Sunday Best Quotes: Boardwalk Empire

Here are some quotes from “Sunday Best,” the Easter Sunday episode of Boardwalk Empire (Season 3), and just for the record, Easter Sunday in 1923 was on April 24th.

Some alone time often works wonders:

  • Gillian Darmody: You did as I said?
  • Richard Harrow: The only one still in the house is the cook.
  • Gillian Darmody: This event of yours —
  • Harrow: It’s for the men from the Legion Hall.
  • Gillian: I suppose you have some sort of bond with them — trenches and such —
  • Harrow: I wasn’t in the trenches. I was a sharpshooter.
  • Gillian: In any case, Tommy’s not to be subjected to any rough language. The first sign of crude behavior, you’re to leave. Take him to the Blenheim. They set a proper Easter table there. There’s $10 in my purse. Go on.
  • Harrow: How are you feeling?
  • Gillian: Murderous. A man has no idea what we go through every month.
  • Harrow: Can I help?
  • Gillian: I just want to be left alone and sit in the dark. A terrible day for business anyway — all these family gatherings. Makes the customers feel guilty.

Good memories make good politicians:

  • Emily Schroeder: Kathleen, Nora, Anne, Edith, Brian, Patrick, Dermot and the oldest is Willie.
  • Teddy Schroeder: How do you know their names?
  • Emily. Mama told me. It’s not hard to remember.
  • Teddy: Who’s our uncle again?
  • Emily: Um, um — I know everybody’s name by heart.
  • Nucky Thompson: You’ll make a fine politician someday.
  • Teddy Schroeder: A girl can’t be a politician.
  • Nucky: Doesn’t England have queens?
  • Margaret Thompson: Are we all ready? Then let’s go meet your cousins.
  • Nucky: Patrick.
  • Brian Thompson: Brian.

Remember your sister?

  • Tommy Darmody: Is this where your sister lives?
  • Richard Harrow: I told you I have a sister?
  • Tommy: You don’t remember anything. You have a sister and a daddy and a mama and they live on a farm.
  • Harrow: In Wisconsin.
  • Tommy: Is that here?
  • Harrow: This is Michigan Avenue — not the same thing. How do I look?
  • Tommy: You need to fix your glasses.

What a surprise:

  • Roger McAllister: You always leave your front door open?
  • Gillian: That depends on who I’m expecting.
  • Roger: Is this really where you live?
  • Gillian: My late husband left it to me.
  • Roger: So you’re rich?
  • Gillian: Darling, I can barely keep the lights on.
  • Roger: Why don’t you sell out. I’ll bet you’ll do all right.
  • Gillian: Did you come all the way over to talk about real estate?

Grace before Meals:

  • Nucky Thompson: Eli, can I get a drink?
  • Eli Thompson: Right this second?
  • Nucky: Do I need an appointment?
  • Eli: I promised June — not before sundown. Not in the house. I gotta tell ya — keeps your head clear.
  • Nucky: Preaching temperance now?
  • Eli: Look, Nucky, I’m glad you came. We don’t have to talk about anything. All I want is for us to have a nice dinner. Can we do that?
  • Emily: Bless us O Lord and…
  • Margaret Thompson: these thy gifts.
  • Emily: And these thy gifts which we are about to receive from thy boun–
  • Margaret: From thy bounty.
  • Emily and Margaret: Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
  • June Thompson: We’ve been through some hard times and I want Uncle Nucky to know we’re grateful for all that he’s done for us. We’re grateful to have him back at our table after so long. We’re grateful to meet Margaret at last… what I love about spring, how everything starts growing again when it’s all been so gray… (breaks down)

On Michigan Ave

  • Paul Sagorsky: Tell me this, kid.
  • Tommy Darmody: Shoot.
  • Paul Sagorsky: Who the hell are you and why are you at my table?
  • Julia Sagorsky: Dad!
  • Tommy: Momma’s sick so we came to eat here.
  • Paul Sagorsky: Of all the days on the calendar, this one takes the cake. He dies, comes back to life, disappears for 2000 years. But don’t worry, he’ll turn up again. Hmmph. Suckers!
  • Neighbor Guest: There’s a child at the table.
  • Paul Sagorsky: (to Tommy) Am I shocking you? (Tommy shakes his head no). All this nonsense in their heads. Man in the sky. Everlasting life. Ten years later, we dump them on some godforsaken shore with a rifle in their hands waiting to get their heads blown off. What good is Jesus then? (to Harrow) What good did He do you?
  • Harrow: Just because you don’t believe in something, doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
  • Julia Sagorsky: Mr. Harrow, can you help me with something in the kitchen?
  • Paul Sagorsky: Put an apron on him.
  • Richard Harrow (saying grace while eating alone, without his mask): Keep us ever mindful of the needs of others. Amen.

SUNDAY BEST RECAP

Chez Rosetti

  • Gyp Rosetti: Let’s start.
  • Gianconda Rosetti: What are we — cats in an alley? (Gyp says grace in Italian)

Club Artemis

  • Roger McAllister: Father, Son, Holy Ghost, who eats the fastest, gets the most.
  • Gillian Darmody: Did you think that up yourself?
  • Roger: I’ve been all over…
  • Gillian: Such an adventurer. You make me feel so timid.
  • Roger: I’ll tell you what. You put this mausoleum up on the block. We hit the road with the stash, have us a fine old time.
  • Gillian: I thought you came here for work.
  • Roger: Who wants to do that if you don’t have to?
  • Gillian: You wouldn’t be trying to take advantage of a lonely widow, would you?

Egg Hunt Memories

  • Willie Thompson: He hides them in the same place every year.
  • Eli Thompson: What I always think about is this — Mom putting out three red eggs.
  • Nucky Thompson: I remember dad keeping the money himself.
  • Eli: Still up for that drink?

Getting to know you:

  • Margaret Thompson: You make it seem easy –. managing a brood of eight.
  • June Thompson: There are moments I just want to lie down and shut the door. But, then there are days like this, and I think this is how life is supposed to be.
  • Margaret: Ethan was a difficult man. And their mother. You never met her. Eleanor was the sweetest woman, but like a wisp. A breeze might blow her away. Nucky held them together.
  • Margaret: He doesn’t discuss such things with me.
  • June: That’s how he is. All on the inside. But he has a good heart.
  • Margaret: He has a mistress — an actress in New York. He’s there half the week. We hardly talk. He’s involved in doings I can’t bear to think about. He blames me. I blame him, and I feel like the life is being pressed out of me.
  • June: You brought pineapple upside down.
  • Margaret: Yes. I hope everyone likes it.

Getting to know your politics:

  • Paul Sagorsky: I’ll tell you what they are. Hayseed crooks with their hands in the till — started with Forbes. If there’s any justice, which there isn’t, they’ll put the whole cabinet in the hoosegow.
  • Dinner guest: Who’d you vote for Paul.
  • Paul Sagorsky: Eugene V. Debs.
  • Dinner guest: You voted for a Bolvshevik.
  • Harrow: Debs is a Socialist.
  • Paul Sagorsky: (to Tommy, who is on his way to the bathroom) Make sure you aim that pistol straight into the bowl. You got me?

Being a knight ain’t cheap

  • Eli Thompson: Go to church this morning?
  • Nucky Thompson: I had to. I’m a knight now.
  • Eli: How’d you manage that?
  • Nucky: It helps to lose an awful lot of money.

About your mate

  • Roger: So what was he like — the guy you got hitched to for all this?
  • Gillian: We knew each other since we were children, though I was older than he…
  • Roger: What happened to him?
  • Gillian: He walked out one night and I never saw him again.

Toys that matter

  • Julia Sagorsky: He’s a kid, Dad, and Freddy’s things don’t matter.
  • Paul Sagorsky: They matter to me. He’s my son! They matter to me! They matter more than this freak you invited.
  • Julia: Mr. Harrow is a guest in our house!
  • Paul Sagorsky: They matter more than you.
  • Harrow: Paul, let go of him right now.
  • Paul Sagorsky: Or what?
  • Harrow: Or… I’ll kill you.
  • Paul Sagorsky: Get out of my house. You’re all a bunch of goddam strangers. Every one of you!

Collections are bigger on Easter Sunday

  • Gyp Rosetti: (addressing the crucifix in church) I’m what? A mistake You made — like some leftovers? … And I’m supposed to go through my life — no friendship, no love, till I’m pissing in my bed, coughing up blood on the sheets. Then I’ll know, right? Then it’ll all be clear! Put it in front of me, take it away. WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? Just to screw with me? What kind of sick bleep thinks that way? …
  • Priest: Are you all right?
  • Gyp: I’m praying.
  • Priest: You’re yelling.
  • Gyp: Can I ask you something?
  • Priest: Of course.
  • Gyp: Where’s God keep the rest of it? ANSWER ME! GET THE MONEY!

A special bath featuring “lovely” heroin

We may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made from Amazon.com links at no cost to our visitors. Learn more: Affiliate Disclosure.

  • Gillian Darmody: Prepare to be enchanted — do you like it?
  • Roger McAllister: Beats a 10 cent bathhouse by a country mile.
  • Gillian: Close your eyes and relax. I’m going to make you feel very good.
  • Roger: What did you just do?
  • Gillian: Don’t concern yourself.
  • Roger: What is this?
  • Gillian: Something special for you.
  • Richard Harrow: Are you feeling better?
  • Gillian: My son is dead. And nothing on earth will ever bring him back.
Share

You may also like...