Goodfellows and Casino are two of my favorites. And when Lorraine Braco shoves that gun down the front of her panties when they are being raided...very sexy!

I get that film = entertainment/art. I just don't understand the attraction to organized crime. Hollywood portrays gangsters as complex, charismatic guys, when in reality these guys are low life murderers. These are the folks that kill your family then go bezerk if someone talks about their mother... :rolleyes: IMO nothing attractive there. Gangster films I did enjoy include The Untouchables - mainly for the Sean Connery role, and Pulp Fiction cause it was really unique and the bad guys painted with a big dose of reality instead of the usual super hero stuff. You don't go out of that film saying man I want to be just like Jules...

My Dad went to school with "Jimmy Conway" and was friend's with his sister. As we share his real last name - my Dad was always thought to be related.

Years later, my Dad was partners with my Uncle in a bar in Queens in the '70s and the story goes it was one of very few places where we actually owned the jukebox. Even the bad guys thought we were related!;)


In my present neighbor hood we had a big FBI operation not long ago. The poor old guy they took down was a numbers runner, lived with his Mom and drove a 20 year old car. Not the "Don" you would think they be after..

The rollicking good time that is the gangster life is glorified by Hollywood and the public because we all have to take large doses of crap in real life. It's a fantasy to be able to dish it out, if only vicariously. David Chase with Sopranos did a brilliant job with Tony Soprano, making him sympathetic and likeable at one point, then showing his psychopathic rage the next. I like GF too, but it's a guilty pleasure. IMHO. A Bronx Tale is a good one, too.

Goodfellas was a pretty bleak film. Most everybody got killed or ended up in jail. The main character ends up in witness protection living what amounts to a hellish life for him.

Considering this, is it really fair to say that these movies GLAMORIZE the gangster life? GoodFellas and THE GODFATHER films play out like latter-day greek tragedies - tastes of success, followed by hubris, and finally, collapse.

I'm not saying that some people DON'T hero-worship the characters in gangster movies, only that it would seem that people are misunderstanding the point of the movies.

Too crazy near the end. The drugs, paranoia, etc.

I'd rather watch Glengary Glennross again.

People misunderestimate the point of lots of things.

I don't think they necessarily glamorize gangster life. If you run in the right circles it is a pretty good living. Until it all comes crashing down. Which it does.

Han Solo went around destroying countless expensive government vehicles, yet we lionize him as a hero. It just ain't right I tell ya...

Good Fellows GLAMORIZED the life...you gotta be kidding?

I really like Reservoir Dogs too but can't say that it ranks up there.