HBO's Boardwalk Empire follows the story of one of the most elusive politicians in United States History, Enoch Johnson. Formerly known as Nucky Thompson on the show played by the ever so cunning Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire dives into the depths of organized crime during 1920s Prohibition, earning Buscemi his one and only Golden Globe for the potrayal of one of the saddest characters in modern television history. The story focuses mainly on Thompson's control of Atlantic City set in 1919 on the eve of Prohibition with the pilot episode and criminals that spawned from the illegal trade of alcohol. Other gangsters appear in the show as well, such as Charles "Lucky" Luciano (played by Vincent Piazza), Meyer Lansky (played by Anatol Yusef), and last but not least Al Capone (played brilliantly by Stephen Graham). The thing that makes this show so interesting is the fact that it always stood in the shadow of perhaps TV's greatest show to ever air, Breaking Bad; so even though it didn't get as much recognition as it should have it's still a great show to watch. Stephen Graham put on one of the most realest performances an actor can ever hope to accomplish as rough and tough Al Capone, during the midst of the Roaring Twenties. Boardwalk Empire brought real emotion, real characters, and real events to the forefront and it worked. A memory I'm sure no one will ever forget is that hilarious last scene with Nelson Van Alden (played by Michael Shannon) punching Capone in the face and teaching him a religious lesson.
We also can't forget Shea Whigham or Buscemi who as brothers, showed what would have happened *SPOILER ALERT* had Michael not killed Fredo in The Godfather Part II. Boardwalk Empire literally centers on what was once a busy, wild, and illustrious gangster filled city. When you really think about it too, Atlantic City was considered the Las Vegas before there even was a Las Vegas. These days it's not so filled, due to Hurricane Sandy and the 2008 financial crisis which brought down many casino moguls. By the time you're reading this article you're probably wondering when I would mention Ben Siegel who's known for building the first casino in Vegas, the Flamingo Hotel. The final season of Boardwalk Empire has plenty of Siegel in it too don't worry! Even though many fans of the show would not consider Kelly MacDonald a great piece of the puzzle (who plays Buscemi's counterweight and fiery Irish wife Margaret) she really brought it home in the final season. The kiss her and Buscemi shared together is something I have always wanted in a relationship, real happiness. Written with particular detail and historical meaning, Terrence Winter did a great job of offering us a glimpse into what the 1920s and even early 1930s during The Great Depression was like for many Americans. While over 30% of America's workforce was out of the job, gangsters took it upon themselves to fill that income gap.
Now you're probably wondering why I decided to mention this spectacular series and it's because HBO is having an auction which started today. Everything from Nucky's pinstripe suit in the opening credits to Richard Harrow's mask will be available for purchase so bid farewell gangster fans.
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