MikeH

28th Apr 2020

Goodfellas (1990)

Question: Would Karen have died if she went into the store?

MikeH

Answer: The film leaves it ambiguous...it can be interpreted either way. She may have simply been being paranoid, but the circumstances, and Jimmy's behavior, were very suspicious.

28th Apr 2020

Goodfellas (1990)

Answer: Because he didn't want his operatives turning into junkies, getting compromised, and putting him in legal trouble...which is exactly what happens with Henry.

2nd Oct 2018

Goodfellas (1990)

Question: When Tommy was shot, Henry said they shot him in the face so his mother couldn't give him an open casket. Why would they care about that?

MikeH

Answer: Family, and respect for the family, is deeply ingrained in Mafia culture (and in Sicilian culture). Denying Tommy a funeral wherein his family can pay their last respects (the purpose of the open casket) shows the extent to which Tommy angered and alienated his bosses and cohorts.

22nd Mar 2018

Goodfellas (1990)

Question: Why did Jimmy tell Henry he wasn't going to kill Morrie, only to then have him killed?

MikeH

Answer: Well, for starters, I think Jimmy, despite being a complete sociopath cared a bit about Henry's mental state and well-being and just wanted him to calm down, enjoy his night and we can see it worked. Second, Jimmy might, just might at that moment feel like it wasn't the right night to kill Maurie since he was more of an annoying nuisance than a real threat, he was without being asked given the Chance to just forget the money and let it go, symbolizing Jimmy's murderous greed. Third...WHY should he tell Henry Hill that he will kill him? He benefits nothing, it puts him in a vulnerable position and Jimmy, more than likely has noticed Henry's tics, excessive sweat and bug eyes, pretty sure the guy is hooked on coke, meaning as Tommy jokingly but in nice foreshadow says "You may fold under questioning." Telling Henry he will spare Morrie becomes his Teflon armor at this point cause Henry at this point would never even suspect a good fella like Jimmy to lie to him "of all people" about something like that...That is my take on it anyway.

Answer: It wasn't so much that Jimmy decided to kill Morrie after all. Tommy was annoyed by Morrie and decided on the spot to kill him himself. It was Tommy who wanted Morrie dead at that moment.

1st Jan 2017

Goodfellas (1990)

Chosen answer: Most probably due to mass corruption within the prison. Guards on the mafia payroll would let them wear their own clothes in the same way they didn't eat the prison food but got to have their own superior food brought in.

The_Iceman

2nd May 2016

Goodfellas (1990)

Chosen answer: Tommy doesn't actually shoot him...he's viciously pistol-whipping him and at the end of the beating does aim the gun at Billy's mouth and say he's going to shoot him, but Jimmy, pulling him off, says "We're done." Tommy then winds up and gives Billy a final whack, so hard the chamber dislodges and the bullets spray out. The noise that sounds like a gunshot is the chamber slamming into the hardwood floor.

2nd Feb 2015

Goodfellas (1990)

Question: When Jimmy and Henry torture the man into giving them money for a gambling dept he owes to Paulie, we then find out he had a sister who was an FBI informant. Henry says "She gave up everyone. Jimmy, me, even her brother." What did her brother do that was illegal? I thought he was just the victim.

MikeH

Chosen answer: Gambling, especially with a mobster bookie was and is still illegal in the US.

9th Jan 2015

Goodfellas (1990)

Question: Why does Henry ask the taxi driver to take him to jail? Aren't the police supposed to take you immediately after the sentencing hearing? Why could he make his own way to jail when he wanted, and why didn't he just run away?

MikeH

Chosen answer: Convicted criminals aren't always taken immediately to prison upon their sentencing, especially when they're free on bail pending their trial and sentencing hearings. As is often the case in such instances, he was probably given a short time (usually a week) to get his affairs in order before reporting for his incarceration voluntarily; had he not reported on time, police would have been sent to procure him.

zendaddy621

Answer: He didn't mean to take him directly to prison, he meant to be taken to the court house or police station to be taken into official custody.

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