Martin Scorsese’sGoodfellaswas one of several films that ultimately revitalized the gangster genre and is considered to be one of the greatest modern gangster films of all time. Based on the 1985 book,Wiseguy, byNicholas Pileggi,Goodfellastells the story of real-life mafia associate, Henry Hill, played byRay Liotta, who narrates his life starting as a teenager and his early days in life,highlighting his success and wealth which all the way up to his inevitable downfall.
Goodfellaswas an overall hit and went on to receive several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Today,Goodfellasis recognized for its iconic quotes, Scorsese’s masterful direction, and an array of memorable characters such as the old-school capo, Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino) and the smooth-talking Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro). From the minor but unforgettable Tony Stacks (Tony Sirico) to the hot-headed Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), these are the ten best characters inGoodfellas, ranked.
Goodfellas
The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.
10Tony Stacks
Played by Tony Sirico
While the character of Tony Stacks is among the more minor background characters inGoodfellas,it’s hard not to include him on the list, mainly because he’s played byThe Sopranos’star and former wiseguy, Tony Sirico. The character’s most memorable moment in the movie is early on when a young Henry gets into trouble with his father after he discovers that his son has been skipping school.
Stacks is the ideal mafioso who doesn’t have time for any excuses or questions…
When Henry tells Tuddy Cicero (Frank DiLeo) that he can’t work for him anymore, Tony Stacks and another associate have Henry point out his family’s mailman who Stacks approaches without hesitation and forces him to take a little ride with them to Tuddy’s. Stacks is the ideal mafioso who doesn’t have time for any excuses or questions, and, instead,skips the small talk and gets straight to the point with a little physical persuasion.
9Vito “Tuddy” Cicero
Played by Frank DiLeo
Tuddy Cicero is a high-ranking solider for the Lucchese family and the younger brother of Paulie Cicero, who also owns a cab stand and runs a local pizzeria, La Bella Vista.Henry is initially recruited by Tuddy as a valet and an associate of his, essentially bringing the teenager into the fold of this thing.
…Tuddy is the first guy to see Henry as a potentially promising addition to the crew.
Tuddy has a few signature moments (“You’re a real jerk. You wasted eight f***ing aprons on this guy!"), and Tuddy is the first guy to see Henry as a potentially promising addition to the crew. While Tuddy doesn’t have a ton of screen time,he’s still a monumental part of Hill’s story and is also the epitome of an old-school mobster, which earns him a place as one of the best characters in the movie.
Played by Michael Imperioli
In one of his earlier film appearances,Michael Imperioliplays a young bartender, Spider, who serves the guys drinks during a card game. Spider may not be the most intimidating person, buthe does deserve a spot on the list for having the guts to finally take a stand against Tommy and his relentless ball-busting….even if it does cost him his life.
…Spider makes a bold but poor decision to snap back…
Not only does Spider take a senseless shot in the foot from Tommy, buthe returns to the next card game, trying to be the bigger person. Unfortunately, Tommy’s reckless behavior has gradually increased at this point and, as he continues to taunt the helpless bartender, Spider makes a bold but poor decision to snap back, resulting in one of the first nails in Tommy’s coffin.
7Mrs. DeVito
Played by Catherine Scorsese
Martin Scorsese’s mother,Catherine Scorsese, plays Tommy’s mother and is the epitome of an Italian mother and gracious host. When Tommy, Jimmy, and Henry accidentally wake Mrs. DeVito in the middle of the night, she is anything but upset and instead offers to make the boys some food. Between the character’s oblivion to what her son is up to and her genuine good nature,Mrs. DeVito is one of the most lovable and innocent characters in the movie, rightfully earning her a place on the list.
Catherine Scorsese’s scene with Pesci, Liotta, and De Niro is among the film’s best…
Mrs. DeVito’s warmth and endearing charm lighten the overall intensity of the situationthat transpired prior to Tommy’s unexpected visit, providing audiences with a moment to breath and absorb the brutality of the previous scenes. Catherine Scorsese’s scene with Pesci, Liotta, and De Niro is among the film’s best, as it is entirely improvised and is a wholesome display of Italian culture and family values.
6Billy Batts
Played by Frank Vincent
Billy Batts (Frank Vincent) is another character who audiences briefly meet but still manages to leave a lasting impression on them.Batts is a member of the Gambino familywho arrives at the bar owned by Henry to celebrate his recent release from jail after doing time for trafficking narcotics. Batts notices Tommy at the bar, which leads to constant taunting by the made guy, who famously tells Tommy to go home and get his shine box.
Batts is the first character to give Tommy a dose of his own medicine…
Batts is the first character to give Tommy a dose of his own medicine, and, while he does cross the line a bit, that’s no excuse for Tommy’s decision to clip him. Even though Batts time is short-lived,his humorous interaction with Tommy and ripping into him is a pivotal moment in the movie, which is what makes him one of the best and vital characters inthis essential Scorsese movie.
5Karen Hill
Played by Lorraine Bracco
Lorraine Braccostars as Henry’s wife, Karen, who is initially the ideal mother and wife until she grows tired of her husband’s late hours and constant affairs with other women. Karen is originally presented as a shy, submissive woman, but after Henry stands her up on their first date,she reveals her true fiery colors by confronting the wiseguy and ruthlessly tears into him in front of his friends, deeming her to be one of the top characters in the movie.
While she knew what she was marrying into, Karen could have left Henry and taken off with the girls…
Even though Karen has a few moments of madness, it’s hard for anyone to really blame her for being pushed so close to the edge. While she knew what she was marrying into, Karen could have left Henry and taken off with the girls; but even after the affairs and jail time,Karen eventually makes the ultimate sacrifice for her husband and agrees to go into witness protection, cutting herself off from her entire family and friends. If that isn’t loyalty, what is?
4Henry Hill
Played by Ray Liotta
Audiences typically have mixed emotions about Henry Hill, mainly surrounding his actions of flipping on his associates to save his own skin, butLiotta’s execution of the character is Henry’s saving grace. Henry has an undeniable sense of charisma and ambition that escalates his reputation and standing with the family. Unfortunately, Tommy and Jimmy’s influence ends up being the initial fuel to Henry’s downfall, leading him to the profitable but dangerous business of drugs.
Henry has an undeniable sense of charisma and ambition that escalates his reputation and standing with the family.
Unlike Tommy and Jimmy, Henry does have a bit of a moral compass and tries his best not to rock the boat, which are among his few positive qualities. While Henry ends up committing the greatest sin at the end and betrays those closest to him,he is the most complex and intriguing character in the movieand essentially represents the classic movie gangster who learns the hard way that crime never pays.
3Paulie Cicero
Played by Paul Sorvino
Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino) isone of thebest mob bosses in any gangster movieand a well-respected capo in the Lucchese family who isa father-like figure to Henry and tries his best to guide him in the right direction. Similar to other old-school mobsters from the older generation, Paulie is content with his finances and business ventures and rarely pushes his luck. Even though Paulie does spend some time in the can, it’s not exactly hard time, but Paulie would be more than willing to serve time in the general population than rat on anyone or become an informant to save his ass.
…Paulie is content with his finances and business ventures and rarely pushes his luck.
Paulie’s only fatal flaw is caring too much about Henry, who eventually flips on him, which is devastating since Paulie was the only one who was willing to help Henry at the time. Aside from having too much trust and hope in Henry,Paulie is a stand-up guy who, yes, is a mobster, but he strives to keep the peace and avoid any violence or bloodshed, which makes him a one-of-a-kind character.
2Jimmy “The Gent” Conway
Played by Robert De Niro
Jimmy “The Gent” Conway (Robert De Niro) is based on Lucchese family associate, James Burke, and isone of several characters fromGoodfellaswho is based on a real-life mobster. Like Henry, Jimmy is an Irish-American, and, since he has no Italian blood, he can never be a made guy, but he’s still one of the family’s top earners and is as much respected as he is feared by those who make the mistake of crossing him.
…Jimmy has patience and self-control, knowing any unwanted attention is worse than having to cut back on spending until the coast is clear.
Jimmy is typically someone who plays his cards close to the chest and never lets others know what he’s thinking, which is what ultimately makes him a successful and strategic gangster. While he enjoys a big pay day as much as the next guy, Jimmy has patience and self-control, knowing any unwanted attention is worse than having to cut back on spending until the coast is clear. Despite not having his button,Jimmy is still an impressive gangster as well as a fascinating figure who is, without a doubt, one of the best characters inGoodfellas.
1Tommy DeVito
Played by Joe Pesci
Let’s face it, Tommy DeVito is the one character inGoodfellaswho audiences love to hate.Between his animated arrogance and being basically a psychopath, Tommy is always an unpredictable forcewho has a well-known reputation for excessive violence and blatant disregard of authority. Tommy has an uncertain and wicked sense of humor that can fill a room with laughter one minute and halt everyone to a dead silence the next for his own twisted amusement (“how am I funny?")
…Tommy DeVito is the one character inGoodfellaswho audiences love to hate.
Even though Tommy is a loose cannon who does everything a gangster shouldn’t do, he’s still the film’s main attraction and ranks as one of the most iconic characters in the gangster genre. Pesci’s performance is also regarded as one of the actor’s finest and earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Every character inGoodfellasbrings something to the gangster classic and,while Tommy isn’t the designated lead character, he ultimately steals the show, solidifying his place as the overall best character fromGoodfellas.
