Goodfellas: How Tommy Knew He Was Being Whacked

Goodfellas gave viewers a look at what the members of the Lucchese crime family did in the 1970s, with special focus on the actions of Tommy DeVito, who was tricked into believing he was being “made” but was actually killed – and here’s how he knew he was being whacked. Martin Scorsese has explored a variety of genres throughout his career, becoming one of the most respected filmmakers in the industry, but he’s still best remembered for his gangster films – and the one often regarded as his best is Goodfellas, released in 1990.

Based on the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, Goodfellas chronicles the life of mob associate Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), from his days as a teenager fascinated by the mafia presence in his neighborhood, to his full involvement with the crime family of Paul Cicero (Paul Sorvino) and his decision to become an FBI informant a few years later. Henry quickly became acquainted with some big names in the mob, among those Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci), whom he met when they began working for Paulie when they were teenagers, so they basically grew up together. Tommy was well-known in the mob for his violent and impulsive behavior, which got him and his crew into a lot of trouble, and ultimately led to his death.

Although Tommy’s death – both in the movie and real-life – continues to be surrounded by mystery, it’s speculated that he was killed in retaliation for the murder of Billy Batts, a member of the Gambino crime family. Batts was a “made man”, meaning he couldn’t be killed without the permission from the boss of the family he was part of, which is why Tommy, Henry, and Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) quickly got rid of the body. However, someone told the Gambino family about it and had Tommy killed, and they did so by making him believe he was being “made”. Tommy met the requirements to become a “made man”, so he didn’t suspect it was a trap until he got to the place where the ceremony was taking place.

When a member of the mob is chosen to be “made” they have to take the mafia code of silence and carry out a contract killing in order to prove their loyalty and show they’re not undercovered agents, and it’s all made official through an induction ceremony. After that, the person holds the rank of “soldier” in the mafia hierarchy and can escalate through the ranks. The induction ceremony is typically well-attended, and that’s exactly why Tommy knew he was going to be killed, even though he was shot in the back of the head. Tommy was taken by Tuddy Cicero (Paul’s brother, played by Frank DiLeo) and another man to the location, and as soon as they entered, Tommy saw there was no one there, and that’s how he realized, although for a very brief moment, that he was getting killed.

In Goodfellas, the one who pulled the trigger was Tuddy, prompting viewers to theorize that it was Paul who told the Gambino family that Tommy was the one responsible for Batts’ murder. Whether it was Paul or someone else remains a mystery, but what’s true is that, according to the known rules of the mob, Tommy had to be killed for murdering a “made man”, and he definitely wasn’t expecting to fall into a trap like that, as he believed he was pretty much untouchable due to his reputation as a violent man.

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Adrienne Tyler
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Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Prior to Screen Rant, she wrote for Pop Wrapped, 4 Your Excitement (4YE), and D20Crit, where she was also a regular guest at Netfreaks podcast. She was also a contributor for FanSided’s BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Adrienne is very into films and she enjoys a bit of everything: from superhero films to heartbreaking dramas, to low-budget horror films. Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings.

When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs!), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round.

Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. It was great.

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