“The Ivory Tower” episode two of BOARDWALK EMPIRE saw the first confrontation between Nucky and Agent Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon) while Jimmy meets his mother for the first time since he got back from the war and Margaret returns home from the hospital.
Agent Van Alden confronted Nucky about the death of Margaret Schroeder’s husband Nucky’s own role in Atlantic City as the former sheriff, brother of the current sheriff.
Michael Shannon as Agent Van Alden is the creepiest villain I’ve seen in a long time. A Bible thumping FBI agent, the letter he wrote to his wife was filled with such quiet menace.
Jimmy meets his mother, an extraordinarily young dancer who wears tassels and little else, and gives her a present. Then he goes to Nucky, who tells him he owes a further three thousand dollars and he has forty eight hours to repay. In real life Michael Pitt (Jimmy) and Gretchen Mol (Jimmy’s mother) are nine years apart. Nucky finds himself being ordered to pay one hundred thousand dollars to Arnold Rothstein (who had the creepiest scene of the episode with his billiard balls monologue).
Margaret returns home from the hospital after accepting money from Elias, Nucky’s sheriff of a brother. She’s barely set her hat down before Agent Van Alden is knocking at her door. Margaret’s reaction, her face still bruised from her husband’s last beating, at Agent Van Alden’s “I’m sure your husband was a fine and decent man” was brilliant.
Was there anything sadder than the Commodore’s maid’s delivery of “Sorry commodore, I’m not versed in these matters”?
Margaret returns to Nucky and gives him back the money he gave her. The money weighed too heavily on her conscience. She mentions Nucky’s wife (can you recognise the woman in the photographs? Ever seen Deadwood?) Margaret is revealed to be very well self-educated. She’s a strange character; diminutive and fragile in everything but spirit.
Jimmy pays Nucky back the money, and he immediately throws it away on a meaningless bet.
Meanwhile, George, driving his young lady friend home after she refused to give up the goods, finally got what he wanted…only to have the elusive fifth man from last week’s heist stumble bloody out of the woods.
What did you think of Boardwalk Empire this week? Let me know in the comments below!
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