As he navigates the criminal underworld, he is mentored by seasoned gangster Jimmy Conway amidst the backdrop of organized crime in New York.
