How Goodfellas Made Martin Scorsese's Casino Possible
Goodfellas is one of the most influential gangster movies in film history, and it actually made it possible for another Martin Scorsese gangster movie to happen: Casino, and here’s how. Martin Scorsese has explored different genres throughout his career as a filmmaker, but he continues to be best-known for his gangster movies, and two of his most notable titles from that genre are Goodfellas and Casino, released in 1990 and 1995, respectively.
Based on the book Wiseguy, by Nicholas Pileggi, Goodfellas tells the story of mob associate Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), from his days as a teenager running errands for Paul Cicero (Paul Sorvino) and his crew in his Brooklyn neighborhood, to his full involvement with the Lucchese crime family and later his decision to turn against them and become an FBI informant. Goodfellas was a critical success, earning various nominations for different awards, and is widely regarded as not only one of the greatest movies ever made but also Martin Scorsese’s best movie. Goodfellas has heavily influenced the gangster genre since its release, and Scorsese continued on the path of gangster movies with Casino.
Related: Goodfellas: Every Gangster In The Bamboo Lounge (& Which Ones Are Real)
Casino tells the story of Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Nito), a gambling expert handicapper asked by the Chicago Outfit to oversee the day-to-day casino and hotel operations at the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas. However, between his job operating the casino, the mafia’s involvement, and more, Rothstein’s relationships begin to break, as are those with his wife, Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone), and his childhood friend Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci). Casino was a critical and commercial success, and it was possible thanks to
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