Boardwalk Empire

As promised, here is my review.  Although the show covers five seasons, I did not watch them all back to back (binge watching is NOT my scene), so the only segment of the show still fresh in my memory is season 5.  In addition to avoiding spoilers, this keeps the analysis brief and to the point. 

In 1919, Congress passed the Volstead Act, which gave us the Eighteenth Amendment and what we now know as Prohibition, in which alcohol was banned throughout the entire United States.  It took effect on January 1, 1920.  In 1933 the Blaine Act, giving us the Twenty-First Amendment, finally repealed Prohibition, although many individual so-called “dry” counties in the US retain Prohibition.

In Atlantic City, New Jersey, according to HBO, some guy named Enoch “Nucky” Thompson (Steve Buscemi) not merely controlled liquor business coming and going – with the help of his younger brother Eli (Shea Wigham – who played Philip K. Dick himself in “Radio Free Albemuth" and is 11 days older than me) – but also branched out to business in Chicago, NYC, and even Tampa Bay, Florida.   He’s loosely based on Nucky Johnson, who held a similar position at the same time and place.  However, Johnson didn’t go nearly far as Thompson; he simply took a cut of the illegal alcohol business in Atlantic City.   By divorcing Thompson from Johnson, the producers gave themselves the leeway to expand Thompson beyond Johnson’s historical activities.

The show also features historical characters:  J. Edgar Hoover, Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, “Lucky Luciano”, Arnold Rothstein, and many other contemporary gangsters.   That being the case, watching the show we knew it would have to adhere to the facts for these characters, e.g. Rothstein dies in 1928 (off-camera), Capone is only taken down by tax evasion charges, etc.  The narrative ends in 1931, with Franklin Roosevelt promising to end Prohibition if elected, but we don’t see the Blaine Act go into effect before Season 5 ends with Episode 8. Thus with the exception of the very beginning of the show, taking place the evening of December 31, 1919, the entire span of the show is under Prohibition. 

Buscemi does an excellent job as Thompson, remaining somewhat likable throughout the entire show.  He’s periodically estranged from his wife, Margaret, and on again off again with his brother, and even with his nephew.  As gangsters go, he’s fairly astute and mostly honest, though given his line of work there’s a limit to how honorable he can be. 

There are 5 seasons, of which the first four are a mostly linear narrative.  Season 5 gives us some background of Nucky Thompson as a young man growing up in Atlantic City in the 1880s, looking after his younger brother and enduring an abusive father.  He works his way to assistant sheriff and sheriff, not quite reaching his current position by the end of the season and show.  It’s interwoven with present-day (early 1930s) Nucky traveling to Tampa Bay, Florida, and a major conflict with the federal forces, led by J. Edgar Hoover, who are becoming more aggressive at taking down the mob. 

Major (Fictional) Characters

Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi).  Very much in his element.  Usually he seems pissed off or mildly amused.

Eli Thompson (Shea Wigham).  His younger brother and inherited the job of sheriff of Atlantic City.  Although loyal, sometimes he acts resentful.  Whatever.

Margaret Thompson (Kelly MacDonald).  Nucky’s patient, smart, beautiful and attractive wife.  I liked her whenever she was on the screen.

Richard Harrow (Jack Huston).  A veteran of the AEF (US forces in WWI), he had half his face blown off and wears a mask.  He can be counted on to kill whoever needs to be killed.  His quiet nature and glasses hide his deadly effectiveness.

Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon).  A mistreated and abused Federal agent who eventually establishes a secret life among the gangsters.  He’s the kind of guy who can take it up to a point and then finally explodes with predictable results.  Apparently the show gave Shannon a huge boost, as I’m seeing him all around these days. 

Gilliam Darmody (Gretchen Mol).  The madam of the local brothel, formerly an extremely underage consort of the Commodore, Nucky’s prior boss who taught him all the ropes.  As a result, she looks young enough to be her son Jimmy’s sister, much less his mother.

Gyp Rosetti (Bobby Cannavale).  A hotheaded rival to Nucky in Season 3.

The Wire.  Michael Kenneth Williams, who know as Omar on “The Wire”, is Chalky White here, a black gangster in an era when blacks weren’t exactly calling the shots.  Domenick Lombardozzi, who we know as Herc on “The Wire”, plays Ralph Capone, the brother of Al Capone.   

Historical Characters:  J. Edgar Hoover, Al Capone, Meyer Lansky, Arnold Rothstein, Lucky Luciano.  Whereas you’re not going to be able to predict the fate of fictional characters, a quick check on Wikipedia can tell you what will happen to the historical characters.  Again, this makes the decision to divorce Thompson from his real life equivalent much smarter.

Buscemi and the writers do a remarkable job of pushing Nucky to the extreme, how ruthless and ambitious he can be without losing our sympathy.  Of course, assorting with the real-life gangsters serves to improve his standing, relatively. 

Atlantic City, New Jersey.  I suppose a personal note would be in order herein.  Obviously, having been born in 1969, I am not in a position to comment on personal experiences in 1895 or 1920-31, but I have been there several times during my own lifetime, starting with a Jeopardy audition with my brother and followed by a few visits with Ms. Panda in more recent years.  That includes, at some point, a visit to the Taj Mahal hotel and several casinos, the beaches, and a Blake Shelton concert on the beach itself.  I prefer to keep my money in my pockets at casinos, and fortunately everyone else’s poor judgment subsidizes the prices for most everything else (though that may only be in Las Vegas).  Unlike Vegas, located in the middle of the Nevada desert (though a three hour drive from L.A.), AC at least has beaches.  Plus it’s about a 90 minute drive from the NYC area.  I find it campy and entertaining enough to visit occasionally, but I wouldn’t care to live there….