Goodfellas is considered one of Martin Scorsese’s finest films, and its brilliance is evident from its opening scene. The 1990 movie begins with a cold open - diving straight into a key scene before the title sequence is displayed. While Goodfellas’ cold open initially seems strange and imposing, its brilliance later becomes evident.

Goodfellas' opening scene features, but does not formally introduce, Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), and Jimmy “The Gent” Conway (Robert De Niro). Concerned by a noise being made in their car, they pull over and open the trunk. The camera then cuts to a severely beaten man close to death before Tommy takes out a kitchen knife and stabs him repeatedly, and Jimmy shoots him several times.

"As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. To me, being a gangster was better than being President of the United States. Even before I first wandered into the cabstand for an after-school job, I knew I wanted to be a part of them. It was there that I knew that I belonged. To me, it meant being somebody in a neighborhood that was full of nobodies. They weren't like anybody else. I mean, they did whatever they wanted. They double-parked in front of a hydrant and nobody ever gave them a ticket. In the summer when they played cards all night, nobody ever called the cops.
Paulie might've moved slow, but it was only because Paulie didn't have to move for anybody.
He knew what went on at that cab stand, and every once in a while I'd have to take a beating. But by then I didn't care. The way I saw it everybody takes a beating sometime.
Hundreds of guys depended on Paulie and he got a piece of everything they made. And it was tribute, just like in the old country, except they were doing it here in America. And all they got from Paulie was protection from other guys looking to rip them off. And that's what it's all about. That's what the FBI could never understand. That what Paulie and the organization does is offer protection for people who can't go to the cops. That's it. That's all. They're like the police department for wiseguys.
One day some of the kids from the neighborhood carried my mother's groceries all the way home. You know why? It was outta respect"

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