GOODFELLAS - Tommy's mysterious Mother - Film analysis by Rob Ager

The scene of Tommy's Mother is loaded with meanings and implications. Taken from Rob Ager's new 73 min video Greatest Screen Villains - Tommy in Goodfellas. The full video is available at www.collativele...
Written, edited and narrated by Rob Ager of Collative Learning.
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[@collativelearning]

Full 73 min analysis "Greatest Screen Villains: Tommy in Goodfellas" is now available on my site folks www.collativelearning.com/FILMS%20reviews%20BY%20ROB%20AGER.html (When leaving comments about the video you've just watched please post them separately, not as replies to this pinned comment. Thanks)

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

Isn't it Douglas who gets her face bitten by Dinero in Cape Fear?

[@NickolaiPetrovitch]

Are all thr materials on your site also available on the top tier of your patreon? It’s easier for me to keep track of that way with all the sites I have to keep track of, I just resubbed my patreon this week. :) many thanks and much love to you across the pond, Rob! 🙏 Thank you for being such an influence on my passion for film throughout the years.

[@blackfoxx86]

I just bought this video along with the other Goodfellas videos and the Scarface analysis videos. You have a very intriguing way of analyzing videos that I rarely seen on KZbin. Thanks for the content and I'm sure I will not regret purchasing these videos.

[@Zihannya]

Traditionally, Italian mothers treat the sons like princes. She is wonderful in the role, very authentic.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

Often said of Jewish mothers, although they are also often ambitious for their offspring as well. The opening scene of "Citizen Cohn" (1992) has the mother of Roy Cohn, a real-life lawyer and fixer, spoiling him in a restaurant and encouraging his rudeness. His father, a judge, is present and has some good instincts but is dominated by his wife, who says of her son that the world will remember her boy. Cohn has some resemblances to Tommy but also numerous differences as well.

[@cfelton2051]

In Italy, it is still common for single adult men to live with their mothers. They are called mammoni (mamma's boys). It's a cultural stereotype that is actually true in many cases that Italian mothers dote on their sons and keep that mommy relationship going as long as they can. (My cousin in Italy was in his 40s when I visited and he lived in his own place but came home for home-cooked pasta every day for lunch at his 80-year-old mom's house.) As for cooking, it's how Italians show love. When I see The Godfather or Goodfellas, the meal scenes are almost identical to what I remember as a kid. Scorsese and Coppola know from experience and were great a juxtaposing the family dinner table (women's domain) against the repugnant violence that happens outside in the men's world. To quote Connie Corleone, "Pappa never talked business at the table."

[@josephadorno92]

I remember an article in TV Guide that featured an interview with 2 men claiming to be real-life members of the Mafia; they hated how Tony's mother in "The Sopranos" orchestrated a hit on Tony, on the basis that, "Italian mothers love their sons!"

[@mariahyohannes]

@@cfelton2051 Seems like emotional incest to me.

[@Uptheroyals80]

Incredible that scorseses mother has the most memorable character aside from the main 3 and paulie

[@Pdotta1]

She’s an Italian mother, she understands the life and is as much in it as he is. Different roles, but she gets it. When Tommy is saying goodbye in another scene when he’s going to “get made” she tells him to “be careful”.

[@adamjohnson58]

I always found it crazy that the old lady is actually Martin scorsese's mother in real life. In the movie she plays the mother of Tommy and they did the whole scene through improv so you can tell that acting runs in the family!

[@dewilew2137]

His mum was such a sweet, kind lady. I wish she could have lived forever.

[@THATGUY-ir4ie]

Is Father was the one that was on the opposite side of the guy who shot Tommy/ Joe Pesci.

[@sistergrimace1567]

This scene also gives emotional impact to Tommy's death. The first thing I thought when he got whacked was what it would do to his mom. I think a lot of people's minds went there, maybe subconsciously.

[@collativelearning]

Yeah I was thought that too. He was a nasty guy who deserved what he got and then some, but she didn't deserve that heartbreak.

[@ghoulinthegraveyard399]

Right before Tommy left his house his mother tells him to be careful as she seemed to sense something foreboding along with narration from Henry Hill, stating that "They shot Tommy in the face so his mother could not give him an open coffin at the funeral. I am sure that devastated her.

[@coinraker6497]

@@ghoulinthegraveyard399 I always thought that was a little odd. It's a big day for him where he's gonna be "made" and she tells him to be careful.🤔 Probably Scorcese's way of giving us a little foreshadowing of what was to come.

[@joeking6972]

I was too busy laughing. The little man had it coming and his mother is anything but innocent raising someone like that.

[@maratonlegendelenemirei3352]

@@ghoulinthegraveyard399 His killers would have been at the funeral 'keeping up appearances' and didn't want Tommy looking at them?

[@Michael_Gombos]

I always felt she knew, and simply couldn't be that daft, and not at that age. She knows he's a gangster, and making talk, because lying is less weird to them than no-one talking. She's playing along.

[@MovieGuy666]

her husband was probably in that life too.

[@tonyabrookes9931]

Agreed. She knows

[@LARathbone]

I agree completely. Always compared her to Mama Corleone - though obviously a less sophisticated version

[@charlesandrews2360]

@@MovieGuy666 Her father in law and brother in law were major LA gangsters. She married into a mob family and she was probably from a mob family herself. I think it's comical that some comments blame her for the way she raised him

[@dewilew2137]

She definitely knows. In the scene where he was going to get “made” it’s implied that she knows exactly what that means.

[@danbal4185]

Truly one of the greatest movie ever made, I will never get tired of it!

[@collativelearning]

Same here. Endless rewatch value. Always engaging.

[@coinraker6497]

Yup, one of those movies where every scene is pretty much a classic.

[@robertbusek30]

Regarding Jimmy and the ketchup: no self-respecting Italian would put ketchup on Italian food (as Henry implies at the end of the film). Jimmy's use of ketchup in an Italian home emphasizes his "outsider" status as an Irishman. Indeed, it might be a way of subtly rebelling against the Italian-dominated mob structure.

[@starchores]

No. Tommy’s mom knew that Jimmy was Irish so she made him scrambled eggs and potatoes. That’s why he’s putting on the ketchup.

[@collativelearning]

Henry's ending narration, "I ordered some spaghetti with marinara sauce and I got egg noodles and ketchup". Jimmy would have been pleased lol.

[@davidsummer8631]

​@Matt THX De Niro was constantly phoning Henry Hill asking him questions about how did Jimmy do this and this and this

[@robertbusek30]

@@davidsummer8631 That makes sense given DeNiro’s method acting.

[@cfelton2051]

Really. I don't think anyone would be ALLOWED to put ketchup on pasta in our home! Better to have pb & j! EDIT: I actually don't think he's eating pasta. Looks more like scrambled eggs and potatoes (in which case, ketchup is A-OK).

[@TheBifalco]

I love The Last Supper picture behind Tommy. This truly is their last meal before everything changes. With Henry quiet, and to the side, like Judas. Excellent video, but must watch again being distracted by the food.

[@marksoberay2318]

Thats exactly what i was gonna comment...no coincidence

[@tannerwiles7843]

When henrys dad is beating him there is the last supper between henry and his father

[@Thespeedrap]

Interesting given Scorsese made a Jesus Christ movie Last Temptation and now wants to make another Jesus movie.

[@SC-ew2fc]

Always found her character so important as she kinda grounds Tommy. If all we saw was him we’d probably think of him as more caricature than human but She is like the opposite to him, this pure, innocent party. Definitely makes his whacking scene more of a shock, especially as we see his mum straighten out his collar and full of pride for him just seconds before. And Henry says “They shot Tommy in the face so his mother couldn’t even give him an open coffin.” Tommy is so tied to his mother in the film, you can’t help but feel for both of them! Even though Tommy is psycho, we all love our mums and our mums love us at the end of the day.

[@ikon8275]

Wow that's amazing I've never thought of that. And I'm sure Scorsese thought of that psychology. You're absolutely right, the scenes with his mother even though corny humanizes the character. Now I realize why I was so upset when I seen him get shot in the back of the head.

[@benadam7753]

In reality, Tommy's body was never found! In an interview Henry Hill said the rumor was Tommy's body was chopped up in a dog food factory!

[@Brooder85]

The joke as Tommy as an art gallery curator was incredibly hilarious. 🤣

[@collativelearning]

Seriously, I WOULD pay a high entry fee for that !!!

[@ghoulinthegraveyard399]

@@collativelearning I laughed so hard on that one, I always loved that line and to expand it would be really great.

[@edwardhannah8507]

"Picasso. Cubes!? What da f**k!"

[@tygerbyrn]

“Dali?! Oh sh*t! This guy smoked one too many. Ha!”

[@xairman565]

What do you figure the odds are he would swap his mothers Mona Lisa for the real one?

[@ElevenDollarCheese]

Saw this in the theater w my brother. When she walks out and says, "look who's here", we both turned to each other with our jaws hanging open. She was a clone of our grandma in every possible way. The pink nightgown, the gray perm, the glasses, the cabinets, the kitchen, the making us eat, all of it. Then we found out it was Scorsese's mom, and yeah it made perfect sense.

[@jordanwillrog]

Love how she raises her voice and pronounces ‘so you can SETTLE DOWN’

[@jordanwillrog]

And her laugh after 😂

[@edwardhannah8507]

Not only did she get down the stairs quickly in the dark, she puts on her glasses AFTER turning on the lights. Then makes dinner. She's the real gangster in the film lol

[@coinraker6497]

Not to mention her hair is perfectly made up as well. 🤣

[@MovieGuy666]

she's italian, she most likely already had the food made and just heated it up.

[@tonyabrookes9931]

Lol

[@laurendearnley9595]

Wouldn't make much sense to put her glasses on while it's dark I suppose 😆

[@franko2886]

Great movie Goodfellas. It's got everything ... it's a drama, it's a thriller, it's a comedy, it's a horror etc.. Scorsese' s real life mother Catherine was a hoot playing Tommy's mother in this scene.

[@mk-ultramags1107]

'GoodFellas' is like 'Pulp Fiction' in the sense that both of them have become so involved in Pop Culture that they can become almost overlooked for how great they actually are. Both films are perfect IMO. Take a 2yr break from watching either and that next watch will be thrilling

[@coinraker6497]

My favorite thing about this scene are the comedic elements. Same with the scenes with Scorcese's mother in Casino, she's a natural.

[@collativelearning]

A great actress. Wish she'd have done more roles.

[@coinraker6497]

@@collativelearning yeah absolutely. You said Pesci ad-libbed the line about the dogs. I wonder if she ad-libbed the, "One is going Eaat and the other is going West, so what?", reply. 🤣

[@julesfalcone]

@@coinraker6497 she did the whole scene was improvised.

[@Leon-zu1wp]

I think the "one dog goes one way, one dog goes the other" bit was actually pretty important and might not be an adlib per se. I always took it as Henry and Jimmy being the dogs at odds with eachother and Tommy representing the old man (dead) who is indifferent.

[@collativelearning]

It could be the case, though the dogs were that way in the original panting so it could be incidental. I do like the line where Tommy comments on the guy's white hair being the same as the dogs, It seems to imply he is divided in himself.

[@Leon-zu1wp]

@@collativelearning What are your thoughts on the poster/cover of the film? I always found it interesting considering it isn't actually in the film. It's a dead gangster underneath what appears to be Stillwell Ave and 86th Street NYC, which was a shooting location used in the film. The cars on the sides are from the 40s/50s and the man is dressed in a suit so I think it's meant to be representative of the glory days of the mob and Hills idolization of the gangster archetype. Although I think this might sort of connect to the ending which of course has Tommy shooting a gun at the camera, but he's wearing a suit and fedora (something he never wears in the film, atleast not that type of suit). So I think in a way the cover and ending image is meant to represent Hill's idolized fantasy which isn't real.

[@cfelton2051]

@@Leon-zu1wp Interesting ideas. Just spent 10 min. studying the dead body, I'm wondering if it's meant to be Billy Batts, just placed in a different location than in the film for aesthetic reasons. Looks a little like him, plus gray suit. Either way, check out the spearpoint collars these guys are wearing in this film! They are not kidding around with their attire!

[@JoeHynes284]

back in the 90s, i had a friend from florida who had a mother just like this. They moved from brooklyn when he was 2. He doesn't know why but they moved after his father "passed away"

[@maxhammer4067]

Tommy as a art critic would be legendary

[@Canderson_Beats]

Id love to hear him rant about jackson pollick.

[@johngilmore697]

What's art about that?

[@Buford_T_Justice1]

Great analysis Rob. NOW GO GET YOUR FUCKIN’ SHINEBOX!

[@tllaw]

At least we know where Scorsese got his eyebrows.

[@collativelearning]

Lol

[@Chris_Hardy]

Great job. Knew just a bit of lore behind the mother scene and then noticed her in the Scorcese doc. So satisfying to have you layout the whole scoop in which you cast Pesci in an almost stand in role for the director. Looking forward to the complete video.

[@Joe-qq8ox]

You’re a damn legend Rob. The breadth and depth of your content has not been equaled.

[@_scabs6669]

The two dogs are De Niro and Pesce and the old man is Liotta's Henry, who would sell himself to the man as a rat and conceivably survive to old age in hiding. Also Rob said there was absolutely no father figure in the house. Actually, the old man in the painting is the only father figure we get in the scene. I love the way Rob intentionally says what he doesn't mean sometimes to get us to think of things ourselves.

[@DocZoidberg549]

I did not realize Martin's Mom did the character. I loved Her role, so genuine and honest, well played.

[@davehoward22]

She's in loads of his films

[@cfelton2051]

You really should see his little documentary about his parents. They are both fun to watch, and you really get to see authentic NYC Italian American culture that is NOT mafia-based. 🙂

[@russellseilhamer4552]

My brother in law bought me the painting with the bearded man and the dogs looking opposite ways as their boat went down the swamp. It was a conversation piece that was talked about at Tommy’s moms place after the slaying of Billy Batts

[@richiecaldicott7336]

New sub here, love your breakdowns of 2001: A Space Odyssey as well as this quick dive into Tommy's relationship with his mother. And yeah, I'd pay to go on that gallery tour also.

[@contrabandresearch8409]

I always thought it was completely insane that they went to one of their mom's homes for a knife to butcher the body that was right outside in the trunk of the car.

[@collativelearning]

I'm pretty sure they said they were going there to get shovels.

[@actionaccount8307]

maybe it was something like a ritual. a man murdered. now they come there to eat. the whole scene dripping in red colors. at 3 o'clock jesus died. maybe it's a mocking of jesus/good, they eat his flesh, i dont know.

[@Chrisdrumz]

​@@collativelearning In the kitchen 🤨

[@andrewboxall2945]

@@Chrisdrumz literally the first words spoken in the scene; Tommy; "there must be some shovels aroun' here somewhere" then the light comes on - so yeah - they were looking for shovels and came in the back way (which happened to be the kitchen)

[@realdeal8225]

Where else can you pick up a knife at 3.am without it seeming suspicious 😅

[@natewojciechowski8439]

To me, it was always important that the film started with the scene of getting rid of Billy Batts' body. This scene takes place immediately after the opening scene of the film. The first third of the film shows the "rise" of the three main characters. Then this scene takes place, and we get a close up of the dogs in the painting "one faces this way, the other goes the other way". To me, it just sort of says this was the turning point in their story where regardless of what subsequently happened, the trio's downfall was inevitable.

[@judeannethecandorchannel2153]

I'm not sure if the psychological observations here are science based, but as always this channel is consistently thought provoking and engaging. I love your videos!

[@collativelearning]

It's very hard to make psychological observations that are completely science based. Academic science experiments typically involve halting all variables except the one being tested, in turn allowing the test result to be attributed to that changed variable. But humans have so much going on mentally it makes that kind of testing extremely difficult. for this and other reasons I don't think of psychology as being very different to math-based academic sciences.

[@binghamguevara6814]

You missed the Last Supper painting in the background 4:58, and how it looks like they're all having a 'last supper' for Billy Batts, who appears at this supper in the form of the grey-bearded man in the painting. The dogs in the painting symbolizing how Batts was killed by the pack of dogs who are Pesci, Deniro and Liotta a few hours earlier.

[@NobuhikuObayashi]

Love the analysis as always. Excellent stuff. One thing I might contend with is the giving children heaps of unconditional adoration bit, I have seen several studies, long and short term concluding that there is a direct relationship between unconditional (even what some may consider “coddling”) “love” and positive mental health attributes and success at the work place later in life. Meaning (if you believe they are good studies) the more behavioral “conditions” are required for parental acceptance or “love” the more shame, anxiety and general mental health issues are experienced later on

[@collativelearning]

Cheers. Yeah it's not so much the unconditional love in itself that is a problem. It's when that love is combined with giving the child no boundaries, no discipline. I don't think any academic study would persuade me otherwise on that. I grew up around street criminal types here and worked with tons of antisocial kids and psychopaths in mental health etc. With the ones whose parents I knew, it was either abuse, neglect or complete lack of discipline.

[@TheChzoronzon]

Of course you have read that crap... it was the big trend of the 90's in psychology, just "positive reinforcement"... which is an incredible dumb notion That's why now we have an entire generation of spoiled entitled brats disconnected with reality that write the next iteration of garbage about critical race theory and the like, while the use of antidepressants have skyrocketed Cesar Millan is still shaking his head... :D

[@MindiB]

I think the difference is that healthy “unconditional love” means “I love you no matter what, which means I care enough about you to call you out when you act like a jerk” (I accept you with all your faults, but I see the faults) versus the dangerous “I love you no matter what-In my eyes you can do no wrong” (you are perfect and everything you do I will rationalize).

[@anthromark]

"sexual prowess" 4:41 notice the placement of the phallic neck of the water bottle?

[@nedhiggins566]

Great study as always Rob. This reminds me of the great song by Kate Bush called "Mother Stands for Comfort," about this very kind of relationship.

[@alexthompson9516]

That is such a great song.

[@orangewarm1]

Mothers generally believe the best of their sons. My brother is a criminal and my mum never says a bad word about him. He was disciplined and not spoilt.

[@drummerchappell]

I always assumed she knew that Tommy was involved in that lifestyle. When he’s leaving to “be made”, she seems very happy for him as if she knows where he’s going. I’m not sure if in real life his father was part of a crew, I’ve never noticed anyone mention it in any of the documentary’s I’ve watched about the real people it’s based on, and I’ve never read the book so I have no idea if that’s a possibility. The ketchup thing always confused me, as I couldn’t see a real gangster, Irish or not, putting that on their food, being used to going to the best restaurants around. However, someone in the comments mentioned that the mother made him eggs, so that makes more sense.

[@cfelton2051]

Some people just can't give up their habits, but I think you're right. It looks like eggs and potatoes. You can see Henry pick up a piece of something solid with his fork.

[@somenpc]

Tommy's parents weren't involved in the mob but his grandfather Rosario DeSimone and uncle Frank DeSimone were both the boss of the Los Angeles crime family at different points in history

[@TheSolidSnake1985]

To be fair, if you see Scorcese in the back of Travis's cab in Taxi Driver, without the moustache, he's a thinner Tommy. So the idea of Tommy being a dark alter-ego of the director is a bit of spooky introspection.

[@moviearchaeologist9655]

Scorsese was actually very good in that scene. If he didn't become a filmmaker, he would plausibly make a good actor.

[@jdamsel8212]

Just watched this last night... excellent video.

[@scotshuthats5268]

An interesting and enjoyable analysis. Love South Philly in my Younger Days in the 80 s.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

Scorsese's father is in the film, too. De Niro says hi to him at Henry's wedding. He plays Vinnie, the guy who's with Tuddy (played by Frank DiLeo, Michael Jackson's manager) when he shoots Tommy at the end. "And that's that."

[@collativelearning]

Was it Tuddy who shot Tommy? I thought it was a different guy. so Scorsese's Dad was the older guy with the walking stick. I always found him a little creepy ... like he just went in because he wanted to enjoy seeing the murder.

[@badinfluence3814]

​@@collativelearning I've always thought the older guy with the stick was more of a 'head-honcho' and likely more powerful than even Paulie. This is the only glimpse you get of that next level in the gangster power structure and it is the possibility of meeting an end like Tommy's due to transgressions of his underlings (Jimmy and Henry) that hangs over Paulie as much as his fear of of spending the rest of his life in jail. The guy who shoots Tommy does look like Tuddy but I don't think it is him.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

@@NipplePinchGenocide I always felt he used too many onions.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

@@badinfluence3814 Yes, it's Tuddy, but his hair is more slicked back. I don't think Vinnie is above Paulie because Paulie openly teases him about his sauce, so he's an equal in the regime or just slightly under. Jimmy goes out of his way to say hello to Vinnie at the wedding, so Vinnie is above him and he is showing respect -- you can even see the admiration in his eyes.

[@collativelearning]

Just checked the script and it just says "two wise guys" kill Tommy. Howevere I did spot the old guy with the walking stick appears in one or two earlier scenes. He's there when the Hill family visit Paulie.

[@caesarplaysgames]

I have a shirt that is just the painting with the dogs Tommy’s mom shows them. Most people don’t get it, but it’s always cool when someone else recognizes it and says something lol.

[@MrChopsticks1-x6g]

This scene reminds me of when I was going out with my buddies till 3am and going home. My mom just cooked a quick snack noodle for me before going to bed. Quite relatable but yet so far, probably why everyone loves the film.

[@tonyabrookes9931]

Interesting

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

She's practically playing herself, though. If you watch her in Scorsese's documentary ItalianAmerican, she clearly knows the kind of films her son makes, but all she sees is her little boy. Her love is unconditional and all she wants is for him to be happy. She's an innocent.

[@AndyJay1985]

And what's interesting is Martin's Dad watches as Tommy is whacked.

[@cfelton2051]

Loved his documentary. It's almost like a home movie, and a very familiar atmosphere to most Italian-Americans who grew up in New York.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

@@cfelton2051 I can watch an old Italian woman talk about how to make sauce all day long! I also love how they interact with each other and the old New York architecture where they live.

[@cfelton2051]

@@TheKitchenerLeslie Every mannerism is familiar to me, but it's a personality type that is disappearing. The quirky turns of phrases crack me up because I've heard them: "One's goin' east, the other one's goin' west. So what?"

[@marcpadilla1094]

Not surprising. These guys hit the after-hours clubs every night of the week. Lived their best lives between midnight and daybreak.

[@charlieroohan5089]

Tommy as a tour guide in an art gallery is absolutely hilarious 😂

[@mjolninja9358]

Hilarious? You think he’s a clown? He amuses you?

[@charlieroohan5089]

@@mjolninja9358 🤣😂

[@RobinMarks1313]

I'm as anglo as can be. I'm what the Italians call man·gia·cake. But, since I'm a weirdo, and hard worker, Italian families have treated me like family. I've worked for them, and I've befriended an old man who loved me because I love to garden and grew the best tomatoes. They were so generous, they force fed e meals despite my refusals. I finally gave up trying to refuse, and ate with them at every meal whenever I tended our shared garden. He was too old, and loved a young man was working his garden. It was a win for both of us. This scene in Goodfellas is one of my favourites from the film. For me, I'm at the table, as if I were really there. It feels exactly the way I would feel at "our family" meals. They were so open and honest with me, I openly shared everything with them. They came to confide in me because I was so open and ready to listen. They use to come to me with their complaints about each other. I loved it. I would always defend the person they were complaining about and gave them an alternative opinion. They never rejected my advise. They often stop talking, they would think deeply for a couple minutes, and then thank me, smile, and went on with their day. Italians have strong gender roles. So, many of the disagreements were about these roles. Since I am a man whose mother was a strong feminist, I could tell a macho Italian man that he was wrong. He listened because he respected me and trusted me like a family member. I love Italians. Sure, they got some strange ways etc. I've studied the mafia and Roman and Italian history. The thing I like most about them is the strong family bonds and their brutal honesty. This scene is so real. So familiar and special.

[@LuminaireNoire]

Joe Pesci (in character as Tommy or not) would make an amazing art museum tour guide. Thank you for putting that wonderful image in my head.

[@masonfreeman5176]

On the wall behind Tommy and his mother is a picture of the last supper maybe to mirror the seen as is the start of the down fall. The 2 dogs in the second picture could be a representation of Henry and jimmy as one dog goes one way and the other dog goes the other way in the end.

[@marshrabbit7565]

Scorcese's mum was good in Casino too. Her son in that is threatening to kill a couple of guys with a shovel and she's more concerned with his language.

[@RichieW90210]

I’ve got the dog and boat picture hanging in my hallway

[@dolphin66]

A fascinating piece of analysis! I just read the source book Wise guys, so this clip is extra interesting. Thanks!

[@earlpipe9713]

That 2 Dogs painting is next to the Kramer Painting from Seinfeld in the TV & Movie Museam of Fine Arts Hall o' Fame

[@Victor-Vargas]

YES FINALLY ever since you made the first Goodfellas video a few years back you ended it by saying something along the lines of maybe I'll do another study on his mother

[@TBM1121]

One observation that strengthens the idea that Pesci was a sort of stand in for Scorsese is that (in my opinion) Pesci looks a lot like Scorsese. Put glasses and white hair on Pesci and he could pass as a brother to Scorsese.

[@misterbobby8913]

Bingo, I thought the same thing

[@randygreen81]

Hi Rob. I really love your free content as well as the content i purchased on your website. (free advertisement for you ;D ). about this scene: consider that italian mums are famous for their "caring" behaviour for their sons. i heard a similar story where its normal for some italians to get home late and mom cooks for them. now i keep watching. thank you =)

[@jonathanyoung2588]

Insightful as always, Rob. Excellent job

[@theblocksays]

See also: Eric Cartman (in regards to single mother homes who never discipline their sons turning rotten) LOL

[@Abcdefg-tf7cu]

If you tjink about it, Tommy is basically the Cartman of Henry's friend group.

[@timfrye3586]

Excellent analysis of one of the most original and creepy scenes in this great film. Thanks!

[@unbearifiedbear1885]

There is an _incredible_ subtlety to the way Scorsese informs on his characters.. this is one of my all time favourite scenes in cinema; right up there with breakfast on the Nostromo imo Cheers Rob ❤🍻

[@rpow6861]

the dogs going two different ways could be a reference to the two different paths Scorsese could have taken.

[@collativelearning]

Yeah I always got the impression it represented a conflict. But the dogs are facing like that in the original phots. Still, they could have picked the painting with that factor in mind.

[@cfelton2051]

@@collativelearning Yes, I think artists often find happy accidents like that and use them. I think Kubrick did a lot of that.

[@actionaccount8307]

red grapes, ketchup, pack of cigarettes, wine, wall paper. there is red everywhere. and i found this: "The three o'clock hour is the hour that Christ died on the cross. It was at this moment that the gates of Heaven opened up for souls, and according to the Diary of St. Faustina, Jesus said that it is the hour of great mercy."

[@collativelearning]

Def something going on with the food. I didn't mention in the vid about the Last Supper picture on the wall.

[@KajiCarson]

I will always love this scene for how Conway taught me the way to effortlessly extricate ketchup from a glass bottle. I cannot for the life of me describe my previous frustration in hammering the back of the ketchup bottle, again and again to no avail - no ketchup coming out! But the way Conway so smoothly handrolls the bottle by the sides, creating continous friction for the sauce to slip out, is pure genius! I never went back to my previous method; and I sometimes wonder if this is some sort of Italian or mobsteresque trick!

[@donaldduckdumb]

Thank you for sharing that Tommy DeVito from Goodfellas Art critic idea. Been riffing in my head on it for a minute. I Picture him looking at "The Comedian" by Maurizio Cattelan and becoming very upset when it sells for $120,000.

[@jacklawrence2212]

Very smart analysis. Makes you see so much more in this scene than before.

[@jrb4935]

One dog goes one way, the other dog goes the other way.

[@KurticeYZreacts]

I liked this movie but didn't think it was too deep but this scene stood out, makes more sense now

[@FreeThinkAlways]

Rob have you ever had any plans to do a greatest screen villains video based on Alan Rickmans character 'Hans Gruber' in Die Hard? To this day I think he played the antagonist so perfectly that it completely changed the way cinema would go on to portray them in future action movies since

[@danboy77]

Scorsese for me never bettered Goodfellas, never really came close a 1 in a million film that makes you feel you are their with them all the way.

[@thevo4100]

My friend has that painting on a t-shirt.

[@danbal4185]

I want Tommy as a modern art museum guide!!!

[@dgsevenyseven]

The framing. Tommy almost in a baby's bib,next to his mom.

[@roisinbryson5845]

I love this scene. And the dog painting. " one dog goes east and then other goes west " 😂😂😂😂

[@zelot2686]

As a teacher i See the same issues you mentioned every day and its getting worse... parents excusing every behaviour of their childs and giving them no moral compass.

[@cfelton2051]

I'm a teacher, too, and I am so relieved when I see a parent set reasonable boundaries in a consistent way. So many either indulge every behavior, or are abusively strict or inconsistent.

[@zelot2686]

@@cfelton2051 abusive is another issue. I meant the lasse faire treatment or my Child is King, so they do whatever pleases.

[@KidFresh71]

Love this breakdown! "One dog goes one way, and the other dog goes the other way. And this guy's saying: whad'ya want from me?" For some reason, my college roommates and I used to quote this random line all the time. A classic bit of ad lib.

[@adamburger5761]

Great video, interesting take on one of my favorite movies. You're obviously from the other side of the pond, but your depiction of the Italian sub-culture in America is pretty spot on.

[@jonathanfeldheim6554]

Wow Rob. I never realized how funny and ridiculous this scene is in terms of how much BS Tommy's mom will accept at face value

[@badinfluence3814]

I've always wondered if Scorsese's casting (in Raging Bull, too) of Pesci was in small part an autobiographical touch, for nothing more than both are notably short.

[@kyleshockley1573]

Wish Tommy was there when paint was thrown on one of Klimt's pieces at whichever museum. He'd beat the shit out of them for ruining something worth that much money. ( _"The f*ck you doing? That painting's got gold in it!"_ ) Probably also for getting some on his shoes.

[@hatednyc]

Jimmy was at least ten years older than Tommy and Henry. They were in their twenties during this scene but Jimmy was 30-40+. Hence why he appears with gray hair during Henry’s federal case in the final act.

[@glennhighcoveexploresstuff]

Always such a great scene, I always like seeing Scorsese's mother in his movies. I think they were maybe adlibbing some of the lines, her laugh at his "I settle down every night" seems really genuine and I think they maybe (just speculating) let things roll for a while for Pesci to adlib some good dialogue that matched his personality and the character he was playing. I hope they got along in real life (Pesci and Scorsese's mother), it seems like they both do here and it shows.

[@user-gp5kh5tu4k]

She was in Annie Hall as well...

[@glennhighcoveexploresstuff]

@@user-gp5kh5tu4k Ah, I didn't know that. I'll have to watch it and look for her.

[@jessicapinkman-hd4bw]

it's implied that she didn't know tommy was in the mob

[@ericgardner3140]

Tommy as an Art Critic? I LOVE it! I can't stop thinking about it, and how HILARIOUS it would be!🤣

[@Koldeman]

I always thought that they're implying that the guy in the painting looks like MARTIN SCORSESE, but "without the beard." I took it as an in-joke considering that Catherine Scorsese is his mom; an ad-lib DeNiro made that didn't completely break "the 4th wall." The look Liotta made after DeNiro says "looks like someone we know" seems like sincere amusement. It certainly doesn't look like Billy Batts to me.

[@artistjim114]

Listen, if you’re from the Northeast (New York Metropolitan area)-every single one of us have a mother like this. Our mothers ask no questions. Now that I have moved out of that area, I realize other mothers are not like this- much to my surprise. And that’s the honest to God truth. :)

[@collativelearning]

"Every single one" sounds like an overstatement. There's variety everywhere. I think you miss the point though. Absence of a discipling Father figure, combined with an over-loving Mother is bad news for the development of boys and young men. Alternatively, a criminal Father who teaches his ways to the kid can be really bad too, but I'd say that results in controlled criminals. Tommy is like the tantrum toddler who always got his own way.

[@MovieGuy666]

@@collativelearning it's not, I don't think you have ever met an italian mother.

[@artistjim114]

​@@collativelearning​ I understand what you are saying. And I apricaiate it. But I think you are understating what I seen with my own eyes. And you are definitely underestimating what it's like growing up in a corrupt--major drug hub of New York. In the 70's and 80's. And trying not to be any of those archetypes no less. That's the real story. How kids like me avoided all that. We didn't miss the point, we dogded the point.

[@johnr.7906]

I love this scene.... Great analysis Rob!

[@matthewdunham1689]

Remember, the behavior of these mob guys are often learned from their fathers, who many times were mafiosos themselves.

[@5thdimension665]

Tommy the art critic would be the single best comedy sketch of all time

[@PSYCHIC_PSYCHO]

Even funnier than that would be Tommy using a pitchfork to burst your fart

[@KutWrite]

Interesting. Hey, maybe one of the Pesci impersonators would do a clip of Tommy as an art critic!

[@TheReelAnalyst]

One of my favorite lines is “You don't eat much, you don't talk much. “

[@earlpipe9713]

Tommy's mom is too adorable

[@col.greasebagmcqueen9933]

I would pay good money to see Tommy's museum tour.

[@louithrottler]

Having some scran in front of a picture of 'the last supper'. Considering the lifestyle, that picture title could become literal at any meal

[@thereisnosanctuary6184]

"I always knew you would shine, someday. A goodboy, my Tommy."

[@leedobson]

Mrs Scorcese's acting in that scene is some of the most natural I've ever seen

[@flapjackbickle645]

The most mysterious thing is why she keeps looking right at the camera, just like she did in Casino.

[@shoutykenneth5115]

04:46 The "I doubt that" and then just refusing to elaborate on the point at all and moving on was so fucking funny to me for some reason.

[@FRAMEINTOFOCUS]

Great analysis! But as for the dogs on the boat. 🦮⬅ ➡🐕‍🦺 Tommy's mom brings up a story of a wife being two timed, then she brings up the picture. I just see it as forshadowing. One doggo is going one way and the other is going another way. Billy bats is just the turning point of their friendship and the story. As for why they are on a boat, I have no idea what that could possibly mean. I totally think that Scorsese has a little Tommy in him. I've heard the story of where the studio wanted to cut Taxi Driver and Scorsese wanted to shoot a head of the studio. Insane.

[@collativelearning]

Being the painting was by Pileggi's Mother and is a faithful version of a real life photo, I'm less inclined to attribute meaning to the content beyond the Batts reference. You could be right though. I always suspected the dogs facing diff directions was somehow related to Henry's inner conflict at the table about gangster life itself.

[@VenomousStare]

Getting in here before THEY copyright strike it

[@coinraker6497]

IKR? 🙄

[@thomaspierce3650]

I would pay good money as well to see Tommy as an art critic.

[@mercyjokes2d696]

I'm so glad you shared the original image. Irish Staffordshire Bull Terriers are fantastic. Seeing them captured in full beauty in a magical setting, warms my stoney cold heart and want to do more reading and research!