Movies The Godfather vs Goodfellas

[HHJ]

The scheme with Luca Brasi in the beginning of the movie never made much sense. Why did Vito think that would work?

I dunno but it made for a good scene hahah

 

[HHJ]

Love The Godfather though, and am not bored at all by its length and pacing.

 

[Sweater of AV]

The scheme with Luca Brasi in the beginning of the movie never made much sense. Why did Vito think that would work? Even under the best of scenarios Luca is portrayed in the film as pretty dumb, I never bought that he could have pulled that deception off.

At Connie's wedding? Which scheme are you talking about?

 

[blaseblase]

At Connie's wedding? Which scheme are you talking about?

I mean there's only scheme that Luca Brasi is involved in, because you know what happens. It seems very poorly thought out. Why would they have bought that his trusted enforcer would betray him? Also Brasi is portrayed as pretty stupid, how in the world would he be able to pull off an espionage mission?

 

[Elvis.]

Godfather is the better film but Goodfellas is more entertaining

 

[Sweater of AV]

I mean there's only scheme that Luca Brasi is involved in, because you know what happens. It seems very poorly thought out. Why would they have bought that his trusted enforcer would betray him? Also Brasi is portrayed as pretty stupid, how in the world would he be able to pull off an espionage mission?

Indeed there is but what does that have to do with his scene at Connie's wedding? Nothing was discussed. Brasi fumbles his speech (which was actually the actor messing up his lines because he was nervous), gives Vito some money, and leaves.

 

[blaseblase]

Indeed there is but what does that have to do with his scene at Connie's wedding? Nothing was discussed. Brasi fumbles his speech (which was actually the actor messing up his lines because he was nervous), gives Vito some money, and leaves.

The scene with him practicing his lines and then messing up his speech shows he isn't very intelligent or socially adept. How would he have been able to pull off an espionage mission?

 

[SirRealKiller]

Growing up with a dad that was half Irish , half Sicilian and on Sicilian on my Mom's side Goodfellas was more interesting to me as my Dad was wrapped up in shit like Henry Hill was too just more in the Midwest. He was associated with the local boys but not a made man due heritage from what I understand. Grandpa on Mom's side was also associated but not actually in the mafia, he was a manager of a local club and restaurant that they frequented and grandpa sorta acted like a fence and eyes/ears guy. This is how my Mom & Dad met , Dad was a money collector and of course was around the club all the time and my Mom worked at the club. Grandpa was not happy about the situation, there was an incident where Grandpa threw my Dad off the front porch and kicked him into the street....lol.

Dad ended up spending most of his life in prison.

 

[Sweater of AV]

The scene with him practicing his lines and then messing up his speech shows he isn't very intelligent or socially adept. How would he have been able to pull off an espionage mission?

He's not particularly bright but he was supposed to be nervous. He holds Vito in the highest regard. The assignment didn't require a ton of intelligence. The main issue was everyone was aware of his loyalty to Vito.

 

[LEWIS540]

I mean there's only scheme that Luca Brasi is involved in, because you know what happens. It seems very poorly thought out. Why would they have bought that his trusted enforcer would betray him? Also Brasi is portrayed as pretty stupid, how in the world would he be able to pull off an espionage mission?

Have you seen how much backstabbing there is between these scumbags in real life.

Turning on your boss is basically a prerequisite, for these “men of honour”.

 

[moreorless87]

I feel what it was meant to show was Vito had underestimated by ruthless the people he was facing were, how the money from drugs shifted the mafia from something which could exist in a somewhat peaceful fashion to gangs at constant war with each other.

In the kind of enviroment before that probably the risk would have been they just reject Brasi as a member if they think he's a double agent and perhaps even acceptt you will get a few of those but you don't go around killing higher level mobsters because tis bad for business.

 

[SirRealKiller]

Have you seen how much backstabbing there is between these scumbags in real life.

Turning on your boss is basically a prerequisite, for these “men of honour”.

Yes, there is honor among them but the most ambitious guys are willing to put that aside to advance. Many more guys like that ended up tide to a cinder blocks than got one over on the Boss. But there are also several cases where the lower level guy got enough people to follow him to pull off the hostile takeover. Almost none of the bosses got there in a 100% honorable way. Some unsavory things have to happen. But there have also been bosses that took the role completely on the up and up.

 

[LEWIS540]

Yes, there is honor among them but the most ambitious guys are willing to put that aside to advance. Many more guys like that ended up tide to a cinder blocks than got one over on the Boss. But there are also several cases where the lower level guy got enough people to follow him to pull off the hostile takeover. Almost none of the bosses got there in a 100% honorable way. Some unsavory things have to happen. But there have also been bosses that took the role completely on the up and up.

If you go down the rabbit hole, at least 50% of these guys don’t die of natural causes surrounded by their loved ones.

The whole Omertà thing is obviously bollocks.

 

[jeff7b9]

Team Goodfellas here.

I have to be in a certain mood to watch 70s cinema, the pacing is very very slow relative to more current material. That artistic feel can be nice, relaxing and immersive but for me requires a certain state of mind.

Goodfellow is more versatile, has more comic relief and I prefer the classic rock soundtrack to the more classical string based score of Godfather.
Just personal preference there.

 

[SirRealKiller]

If you go down the rabbit hole, at least 50% of these guys don’t die of natural causes surrounded by their loved ones.

The whole Omertà thing is obviously bollocks.

Well There have been 15 Bonnano bosses, only two were murdered. 16 columbo Bosses, one murdered. 15 Gambino bosses 6 killed. Genovese 20 bosses , 3 Killed. Lucchese 15 bosses 2 killed.

The bosses were relatively safe unless you were Gambino. Underlings tended to have a shorter shelf life between getting out of line and dealing with other families and gangs.

 

[LEWIS540]

Well There have been 15 Bonnano bosses, only two were murdered. 16 columbo Bosses, one murdered. 15 Gambino bosses 6 killed. Genovese 20 bosses , 3 Killed. Lucchese 15 bosses 2 killed.

The bosses were relatively safe unless you were Gambino. Underlings tended to have a shorter shelf life between getting out of line and dealing with other families and gangs.

Yeah, not necessarily talking about the bosses.

How many ended up in prison in their latter years too??

 

[SirRealKiller]

Yeah, not necessarily talking about the bosses.

How many ended up in prison in their latter years too??

Most of them. Probably 70% went to prison long enough to step down as boss.

 

[LEWIS540]

Most of them. Probably 70% went to prison long enough to step down as boss.

Yikes. Even higher than I’d of thought.

 

[blaseblase]

He's not particularly bright but he was supposed to be nervous. He holds Vito in the highest regard. The assignment didn't require a ton of intelligence. The main issue was everyone was aware of his loyalty to Vito.

Lol at didn't require intelligence. Dude was a big brute who wasn't really good for anything other than intimidation or killing people. But he's supposed to infiltrate another family and secretly spy on them. I don't buy that at all or that there weren't far better people equipped for the job instead of Vito's personal enforcer. That would be a job for both a smarter and more expendable henchman.

 

[Sweater of AV]

Lol at didn't require intelligence. Dude was a big brute who wasn't really good for anything other than intimidation or killing people. But he's supposed to infiltrate another family and secretly spy on them. I don't buy that at all or that there weren't far better people equipped for the job instead of Vito's personal enforcer. That would be a job for both a smarter and more expendable henchman.

Lol at not even knowing what his relationship with Vito was and pretending that his intelligence is why it didn't work. The mistake was made by Vito, not him. The only correct thing you've written here is someone more expendable would have been a better choice, but even that would mostly be hindsight.