Boardwalk Empire S4E7
WARNING: This review contains spoilers.
The return of Mellon, Remus, Esther, Means, and Torrio. That's good Boardwalk Empire.
This episode covered a lot of ground, from Chicago to New York. Al Capone (Stephen Graham) is trying to provoke a war in Chicago with the cops! And he wants O'Bannion's head on a stick. Johnny Torrio (Greg Antonacci) puts a leash on the vengeful Capone and continues to work a deal with O'Bannion. Torrio buys a brewery from O'Bannion, but as he is closing the deal, the cops show up and arrest everybody. When Torrio gets out on bail, he orders O'Bannion's demise to a gleeful Capone. Something tells me that George MuellerAlden (Michael Shannon) will be updating his LinkedIn account soon.
Chalky (Michael Kenneth Williams) is head over heels and smitten with Daughter Maitland. And Maitland happens to still be working for the prostitute mother-killer Narcisse (Jeffrey Wright). Narcisse has some weird scars on his chest, so I guess we'll find out about the dark past of this season's antagonist.
Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg) is using a fake name and trying to work an angle on the boiler room investment firm where, coincidentally, Margaret (Kelly Macdonald) is working. After an awkward meeting, Margaret and Rothstein agree to keep their chance meeting a secret. Oddly, Rothstein is trying to invest in a REIT. I wonder if the Tampa development is one of the investments. Writers, I see what you did there.
Lucky (Vincent Piazza) gets called to his principal's office, where he is concerned that Joe Massiera (Ivo Nandi) is upset that he was considering partnering with Lansky on the Nucky/Petrocelli land/liquor deal. But Massiera is not upset, he wants Lucky to go back to Tampa and work out a deal where the liquor shipments from Tampa to the North include heroin.
Heroin plays a major role in Boardwalk's fourth season. Gillian (Gretchen Mol) is kicking her habit, thanks to a kind Roy Powers (Ron Livingston). The Piggly Wiggly executive tells Gillian that all people have their burdens, and explains that his burden is ambition, which has cost him his family. He tells her that he filed for divorce the day after he met her. So the Gillian/Roy relationship is headed for happiness. Except Gillian is tragic figure, and she will screw this up somehow.
Dunn Purnsley (Eric LaRay Harvey) is filling in for the bedded Chalky, with Narcisse in attendance at Deacon Cuffy's church. The local folks are concerned that the scourge of heroin is poisoning and killing their young, and they demand Purnsley/Chalky take care of it. Narcisse seizes the opportunity to expand the membership of the United Negro Improvement Association. And Purnsley slays Deacon Cuffy when Cuffy threatens to talk to Chalky about Dunn's role in the local heroin trade.
Willie is bored with getting naked with Doris and school. So he drops out after not knowing much about the titular reference. There is a doppleganger reference in the short story that bears resemblance to Willie's roommate taking the fall for Willie's poisoning of Bucky, aka Chet Donnelly. Eli is furious, and slaps the boy, then gets drunk and tells Nucky to stay out of his family affairs. Nucky lets Willie stay at the Albatross overnight, so that Eli can sober up.
Young J. Edgar Hoover is promoted to FBI Director by Andrew Mellon (James Cromwell) and takes the credit for discovering that there is a national crime syndicate. Agent Knox, aka Jim Tolliver, is upset that Hoover is taking credit for his investigation. An investigation confirmed by third-person comedian Remus. Gaston Means (Stephen Root) is back and playing both sides, working with Nucky and Knox. And Esther Randolph (Julianne Nicholson) is speaking for the Attorney General when she tells Hoover that her boss would be interested in a takedown of the organized crime participants.
This show is so good, its easily taken for granted that this ensemble cast is working with some of the best writing and direction in drama television. We are at the point in the season where the chess pieces have moved into place, and the offensive can begin.
Random Thoughts:
- We all know the Gillian/Roy thing will lead him to glory in World War II.
- I agree with Eli, what kind of man quits school? And leaves an unsatisfied naked Doris?
- The Rothstein sighting at Margaret's investment firm is intriguing. Is he broke, and trying to hustle some poker money? Or is he playing a longer con?
What did you think?
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