36 Years Later, Goodfellas' 11-Word Opening Still Beats Every Line In The Godfather

Published Oct 2, 2026, 3:30 PM EDT Karlis has been obsessing over television and movie news since he first learned how to read. He has worked in tech, as a musician, and in journalism with a well-rounded knowledge base of pop-culture throughout the eras. He claims that he has memorized the entire Internet Movie Database, and to date no one has been able to refute this. Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Religion and Culture from Wilfrid Laurier University, Karlis loves to examine the intersections of popular science-fiction and culture. His latest novel MASS. is available now on Amazon and examines a world where obesity has become a federal crime. Goodfellas is one of the best gangster movies ever made, and its script, which features one of the best lines in cinematic history, is what occasionally elevates it even above The Godfather. This is a high bar, considering The Godfather's legacy as one of the best trilogies ever made. However, Goodfellas does something surprisingly different from its opening moments. Quotes and scenes from Goodfellas have been considered and discussed ever since the film was released in 1990. Goodfellas featured the best death in gangster movie history, and is routinely considered among the strongest movies of the 1990s thanks to its great story, excellent tension, and fantastic performances from stars including Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci. Martin Scorsese's movies have been held in high esteem for decades. From Taxi Driver to Killers of the Flower Moon, the filmmaker has crafted so many important pieces in the cinematic and cultural canon. However, it is in his focus on gangster movies that the filmmaker especially shines, with stunning projects like The Departed and Casino. Goodfellas is arguably Scorsese's best movie, and it remains one of the best gangster movies in the entire cinematic canon. And while there are several features that the film's enormous success can be attributed to, it is hard to deny the efficacy of its script, by Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi, which generated some of the most iconic lines ever. Goodfellas' Best Line Explained At the beginning of Goodfellas, during Henry Hill's opening narration, the central idea of the film is exposed with a simple line: "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." With this opening, the lifestyle of a gangster is immediately glorified and made into something aspirational. Throughout the film, much of the darker sides of that lifestyle are acknowledged and examined. However, this opening sets the viewer up to become immersed in that world and to feel the allure of the wealth and power that can come along with such a dangerous and exciting lifestyle. Goodfellas is a complex movie, and it certainly does not always glorify this lifestyle. However, with this opening, it does acknowledge that incredible draw and gives audiences a surrogate character in Henry to connect with throughout the film's bloody and shocking events. This makes for a stark contrast to many other films in the gangster movie canon, which have tended to show the life of a gangster as something to escape from rather than be drawn into. This is adeptly shown in a popular line from the underrated The Godfather Part III, which gets to the much different ideological core of the whole trilogy: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!" Why It's Better Than Any Piece of Dialogue In The Godfather The Godfather is full of iconic bits of dialogue, although none are as impactful as this line from Goodfellas, which is spoken Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone: "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse." However, the value of that line is almost entirely rooted in its context in the film and what follows rather than in the plain words themselves. There are several other fantastic quotes in The Godfather. Robert S. Castellano's partially improved Godfather line, "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli," as Clemenza, is another memorable and fun quote that fits in to add a little bit of light humor to a tension-riddled scene. The Godfather is often dour and mournful, chronicling the destructive power of organized crime on an individual and human level, making its story a stark contrast to the setup of Goodfellas. Michael never wanted to be a gangster, and this is clearly explored on his path throughout the trilogy of films. This leads to some great and thoughtful dialogue, especially throughout the first film. "It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business," he tells his brother. This separation itself is an aspiration, as the lines between those worlds continue to blur throughout the film's story, showing how incompatible those lifestyles can be. The Godfather is full of some great quotes, and its sequel has ones that are arguably even better, including Michael's lines about Fredo and the need to keep one's enemies close. However, it is difficult not to esteem this excellent line from Goodfellas as perhaps the very best in the entire genre. Release Date September 19, 1990 Runtime 145 minutes Director Martin Scorsese