The Godfather vs Goodfellas: Which Film is More Authentic? 

Someone made a statment once. "The Godfather showed the mafia the way they WANTED to be seen. Goodfellas showed the mob the way they REALLY were."

The masses were well aware of the Cosa Nostra LONG before The Godfather came out. Long before, as in decades before. The Kefauver hearings in the early 50s were one of the greatest national sensations ever. People had their little black and white TVs right there at the dinner table so that nobody missed a second ow what was going on.

Both movies have some authenticity to their time period. The mob changed once the Omerta or code of silence was broken, and people started ratting. The older days of the mob the bosses and families did have structure and probably lived private and glamorous lives to avoid attention. The 70s and especially 80s mafia under Gatti were a disaster as everyone did whatever they wanted and everyone wanted to be a celebrity...which of course brought their downfall

Fun fact. My Blue Heaven starring Steve Martin and Rick Moranis was loosely a humorous spin on Henry Hill’s story. Great comedy.

I think Goodfellas is more realistic. It showed how cold blooded, backstabbing, selfish and psychotic the characters were. I forgot if it was Michael Franzese, Dominick Montiglio or Joseph Pistone etc. that said it but someone once said that when Godfather came out in theaters, it “romanticized” the Italian Mafia. It almost made them look like philosophers. It’s like a Mafia film written by Shakespeare.

The Godfather portrayed organized crime two or three levels above Goodfellas. Only Clemenza or Tessio would have had contact with someone like Paulie Cicero, who himself kept his distance from the street. Frankie Pentangeli said it himself -- its a "street thing", which was his business.

You should have done this analysis with the movies Casino and Goodfellas, as they are based on true events as opposed to Godfather

Goodfellas is based somewhat on the true story of one person. The Godfather is a bunch of true stories about different people assembled into one fictional story that overall isn't really authentic. Barzini is sort-Vito Genovese in the sense of moving into drugs. The shooting of Vito Corleone is sort of based on the shooting of Frank Costello. But there is no giant war between families in the 1950s. Nothing like the ending ever happened.

I don’t think you can compare these. One is the view from a street level of an associate, and his story, not even particularly about the mafia. The godfather is a look of the higher ups, and from the view of a family.

It does crack me up though that even though it's not historically accurate or real, it is funny to me that the godfather had such an impact on American culture that even the mob started to change their ways to be more like it and they were the ones who really wanted to prevent it from being made. Lol made.

Goodfellas was based on a true story. henry hill lived almost of his life with the mob. Godfather is really a great novel turned into a great movie but i guess Goodfellas stays more true to real life

The Godfather is about family…Goodfellas is abut the mob.

Definitely “Goodfellas” is more real

Easily top 10 of all time for godfather???!! Its objective that the godfather is the best movies of all time.

Goodfellas is based on true story

Goodfellas❤

You forgot to mention Donnie Brasco and Gomorrah.

They both show something realistic but yes it’s safe in saying goodfellas has an edge or at least showed the evolution. Godfather showed a certain family that had principles to the point of not even wanting to get involved with drugs. Eventually they do and when Michael comes to power he becomes ruthless and says his father’s way of doings things are finished. It’s the criminal underworld and it just gets worse and more violent over the years so a man like Vito Corleone can’t exist anymore.

Sonny Being shot million times by Tommy guns only to be finished off being kicked in the head.. yeah very realistic 😂

GODFELLAS🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿🗿