Certainly, when I think of Goodfellas (1990), I don’t think of white people. Sure, Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) is visibly white, yet at first thought, his identity does not strike me as “white.” According to Richard Dyer, whiteness is defined as the social norm; a conformist society dictated by what is standard, customary and accepted. Whiteness is an identity devoid of substance that is only defined through contradistinction with that which does not conform to its standards. Likewise, identity is defined through this discontinuity with the white standard, allowing for the genesis of countless ethnic identities.
Goodfellas, however, explores the concept of whiteness through a man-made construct—the mafia. Henry Hill, although not fully Italian, gradually builds his identity as a Mafioso through his association with James Conway (Robert DeNiro) and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). The mafia is associated with stealing, swindling and organized crime. The system they create directly opposes the norm, the established system and the core of whiteness. For example, Goodfellas portrays those in the mafia as proud and impressed with Henry when he refuses to talk to the judge after the police first catch him. Henry approaches white, however, when he is placed in the Witness Protection Program, essentially sequestered for his own well being by the United States government. Having turned over his friends, Henry gradually develops a void in his identity. Those around him, those that gave him his identity—the mafia, are gone, his only connection being to the U.S. government.
The movie likewise masks whiteness through a heavy Italian presence throughout the film. The New York City mafia, a critical component of the city’s vibrant history, is highly associated with the Italian image. In one of my favorite scenes, Henry is introduced to the majority of the mob through a long shot that captures the breaming personalities of the various Italian Mafiosos. By far, my favorite Italian character—Johnny Two-Times— is one of the examples the film presents of “white” figures that embody this counter-normative behavior and identity. Through adopting this Italian identity, Hill deviates from the norm and separates himself from whiteness.
