Goodfellas Quotes: The most iconic lines from one of the most iconic films.
The 1990 classic, Goodfellas ($11 via Amazon), is arguably one of Martin Scorsese’s most loved films. The gangster movie was adapted from the Nicholas Pileggi novel Wise Guy and followed the true story of Henry Hill and his mob friends.
This quintessential mob movie is a modern classic and featured an all-star cast including Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Ray Liotta.
But what are the most memorable scenes in this hit movie? Let’s revisit the mob classic and look at some of the most famous Goodfellas quotes.
Famous Goodfellas Quotes
The Goodfellas script was written by Pileggi and Scorsese. It is witty, fast-paced, and hard-hitting. At times it is observational, and at other times it makes profound statements. Here are the best quotes from Goodfellas.
“I Like Going This Way. It’s Better Than Waiting in Line.”
Henry skips the line at the Copacabana and takes Karen in through the kitchen. Once inside he has a table brought to him right in front of the stage.
“You’d Be Late For Your Own F**king Funeral”
We can all remember the iconic scene where Samual L. Jackson points the gun in the kid’s head in Pulp Fiction. Long before that, the tables were turned, and it was Jackson that was getting shot in the head in one of his early film roles in the movie Goodfellas.
“To Me, It Meant Being Somebody In A Neighborhood Full Of Nobodies”
One of the reasons that Goodfellas was such a hit was because the characters were relatable. They weren’t just evil mobsters who shot each other, they were normal guys. You learn to see why they found the lifestyle appealing and how they could become seduced by it.
“F*** You, Pay Me”
During a voiceover, Henry explains what it’s like having Paulia as a partner and talks about how his reaction to everything is just “f**k you, pay me.”
“I’m an Average Nobody. I Get to Live the Rest of My Life Like a Schnook”
In the final scenes of Goodfellas, it appears as though Henry gets away easy by ratting out everyone to the FBI, but his closing monologue lets us know that he is never fulfilled. He’s lost everything that he had and has to go and live trapped in suburban life, just like everyone else.
“Hey, Tommy, If I Was Gonna Break Your Balls, I’d Tell You to Go Home And Get Your Shine Box”
Tommy DeVitto, played by Joe Pesci is always at odds with everyone else, but especially with Billy Batts who loves to push his buttons.
NERD NOTE: According to Henry Hill, whose life was the basis for both the Wise Guy book and Goodfellas film, Joe Pesci‘s portrayal of Tommy DeSimone was 90-99% accurate. The only exception was the difference in size between Pesci and DeSimone. In real life, Tommy DeSimone was huge.
“Never Rat On Your Friends And Always Keep Your Mouth Shut”
One of the major themes of Goodfellas is respect and “not ratting on your friends.” As a kid, Henry is arrested, but he doesn’t rat. This makes the mob very proud of him. Of course, by the finale, he ends up selling out all of his friends to the FBI.
We Always Called Each Other Goodfellas
We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of famous Goodfellas quotes. Did we miss any of your favorite lines? Please let us know in the comments below.
And while you’re here, why not check out some of our other articles about classic movie quotes?
Frank Wilson is a retired teacher with over 30 years of combined experience in the education, small business technology, and real estate business. He now blogs as a hobby and spends most days tinkering with old computers. Wilson is passionate about tech, enjoys fishing, and loves drinking beer.
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