Passes the Bechdel test
GoodFellas
1990. Directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese.
The Bechdel test
Bechdel score
3 / 3
Passes
-
Yes
1. At least two women
38 women characters. 10 of them speak. -
Yes
2. Who talk to each other
In 1 scene out of 144. -
Yes
3. About something besides a man
In that scene, our script parser found no man named. See the scene.
Second opinion
Agree bechdeltest.com readers give it 3 out of 3, though someone marked that rating as dubious.
The film
Henry Hill recounts his life in the mob, from his teenage years to his eventual downfall. Immersed in organized crime, he experiences wealth, power, and violence alongside friends Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito. The film blends crime, drama, and dark humor, exploring loyalty, ambition, betrayal, and the consequences of criminal life. Themes of family, morality, and the fleeting nature of power underpin the story.
- Released
- 21 Sep 1990
- Genres
- Biography, Crime, Drama
- Rated
- R
- IMDb
- 8.7 / 10
- Metascore
- 92 / 100
- Awards
- Won 1 Oscar. 44 wins & 38 nominations total
- Elsewhere
- View on IMDb
Starring, by lines spoken
- Women
- Men
- Not in the cast list
- Bigger name, more lines
- Henry 263 lines, man
- Karen 98 lines, woman
- James 51 lines, man
- Cicero 37 lines, man
- Tommy 32 lines, man
- Lois 15 lines, woman
- Morris 14 lines, man
- Batts 13 lines, man
- Sonny 10 lines, man
- Karen'S Mother 9 lines, woman
Full cast, 142 people
- Robert De Niro as James Conway
- Ray Liotta as Henry Hill
- Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito
- Lorraine Bracco as Karen Hill
- Paul Sorvino as Paul Cicero
- Frank Sivero as Frankie Carbone
- Tony Darrow as Sonny Bunz
- Mike Starr as Frenchy
- Frank Vincent as Billy Batts
- Chuck Low as Morris Kessler
- Frank DiLeo as Tuddy Cicero
- Henny Youngman as Henny Youngman
- Gina Mastrogiacomo as Janice Rossi
- Catherine Scorsese as Tommy's Mother
- Charles Scorsese as Vinnie
- Suzanne Shepherd as Karen's Mother
- Debi Mazar as Sandy
- Margo Winkler as Belle Kessler
- Welker White as Lois Byrd
- Jerry Vale as Jerry Vale
- Julie Garfield as Mickey Conway
- Christopher Serrone as Young Henry
- Elaine Kagan as Henry's Mother
- Beau Starr as Henry's Father
- Kevin Corrigan as Michael Hill
- Michael Imperioli as Spider
- Robbie Vinton as Bobby Vinton
- Johnny Williams as Johnny Roastbeef
- Daniel P. Conte as Dr. Dan
- Tony Conforti as Tony
- Frank Pellegrino as Johnny Dio
- Ronald Maccone as Ronnie
- Tony Sirico as Tony Stacks
- Joseph D'Onofrio as Young Tommy
- Steve Forleo as City Detective #1
- Richard Dioguardi as City Detective #2
- Frank Adonis as Anthony Stabile
- John Manca as Nickey Eyes
- Joseph Bono as Mikey Franzese
- Katherine Wallach as Diane
- Mark Jacobs as Bruce
- Angela Pietropinto as Cicero's Wife
- Marianne Leone Cooper as Tuddy's Wife
- Marie Michaels as Mrs. Carbone
- LoNardo as Frenchy's Wife
- Melissa Prophet as Angie
- Illeana Douglas as Rosie
- Susan Varon as Susan
- Elizabeth Whitcraft as Tommy's Girlfriend
- Clem Caserta as Joe Buddha
- Samuel L. Jackson as Stacks Edwards
- Fran McGee as Johnny Roastbeef's Wife
- Paul Herman as Dealer
- Edward McDonald as Edward McDonald
- Edward Hayes as Defense Attorney
- Daniela Barbosa as Young Henry's Sister #1
- Gina Mattia as Young Henry's Sister #2
- Joel Calendrillo as Young Henry's Older Brother
- Anthony Valentin as Young Michael
- Edward D. Murphy as Liquor Cop #1
- Michael Citriniti as Liquor Cop #2
- Peter Hock as Mailman
- Erasmus C. Alfano as Barbeque Wiseguy
- John Di Benedetto as Bleeding Man
- Manny Alfaro as Gambling Doorman
- Thomas Lowry as Hijacked Driver
- Margaret Smith as School Guard
- Richard Mullally as Cop #1
- Frank Albanese as Mob Lawyer
- Paul McIsaac as Judge - 1956
- Bob Golub as Truck Driver at Diner
- Louis Eppolito as Fat Andy
- Tony Lip as Frankie The Wop
- Mikey Black as Freddy No Nose
- Peter Cicale as Pete The Killer
- Anthony Powers as Jimmy Two Times
- Vincent Pastore as Man with Coatrack
- Anthony Alessandro as Henry's 60's crew
- Victor Colicchio as Henry's 60's crew
- Mike Contessa as Cicero 60's Crew
- Philip Suriano as Cicero's 60's crew
- Paul Mougey as Terrorized Waiter
- Norman Barbera as Bouncer
- Anthony Polemeni as Copa Captain
- James Quattrochi as Henry Greeter #1
- Lawrence Sacco as Henry Greeter #2
- Dino Laudicina as Henry Greeter #3
- Thomas E. Camuti as Mr. Tony Hood #1
- Andrew Scudiero as Mr. Tony Hood #2
- Irving Welzer as Copa Announcer
- Jesse Kirtzman as Beach Club Waiter
- Russell Halley as Bruce's Brother #1
- Spencer Bradley as Bruce's Brother #2
- Bob Altman as Karen's Dad
- Joanna Bennett as Marie #1
- Gayle Lewis as Marie #2
- Gaetano Lisi as Paul #3
- Luke Walter as Truck Driver
- Ed Deacy as Detective Deacy
- Larry Silvestri as Detective Silvestri
- John 'Cha Cha' Ciarcia as Batts' Crew #1
- Vito Picone as Vito
- Janis Corsair as Vito's Girlfriend
- Lisa D’Apolito as Lisa
- Frank Aquilino as Batt's Crew #2
- Michael Calandrino as Godfather at Table
- Vito Antuofermo as Prizefighter
- Vito Balsamo as Henry's 70's Crew
- Peter Fain as Henry's 70's Crew
- Vincent Gallo as Henry's 70's Crew
- Gaetano LoGiudice as Henry's 70's Crew
- Garry Pastore as Henry's 70's Crew
- Nicole Burdette as Carbone's Girlfriend
- Stella Keitel as Henry's Older Child - Judy
- Dominique DeVito as Henry's Baby - Ruth
- Michaelangelo Graziano as Bar Patron
- Paula Kcira as Janice's Girlfriend #1
- Nadine Kay as Janoce's Girlfriend #2
- Tony Ellis as Bridal Shop Owner
- Peter Onorati as Florida Bookie
- Jamie deRoy as Bookie's Sister
- Joel Blake as Judge - 1971
- H. Clay Dear as Security Guard with Lobsters
- Thomas Hewson as Drug Buyer
- Gene Canfield as Prison Guard in Booth
- Margaux Guerard as Judy Hill at 10 Years
- Violet Gaynor as Ruth Hill at 8 Years
- Tobin Bell as Parole Officer
- Berlinda Tolbert as Stacks' Girlfriend
- Nancy Cassaro as Joe Buddha's Wife
- Adam Wandt as Kid
- Joe Gioco as Garbage Man
- Isiah Whitlock Jr. as Doctor
- Alyson Jones as Judy Hill at 13 Years
- Ruby Gaynor as Ruth Hill at 11 Years
- Bo Dietl as Arresting Narc
- Frank Cassini as 50's Wiseguy (uncredited)
- Anthony Caso as Truck Hijacker (uncredited)
- Lisa Bostnar as Nickey Eyes' Girlfriend (uncredited)
- Billy L. Sullivan as Jimmy's Son (uncredited)
- Jeffrey Rollins as Courtroom Defendant (uncredited)
- John Moraitis as Court Reporter
Who talks, scene by scene
Lines of dialogue in every 3 scenes, start to finish. Women above the line, men below. 5% of lines come from characters we couldn't match to the cast list and aren't shown.
Women
Men
Scene 1 Scene 144
Hover, tap or tab to a bar to see those scenes: where they happen and who's talking.
Show the numbers
| Scenes | Women's lines | Men's lines |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | 0 | 34 |
| 4 to 6 | 2 | 11 |
| 7 to 9 | 0 | 4 |
| 10 to 12 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 to 15 | 0 | 6 |
| 16 to 18 | 0 | 11 |
| 19 to 21 | 1 | 12 |
| 22 to 24 | 1 | 10 |
| 25 to 27 | 1 | 2 |
| 28 to 30 | 1 | 27 |
| 31 to 33 | 0 | 2 |
| 34 to 36 | 1 | 10 |
| 37 to 39 | 3 | 0 |
| 40 to 42 | 10 | 9 |
| 43 to 45 | 2 | 2 |
| 46 to 48 | 2 | 11 |
| 49 to 51 | 3 | 4 |
| 52 to 54 | 6 | 4 |
| 55 to 57 | 33 | 3 |
| 58 to 60 | 5 | 0 |
| 61 to 63 | 5 | 7 |
| 64 to 66 | 3 | 3 |
| 67 to 69 | 0 | 17 |
| 70 to 72 | 1 | 3 |
| 73 to 75 | 3 | 12 |
| 76 to 78 | 6 | 13 |
| 79 to 81 | 0 | 11 |
| 82 to 84 | 2 | 9 |
| 85 to 87 | 0 | 10 |
| 88 to 90 | 11 | 11 |
| 91 to 93 | 0 | 23 |
| 94 to 96 | 9 | 13 |
| 97 to 99 | 4 | 9 |
| 100 to 102 | 2 | 34 |
| 103 to 105 | 0 | 7 |
| 106 to 108 | 0 | 5 |
| 109 to 111 | 0 | 5 |
| 112 to 114 | 0 | 5 |
| 115 to 117 | 0 | 3 |
| 118 to 120 | 0 | 6 |
| 121 to 123 | 8 | 25 |
| 124 to 126 | 7 | 6 |
| 127 to 129 | 2 | 3 |
| 130 to 132 | 3 | 5 |
| 133 to 135 | 7 | 20 |
| 136 to 138 | 7 | 23 |
| 139 to 141 | 1 | 1 |
| 142 to 144 | 3 | 11 |
The evidence
- Straight from the script
- Counted from the script and the credits
Tap an exhibit to open it.
Exhibit A: the passing scene
The scene our parser counted as passing, word for word.
SANDY: I don't need this ... You said tonight and now it's not tonight ... SANDY: Okay? SANDY: You bastard! Where are you going? LOIS: I gotta go home.
Exhibit B: every 100 lines
Out of every 100 lines with a known speaker, 25 are women's.
155 lines from women, 465 from men.
- Women
- Men
Exhibit C: who's in it
38 women and 73 men in the cast. 10 women and 18 men from it get lines.
Characters
With lines
- Women
- Men
Exhibit D: who gets heard
The first woman speaks at line 39 of 653.
The longest stretch with no woman speaking runs 43 lines.
Every line of dialogue, first to last
- First line by a woman
- Longest stretch with no woman speaking
Words spoken
Women speak 21% of the words (2,273), men 79% (8,552). Women have 25% of the lines, so their lines run shorter than men's.
Exhibit E: the test the other way
Two named men talk to each other about something besides a woman. It passes the reverse test.
Conversations between two named characters
Two women
4
Two men
40
Exhibit F: behind the camera
3 of the 10 people in these jobs are women.
Across the whole crew, 17% of the people whose gender is listed are women.
- Directed by
- Martin Scorsese (man)
- Written by
- Nicholas Pileggi (man), Martin Scorsese (man)
- Produced by
- Irwin Winkler (man)
- Shot by
- Michael Ballhaus (man)
- Edited by
- Thelma Schoonmaker (woman), James Y. Kwei (man)
- Production design by
- Kristi Zea (woman)
- Costumes by
- Richard Bruno (man)
- Cast by
- Ellen Lewis (woman)
The crew, department by department
-
Sound
1 women, 13 men, 6 not listed
-
Other crew
1 women, 11 men, 3 not listed
-
Art
2 women, 5 men, 3 not listed
-
Costume & Make-Up
3 women, 7 men
-
Production
3 women, 5 men, 1 not listed
-
Camera
0 women, 5 men, 2 not listed
-
Directing
1 women, 4 men, 1 not listed
-
Editing
1 women, 3 men
- Women
- Men
- Gender not listed on TMDB
Exhibit G: how old the stars were
Women: 35 on average. Men: 46 on average.
The top-billed cast, at the film's release.
Women
Lorraine Bracco 35
Men
Ray Liotta 35, Frank Sivero 38, Mike Starr 40, Robert De Niro 47, Joe Pesci 47, Paul Sorvino 51, Tony Darrow 51, Frank Vincent 53, Chuck Low 53
Exhibit H: the money
It made 1.9 times what it cost.
- Budget
- $25 million
- Box office
- $47.1 million
From TMDB, not adjusted for inflation.
About this analysis
Our parser read the script: 144 scenes and 653 lines of dialogue. The bechdeltest.com rating comes from that site’s readers. How the test works
