re: How ballsy was Spider in Goodfellas?

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It was later revealed it was John Gotti that popped Tommy.

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That's in Pileggi's book "Wiseguy", which Scorsese based the movie off of and by "based the movie of off", I mean "beat for beat remade". Most of Hill's dialogue in the movie is lifted verbatim from Pileggi's book, which makes sense because it's Henry's story in Henry's words and Pileggi co-wrote the screenplay.

Anyway, the book says that it was Gotti's crew that offed Tommy. The guy Tommy killed that just got out of prison was not only a made man but was one of Gotti's men. That detail just didn't make it into the movie.

The Spider stuff was beat for beat down to Tommy complaining because he had to dig the hole.

I highly recommend reading that book. There are nuances the movie just didn't put forth, for whatever reason. Hill's point shaving scheme is the big one.