I thought the main connection between the community in Radio Days and the community in Goodfellas was their desire to stand out from the crowd. Henry wanted to become a gangster because he wanted the special privileges and respect of a gangster. He did not want to be a regular guy. Similarly, the family in Radio Days wanted to stand out as well. Ruthy, a notorious eavesdropper was likely listening in on the neighbors conversations to feel a sense of power and omnipotence. Aunt B had such high standards in men because she wanted the perfect relationship. Even the parents told their son that they were nothing but he should try to make something of himself. The entire family wanted to be seen and heard, to be important. This is why they listened to the radio as well.
They were fascinated by the goings on of famous individuals because they wanted to be like them. They realized that they could not gain the renown of said celebrities but they were able to experience excitement and feel special by living vicariously through the speakers on the radio. For example, while cleaning the remnants of a boring breakfast off of her drab kitchen table, the mother listened to two wealthy individuals indulging in a sumptuous meal at their posh apartment. She was unable to attain her preferred status and thus attempted to share the high status of others. This dynamic was fascinating but very sad. They were so focused on their fantasy lives, I could not help but wonder if once in a while, when the radio was off, if they thought about how having a close family was not enough…..moving on…..the same thing happened in Goodfellas. Henry lived in a fantasy world where he only thought about the perks of being a gangster. While being immersed in fantasy did not harm the family in Radio Days too much, it took its toll on Henry. He lost sight of the negatives of life as a gangster which led to A TON of problems. Its funny how similar these movies were…
