Goodfellas Respect and Reputation Quotes

How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Goodfellas.

Quote #4

TOMMY: In this day and age, what the f*** is this world coming to? I can't believe this, prejudiced against—a Jew broad—prejudiced against Italians.

Tommy thinks just being Italian is worthy of respect. Considering that you can't get made unless you're 100 percent Italian, it seems the rest of the mob may agree. Henry and Jimmy know that, as much as they might be respected, their mixed heritage makes it impossible for them to ever be made men.

Quote #5

KAREN: You got some nerve standing me up! Nobody does that to me! Who the hell do you think you are? Frankie Valli or some kinda big shot?

While the movie closely associates respect with masculinity, that doesn't mean Karen can't get her some.

Quote #6

MORRIE: Henry, you're a good kid. I've been good to you. You've been good to me. But there's something quite unreasonable going on here. Jimmy's being an unconscionable ball-breaker. I never had to pay the vigorous debt he demands. Am I something special? What am I? A schmuck on wheels?

He's not on wheels, but the movie does play Morrie for laughs. Just look at that wig. He's not nearly as macho as the rest of the crew, and that means he's the low man on the respect totem pole.