Boardwalk Empire: Battle of the Century Review

In Season 2, Episode 21 of Boardwalk Empire,” Nucky Thompson and Owen Slater travel to Ireland to trade tommy guns for Irish whiskey. Jimmy does business with George Remus and tells Waxey Gordon Manny Horvitz’ elimination is not his problem. Dunn Purnsley is back in Atlantic City stirring up trouble of a different kind, and all this takes place against the backdrop of the Jack Dempsey-Georges Carpentier “Fight of the Century.” Contrasted against the adult intrigue, a worse calamity strikes when Margaret’s daughter Emily is diagnosed with polio.

What’s In Your Coffin?

In Belfast, Ireland, Nucky and Owen present their credentials to customs. Nucky is (ostensibly) there to bury his father “in the land of his birth.” When the officer asks if it was an accident, Nucky replies. “Natural causes.” The inspector was referring to Nucky’s hand, still bandaged after the shooting. Nucky jokes he got it caught “in the wrong cookie jar.” That goes over like a lead balloon. “They have cookie jars here, don’t they?” Nucky asks Owen. The inspector welcomes them “to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.” Owen feels compelled to remark: “God save his majesty, George V,” (King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland — and the British Dominions and Emperor of India). And the rest of the visit doesn’t go that well either.

Back in Atlantic City, Margaret learns via Western Union that Nucky had a safe voyage. Katy marvels the trip to Ireland took 6 short days. “They’re called steamships, Katy,” Margaret rudely replies, giving herself airs. Lillian comes in to say Emily won’t get out of bed. Margaret goes to the childrens’ room and tries to coddle her out of bed. Game-playing turns to alarm when Emily really can’t move her legs. Frantically, Margaret orders Katy to fetch Dr. Surran. He thinks Emily has polio and wants Teddy out of the immediate vicinity until he can examine him later. Emily will have to be quarantined at the children’s hospital immediately.

More on Polio in 1921

George Remus visits Jimmy Darmody at his beachhouse. Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky and a bruised and battered Mickey Doyle are there, when Remus arrives with Al Capone. It’s clearly Jimmy’s first encounter with Remus’ annoying habit of referring to himself in the third person. They talk business and make Remus an offer he can’t refuse, as long as he gets the money upfront and Jimmy’s footing the bills for the weekend. They gloat over the millions they stand to make until Lansky points out that Manny Horvitz still wants his money. (Manny wasn’t as smart as Remus about getting paid unfront, and neither were the old codgers who first bankrolled Jimmy, come to think about it). Jimmy refuses to pay Horvitz. Doyle again warns Jimmy he’s messing with the wrong fella: “He’s no milksop,” but “Grand Poobah” Jimmy insists he will take care of it. Capone, Luciano and Lansky leave for Jersey City and the Dempsey fight. Jimmy declines their invite, saying he will listen to it on the wireless.

A discussion of the fight is also taking place in Belfast between Nucky and a man in the embalming room of a funeral home. Nucky says Dempsey has 13 pounds on Georges Carpentier. The man says Carpentier is a puncher who knocked out “Britain’s best” (Joe Beckett) in 75 seconds. Nucky calls Beckett a bum. The conversation is cut short by the arrival of John McGarrigle who can’t believe his eyes when the coffin is opened to reveal a huge stash of Thompson submachine guns. As awestruck as he may be, McGarrigle isn’t at all eager to make a deal, and tells Nucky he’ll have to take it up with his superiors.

Meantime, the real funeral of Ethan Thompson is taking place in Atlantic City and Chief Investigator Clifford Lathrop is scoping it out with binoculars. Ethan is laid to rest beside his wife Elenore, who died in 1903.

Dog Food Afternoon

We first met Dunn Purnsley in Ourselves Alone when he got his ass kicked but good for messing with Chalky White in jail. Now Dunn is working at the Ritz Carlton kitchen. In addition to washing dishes, he’s still doing what he does best, baiting folks. Dunn complains about the “dog food” lunch and mocks the other workers as “Uncle Toms,” grateful for anything the white man will throw their way. The manager notices the discussion and threatens to fire Dunn if he says another word. Unintimidated, Dunn continues to make snide remarks and later reports to Chalky that the Ritz Carlton kitchen staff is ready to rebel as soon as he gives the word.

At the Children’s Seashore House, it’s more than Margaret can bear as she watches Emily being prepped for a spinal tap to be done by infantile paralysis authority, Dr. Holt. She begs Dr. Surran to let her go to Emily’s side, but Surran reminds her the disease is highly contagious and if she doesn’t care about herself, she should care about those she could possibly infect.

Investigator Lathrop and Esther Randolph are more than just colleagues. But even after a roll in the hay, Randolph is all business. She lights up a smoke and proceeds to read the Van Alden file. She asks Lathrop if Enoch Thompson strikes him as a murderer. Lathrop thinks Nucky is dirty but he also thinks Van Alden’s got a screw loose. “… these prohis aren’t real lawmen — they’re Katzenjammer cops,” he says, “He’s got Thompson ordering 12 homicides with no proof.” Murders aside, Randolph thinks Van Alden will be useful in proving Volstead violations. Then Lathrop tells her about the real location of Ethan Thompson’s funeral today. Randolph is a bit pissed, probably more at being bamboozled by Nucky for a travel waiver than at Lathrop’s tardy disclosure. “Belfast,” Randolph mutters, “God only knows what he’s doing over there.”

Nucky is demolishing a grandfather clock with a Tommy gun. “Fifty rounds per magazine, 45 caliber,” Nucky informs his audience. The men take turns inspecting the weapon. One thinks Nucky invented it and it’s named after him. “No, just a happy coincidence,” McGarrigle talks about the truce the English have offered and an argument ensues. “I’ll keep fightin’ if I must and make peace if it’s wise,” McGarrigle says. When he leaves, Nucky learns that McGarrigle recently lost a son in the fighting. “Shot square between the eyes,” Fitzgerald, the distillery owner says. He then invites Nucky for a drink.

At Jimmy’s, Richard Harrow wants to know what happened at Babette’s last week. Jimmy thinks he means Doyle and says it was just a gag, meant to keep Doyle in line, but Harrow seems to think Jimmy was making fun of him by saying he would meet “a nice girl and settle down.” Jimmy assures him he was serious. The exchange is interrupted by the arrival of Waxey Gordon and henchman, Alfred, who is busy picking his teeth. Jimmy offers Waxey information about how two of his men met their maker. He admits to being there when Herman Kaufman bought it but pins the murder on Manny Horvitz. Gordon wants to know if Jimmy has a problem with the elimination of Horvitz. He doesn’t.

Everything little Emily owned or had contact with must now be destroyed. Even her favorite doll must go on the bonfire in the backyard. Margaret and Teddy watch her belongings burn through a window. Poor Teddy wonders if Emily will die “like Daddy. Margaret curtly admonishes him to never say such a think again. “I’m sorry,” he says contritely. You’ve got to feel really bad for him too. What’s the kid supposed to think if they are burning all his sister’s things? All the catechism lessons in the world won’t help little Teddy with Margaret and Nucky as his primary caretakers. One of the maids heads out with a suitcase. Margaret shows more concern over that than Teddy. “We’re taking every precaution,” she pleads but Pauline says she has her own kids to worry about.