Masculinity In Goodfellas

GoodFellas: Maintaining Masculinity Martin Scorsese’s film GoodFellas (1990) not only provides an unparalleled glimpse into the gangster lifestyle of New York’s Italian mafia. Scorsese separates his classic gangster film from other works by following the character progression from teenagers to middle-aged men. The film constantly reinforces the image of masculinity from domestic affairs down the each character’s clothing. Each aspect of the gangsters’ lives centers around asserting their masculinity. Scorsese helps GoodFellas secure its place as a classic film without romanticizing the violence, but by using masculinity as the driving force behind each main character. Henry, one of the main characters, constantly narrates the film and helps provide a more intimate look into the lifestyles of the gangsters. Typically, gangster films focus on one main aspect of the main character’s lifestyle. Often it has to do with the violent aspect of the film, but Scorsese takes a step away with his focus on the day-to-day lifestyle of the mafia families. His emphasis on the personal lives is only reinforced by the real-life personas depicted on the
She immediately responds with “you look like a gangster” and Henry’s masculinity is threatened as he lets out a smile reminding the audience of his age. However, Scorsese reaffirms his masculinity immediately as the plot quickly advances to years in the future. The adult version of Henry is a spitting image of the adult gangsters from his youth. The gangster appearance from head to toe establishes his masculinity and admiration for his higher-ranked gangsters. The ever-present suits and polished shoes define their lifestyles, by dressing more masculine than their non-gangster counterparts. The lavish clothes appear to be a failed attempt to exert their sophistication, adding to their gangster