Movie Comparison Essay, Research Paper

Scott Root3/3/99Movie Comparison In the movies Scarface and Goodfellas, two different sides of crime are depicted. Both movies take a deep look at a life of crime. Whether the criminals use guns, drugs or robberies to make they re money their doing it illegally. Lets take a look at the comparison of the two movies. Goodfellas takes place from the 1950 s through the 1980 s. It takes a deep look into the life of the Italian Mafia. It starts with a young boy, Henry Hill, who finds a job with the mafia. He gains the respect of the family. Throughout his life his position with the Mafia rises. He has a great life. He had money and fun, but it was also a very illegal life. A life of crime only leads to a life of time. That means that at the end someone is paying for the crime that was committed. In those days the mafia used robberies and heists to collect their money. They would do other little things like selling cigarettes or guns. Drugs were not a big part of the business. During the movie Henry is put in jail. While there he finds that selling drugs in prison is a great way to make money. After he is released he continues his drug ring with a few of his buddies. One thing one must take into mind is that he is doing this all behind the Mafia s back. If the headman were to find out he would be enraged. At the end of the movie, the main character is arrested for distributing cocaine. Many members of the Mafia have been killed as a result of rats and controversies. Henry is then taken to court where he becomes a rat and tells the tales of the Italian Mafia. He is then enlisted in the witness protection program and has moved on. During the movie crime was like their jobs. To them killing someone was just a part of life. Doing pick-ups and deliveries was there job, and a very profitable one at that. Scarface depicts crime in a different light. It takes place in Florida in the 1970s. It is the story of a man named Tony and his quest for power. He is a refugee from Cuba. He was involved in the Cuban militia. Tony does not agree with how his country is run and chooses to leave. He lands in a camp for refugees, located near Miami. One of his friends makes a deal with a man who brother was killed. The man that killed his brother was to arrive at the same camp Tony was at. The deal was freedom for the assassination of this man. The job is done. Tony and his friend are let out of the camp and given green cards. In this move money is the driving force. Everything starts with money. Tony starts out working in a diner cleaning dishes. He soon realizes this in not the life he wants. They come across a man offering a job. Moving cocaine for a large drug distributor. Tony, unlike anyone else, comes in strong with these men. He has good ambitions which are noticed by Frank, the head man of the operation. Tony grows as his trust with the business grows. Throughout the movie many friends and enemies are killed, as in Goodfellas. Although Tony s ambition isn t to just be wealthy and have a nice life. He wanted it all. You could say he was getting out of control. He was making deals without the permission of the boss. This then results in Tony eliminating his boss and making himself the leader. Along with the position he receives, he also marries Frank s ex-wife. It seems kind of weird, but in the film you can see why she is there. She didn t love either of her husbands. She had the life of not working, living in a huge house and doing all the drugs she wants. This is what she wanted and its what she got. The family is less recognized in this line of crime. Family members are not involved at all. They are involved in the story though. Tony s mother does not like him and would prefer not to see him. He sister falls in love with Tonys’ best friend. Although throughout the movie Tony does not know this. At the end Tony learns she is living with someone. He goes to her house in anger. When his friend opens the door, Tony immediately starts shooting at him, although he does not know it is his friend. This turned things around for Tony. He is being watched by the police and does not have much time. In the end it does not result in jail but death. I m not quiet sure which one is worse. You could say Tony goes out with a bang. He dumps his entire stash of cocaine on his desk. He then engulfs himself in it. In the end Tony s house has been raided and he is being shot at with machine guns. He is so numb from all the cocaine, he doesn t even feel the bullets entering his chest.

In the outcome you realize a life of crime never results in good. There is always death, drugs and guns involved. Tony let the money get to his head. Henry just got carried away. I feel these movies were both great. I would recommend seeing them to anyone.