How does the use of two voiceovers (narrators) in “Goodfellas” increase audience interest and pleasure?

“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.”  

The opening of Henry Hill’s narration instantly sucks the audience into the world of organised crime.  For the rest of the movie Henry, along with his wife Karen act as guides to this world.  The voiceovers provide the expert testimony on what life was like both for the wise guy and his wife.

The voiceovers in “Goodfellas” perform several functions;  sometimes telling the story, sometimes explaining the codes of mafia life and sometimes giving Henry or Karen’s thoughts on a particular event.  The complex narrative and, for most of the audience, unfamiliar setting mean that the two voiceovers are essential to the understanding and ultimately the enjoyment of the film.

The story of Henry’s life in the mafia is essentially told in a series of vignettes.  These short stories increase the pace of the movie but also require a large amount of information to be conveyed in a short time.  The voiceovers allow this information to be conveyed without cutting away from the action or having the characters convey large amounts of exposition, which would be unrealistic.  By using the voiceovers in this way the film holds the audience’s attention more effectively than it would without any narration.  The voiceovers also link the story together, reminding us of information that could have been missed earlier in the film, as past deeds return to haunt the characters.

The film is told largely by Henry and follows his point of view.  For scenes when Henry is not present, or for scenes where an additional point of view is included such as the wedding scene, Karen’s voiceover is used.  The voiceovers are used to shape the story controlling what the audience is and is not told.

 

“One day, some neighborhood kids carried my mother's groceries all the way home.  Know why? It was out of respect.”

 

Consequently the audience is given a very subjective view of the mafia world and the plot itself.  It is left to the audience to work out what the truth is.  Events happening off-screen are not covered and often we only learn of events at the same time as Henry or Karen.  Later in the film this results in the audience realising that Henry is in trouble at roughly the same time as he does.  

The use of a single narrative voiceover is not uncommon but in “Goodfellas” Scorsese uses two.  Although the story is primarily Henry’s the addition of Karen’s voiceover provides an important additional perspective: that of a woman married to a wiseguy.  Previous mob movies, such as “The Godfather” trilogy, rarely featured women as important characters.  By giving Karen a voiceover Scorsese can show the audience aspects of mafia lifestyle that would not normally be shown, or that Henry would not be a witness to, such as the hostess party.

Karen’s voiceover is likely to expand the audience for the film.  Mob movies are not generally made to appeal to women.  Women who would otherwise find little interest in the film may be attracted to this side of the story.  The way that Karen’s voiceover is introduced is likely to be particularly effective at drawing women into the film.  

 

“I couldn't stand him.  I thought he was really obnoxious. He kept fidgeting around.”

The voiceover switches from Henry to Karen mid scene as they are on a double date with Tommy.  The transition is completely unexpected, almost shocking, and comes well into the film.  By introducing Karen’s voiceover so suddenly it makes the audience sit up and pay attention as the focus of the film shifts.  Due to the inattentive way that Henry treats Karen on the date women are likely to be especially interested in Karen’s perspective as they are already sympathising with her.

Karen also represents the outsider in the film and is thus more likely to represent the broader audience.  She is from a wealthy Jewish suburb and is only drawn into the world of crime through her husband.  Although she is clearly attracted to the idea of being married to a gangster she offers, initially at least, a more critical view of the mafia life.

 

“They had bad skin and wore too much makeup. I mean they didn't look very good. They looked beat-up.”  

 

 Her voiceover criticises the grotesque fashions and lifestyle of the other wives at the hostess party.  This part of her voiceover is important as it serves to balance the wide eyed wonder of Henry’s take on things.  Karen states what the audience themselves are thinking.  Her voiceover gives the audience a perspective different from that of Henry’s and also helps them to identify with her character.

The voiceovers are also important in persuading the audience to sympathise with Henry and Karen.  Henry’s voiceover in particular emphasizes the seductive aspects of the mafia world and cleverly draws the audience into it.

 

 “At thirteen, I was making more money than most of the grownups in the neighbourhood.  I had more money than I could spend.  I had it all.”

 

This serves to make his downfall all the more compelling as by that stage in the film we are at home in his world.  This aspect of Henry’s voiceover is enhanced due to him being an unreliable narrator.  His narration concentrates on the power, wealth and comradeship of the life whilst ignoring the foundations of violence and fear that it is built on.  The audience is forced to contrast Henry’s perspective with their own as his voiceover interpretation clearly differs from the action and violence we are shown.

The perspectives offered by the two voiceovers lead the audience into considering the morality of the way of life presented by the film and this consideration progresses throughout the film as the veracity of these perspectives is brought into question.  Initially Henry’s voiceover shows the glamorous side to the mafia life, the power, the girls and the money.  Later when Karen’s voiceover begins we see a more questioning perspective, but one that is ultimately won over by the seductiveness of the lifestyle, just as the audience have been.

“I know there are women who would have gotten out the minute their boyfriend gave them a gun to hide.  But I didn't.  I got to admit the truth.  It turned me on.”

 Towards the end of the film, as Henry’s life disintegrates around him, the audience has realised that Henry’s voiceover was only a half truth and have to reconsider their opinions of him.  In this way the audience shares Henry’s journey.  For the first half of the film the voiceovers suck the audience into the mafia life.  Then in the second half this life is brutally exposed for what it really is.  

 “And that's the hardest part. Today everything is different. There's no action.... I'm an average nobody.”

 At the end of the film Henry still maintains a love of the criminal life.  The audience has to re-evaluate their opinions of Henry and come to their own conclusions.  The viewers become active participants in the movie as they are forced to ask the question of whether crime does pay and if they really are “average nobodies.”

 Due to the narrative complexity of the story the voiceovers become essential to the audiences understanding of the plot.  On several occasions the voiceover is used in conjunction with a freeze frame to explain an important plot development.  

 

 “Jimmy had never asked me to whack somebody before, but now he's asking me to go down to Florida and do a hit with Anthony.”

 

When used in conjunction with a freeze frame the voiceover instantly draws attention to itself and grabs the attention of the audience.  Without the use of the voice over for these scenes the film would be far less accessible and very confusing for the audience.

For the vast majority of the audience the world of the Italian American mafia will be unfamiliar.  Both Henry and Karen’s voiceovers provide a great deal of information on the culture and traditions of this organisation.  Some of this is merely background information or is used to add humour and lighten the tone of the film.  It expands our knowledge of the world the characters inhabit, for example Karen commenting on how they only socialised with each other or Henry explaining the etiquette of prison dinner.  Other aspects of this information are vital to the plot, for example the consequences of killing the made guy Billy Batts.  

 

 “This was a touchy thing. Tommy had killed a made man. Batts was a part of the Gambino crew and untouchable.”

 

The voiceover here does two things.  First Henry explains what it means to be a “made” guy.  Second once the audience realises what has happened it increases the tension of the film as they wonder what the consequences of the killing might be.

Throughout “Goodfellas” Scorsese successfully and seamlessly integrates the two voiceovers into the movie so that they become essential to the audiences enjoyment.  Without a voiceover the film would be nearly impossible to follow and would lack much of the vital exposition that adds colour and emotion to the story.  Adding Karen’s voiceover provides the opportunity to examine the mob lifestyle from a female perspective and attracts women to the film.  Finally by using subjective and very dubious narrators Scorsese encourages the audience to consider the film and reach their own verdict on what they have seen.

 The final use of Henry’s voiceover comes at the end of the film, during the courtroom scene.  As the action freezes, Henry gets up off the witness stand and continues the narration.  

 

 “I had paper bags filled with jewellery stashed in the kitchen and a sugar bowl full of coke next to the bed.”

 

Throughout the film the audience has seen events through his, or Karen’s perspective and he continues to be unrepentant about his lifestyle, despite the danger it has placed him in.  In essence his voiceover has been his testimony, the audience the jury and it is left open for them to make their own judgement.