For most of this season, Ive spent an inordinate amount of time in these recaps bemoaning how Nucky Thompson has turned into a wallflower in his own story. True, this served the greater purpose of building up the riveting Chalky-Dr. Narcisse-Daughter Maitland plot line, but at least in White Horse Pike, Steve Buscemi resumed his role asBoardwalk Empires driving force. In the span of one episode, Nucky went from sleepy elder statesman to Olivia Pope, swooping in from his Sally Wheet-soaked reverie to verbally castrate Narcisse, get Chalky to safety and come out the other side all the wealthier as a one-third partner in a lucrative heroin deal. But even someone like Nucky needs his Gladiators, and after almost four seasons of friction between the Thompson men, the final silent shot of the camera panning away from Nucky, Eli and Willie, going all in on rescuing Chalky gave me an unexpected sense of peace. That, and having the credits roll while Margot Bingham sang (whispered, really) a stark, haunting a cappella rendition of the gospel song River of Jordan ensconced me in a giddy chill over whats to come next week. (Side note: Bingham revealed to me in an interview that River of Jordan was recorded live on set as opposed to in the studio, which gave the performance a gravitas guaranteed to make your heart ache.)
Relive the Worst Acts of Betrayal on Boardwalk Empire
Sally has turned out to be as good a business partner as she is a sexual one, with her tipping off her Atlantic City boy toy to a whole boatload of shenanigans going down in Tampa. Turns out Meyer Lansky, Charlie Luciano and their associate Vincent Petrucelli are smuggling heroin up north via Nuckys trucks and liquor crates. Eli and Agent Knox are dispatched to investigate the convoy, but these two arent making much of a team anymore. In order to avoid ratting out his brother and sending Willie to jail, Eli attempted to pose as an informant and feed Knox false information. Unfortunately, Knox is fastidious enough to do his research, so once he realized he was being duped, he showed up at Elis home posing as an insurance salesman. In a display of pure evil genius, and in his perfect Midwestern cadence, he twists the knife in Elis back by encouraging Willie to thank your father, because he knows that in an instant, tragedy could strike. But Knox wont be resting on his laurels anytime soon: J. Edgar Hoover no longer has any interest in his new weak link to Nucky Thompson, because hes got a new target on the horizon Marcus Garvey. Given that, and regardless of Knoxs threats toward Willie, it remains unclear at the end of the episode if Eli will ultimately double-cross his brother.
Over on the Northside, war is officially declared between Chalky White and Valentin Narcisse. Chalky and a bunch of men unleash a hailstorm of bullets on the United Negro Improvement Association offices. Naturally, because there are still two episodes left in the season, Chalky and Narcisse miraculously survive the bloodbath while the majority of their cronies fall to the ground. Chalky is shot in the shoulder and manages to escape to the local American Legion Hall, where Richard (the Onyx Clubs newest dishwasher looks like Nucky got him a job after all) tends to his wounds. This latest attack released the fury that had been boiling underneath Narcisses composed demeanor all season, as he bursts into the Onyx Clubs private room and demands Chalkys head on a platter from Nucky. Narcisse has proved himself a worthy opponent to Nucky, but despite the Atlantic City boss resistance toward yet another power struggle, hes fed up with this self-righteous interloper and reclaims his role as a full gangster by asking Narcisse in an applause-worthy moment, Who the fuck do you think you are?
But dont think Nuckys going back to the Albatross to relax with a glass of red wine in a white pantsuit after that encounter. The next morning, hes standing over a trembling Lansky, who, along with his heroin, was picked up by Eli and Knox the previous evening. Enraged over his betrayal, Nucky is about to permanently end the Lower East Siders burgeoning mobster career when Lansky entices him with a cut of the heroin business. Before Nucky can sit down with Joe Masseria, though, hes alerted to Chalkys situation and goes to the American Legion Hall for a tte tte. While he believes Chalky was reckless in his actions, Nucky cant deny his loyalty to his friend or so we think. He orders Chalky to not do anything until he sends word.
Next thing we know, Nucky is having a daytime meeting at the Onyx Club with Joe Masseria and his newest partner-in-heroin, dun, dun, dun! Valentin Narcisse. And hes demanding one-third of the business while agreeing to Narcisses terms of full support on the Northside and giving up Chalky White. Wait, huh? Guess Bobbi Flekman was on to something: Money talks and bullshit walks. Well, it was more that Nucky was naive to think that Mayor Bader couldnt be corrupted by anyone but him. Right after his powwow with Masseria and Narcisse, Nucky calls Bader requesting two sheriffs deputies to get Chalky White out of town. The policemen collect Chalky and Maitland, who is still sporting some nasty bruises from last weeks Narcisse-beating but is determined to stay by her lovers side. When Nucky made the call to Bader, he couldnt see the mayors uneasy expression at the other end of the line. But thank God Willie was around to notice Baders hourlong meeting with Narcisse. Demonstrating that hes a natural at gangstering, Willie immediately alerts Nucky to what he saw, and within minutes Nucky is organizing a contingent to rescue Chalky and Maitland. At this point, even Eli cant dismiss Willies integral role in the family business anymore. To Willie, its the only thing that comes organically: Pop, he says. Isnt it what we do?
That is, if Chalky and Maitland can be found. While Maitland softly sings River of Jordan in the back of the police car, the melancholy tone quickly turns to one of fear once Chalky notices the deputies missed the turnoff to Philadelphia. A chaotic struggle ensues with Chalky and Maitland engaging in their own version of Bonnie and Clyde: Chalky shoots the officers while Maitland jumps into the drivers seat, steering them to safety. As the two fugitives dispose of the dead bodies, the camera closes in on the cars headlight, leaving Chalky and Maitlands future both ambiguous yet slightly hopeful. But as much as we enjoy seeing Chalky and Maitland together, theyre leaving behind a big ol mess in Atlantic City that no one will be allowed to forget anytime soon. Sure, Chalky creates way more heat with Maitland than he ever did with Lenore, but when Lester and Maybelle enter the Onyx Club after hours, were reminded of how good chemistry can also be explosive. A sullen Maybelle goes up to the private room, where Narcisse just happens to be cooling his heels. Introducing himself as Richard Pastor, he patiently listens to Chalkys daughter lament her broken engagement and her mothers deep depression, all at the hands of her fathers infidelity. Taking advantage of Maybelles vulnerable state and her reborn desire to lead a more dangerous, exciting life like her daddy, Narcisses leering eyes suggest hes found his next protge.
Tidbits
Im still enjoying Margarets journey from timid housewife to self-sufficient gangster on this show, but her desire to remain cut off from Nucky only makes her story line this season feel shoehorned into the rest of the narrative. Unable to make ends meet at her Wall Street job and living in cramped conditions with her family (Teddy looks like hes sleeping on top of a covered bathtub), Margaret makes a pretty sweet deal with a cash-deficient Arnold Rothstein: Shell commit insider trading (alerting Rothstein to buy or sell his stock at the same time her boss Mr. Bennett, does) in exchange for a rent-free apartment in a safe neighborhood and rooms for the children for five years. Just in time for the stock market to crash, Rothstein to die and for Margaret to be indebted to no one. I earned this, she tells Rothstein when he asks why shell do business with him but not accept money from Nucky. When its over, I owe you nothing.
Previously: Still Sitting
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