Comparing Goodfellas And The Wolf Of Wall Street

Martin Scorsese is a well-celebrated director best known for his compelling narratives and distinctive style. Themes of class aspiration, greed, and masculinity are a common thread that can be traced throughout Scorcese’s body of work. The films “Goodfellas” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” explore variations of the same themes. In both films, Martin Scorsese explores how crime can be used as a tool for class mobility by employing similar narrative structures and stylistic directions. While “Goodfellas” and “The Wolf of Wall Street” share common themes, they each offer a unique exploration of the American Dream, reflecting Scorsese’s perspective on crime, ambition, and social mobility.

Martin Scorsese’s film career spans over fifty years. Born

Convinced by Michael Powell to make the film, Scorsese had originally sworn off gangster stories (Schickel). The film “Goodfellas” is set in the 1950s and 1980s and explores the world of organized crime. Scorsese himself stated, “I was hoping it was a documentary,” highlighting his intention to portray the reality of mob life (Casillo). The film begins with a young Henry Hill idolizing the Mafia’s presence in his working-class neighborhood. The film portrays this presence as a “yuppified manifestation” of the mob, depicting one-family houses, driveways, lawns, and domesticity (Casillo). The plot revolves around Henry Hill and his two (unstable) friends, Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito. In a voiceover, Henry says, “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. Being a gangster is better than being president of the United States. To me, it meant being somebody in a neighborhood of nobody. They weren’t like anyone else. They did whatever they wanted. . . Nobody ever called the cops.” (Goodfellas). Ray Liotta’s voice-over as Henry spells out his motivations. To Henry, the power and freedom associated with being a gangster outweigh even the highest positions in the country. Overall, this quote encapsulates the allure of gangster life and the respect that comes with it. His involvement with organized crime shapes his social and class status, providing him with a sense

The reception for “The Wolf of Wall Street” was mixed. While it was a box office success, quadrupling its $100 million budget and receiving five Oscar nominations, it was met with a lot of criticism. Jim Cullen argues that Scorsese tacitly endorses this “corrupt version of the American Dream”. He cites the scene where Jordan says, “This is Ellis Island, dear people. I don’t care who you are or where you’re from, whether your relatives came over on the fucking Mayflower or an inner tube from Haiti. Right here is the land of opportunity. Stratton Oakmont is “America.” and recalls giving a single mother five times the amount of money she asked for and the true gratitude she expressed. While that is true, her gratitude does not absolve Jordan of his fetishistic exploitation of people for money or of his literal crimes. In his first voiceover, Jordan taunts the audience with his possessions, real estate, and more. Money, sex, and power are shown in such grotesque excess that the audience very quickly loses any desire to join Jordan on his journey, but rather watches in awe the way one regards a car crash. A central theme in “The Wolf of Wall Street” is a critique of social mobility. Originally, Jordan is from a lower-middle-class background. Jordan's wrongdoings are not just permitted but glorified by a capitalist system (Moloney). Even when faced with incarceration, his wealth