William Wilson Quotes: Boardwalk Empire

Here are some quotes from “William Wilson” (recap here), the 7th episode of Boardwalk Empire, Season 4.

Nucky Thompson: Could be nothing, Eli.
Eli Thompson: I’m not saying it’s something. I just said it’s odd.
Nucky: JMT?
Eli: There’s something cockeyed about this guy. Who carries around another guy’s handerkerchief?
Nucky: Sid, SID?
Sid: Need something?
Nicky Why the bleep else would I be calling for you? Fred Elliot. Frederick. He’s a supervisor with the Treasury Department. He’s in my book.
Sid: You want his number?
Nucky: I want you to get him on the phone.
Sid: Right. Right-i-o.

Eli: I heard you came back with a black eye.
Nucky: I banged a door.
Eli: They got phones, you know, down Florida, I spoke to McCoy. Just said this Sally, she’s a pistol, is all.
Nucky: McCoy’s a bleeping idiot. I banged a door, that’s all.
Eli: After you banged her.
Sid: Say, Nuck. Elliot’s not there.
Nucky: Did you leave a message?
Sid: That’s the thing. The prohi I talked to, he said Elliot don’t work there no more.

George Remus: Remus asked for hotcakes.
J. Edgar Hoover: May I remind you that you are a federal prisoner.
Remus: Remus is also a cooperating witness.
Knox/Tolliver: So Enoch Thompson. When we spoke in January, you said he was the lynchpin of a nationwide criminal conspiracy.
Remus: That’s what you said. Remus said he was a piece of dogshit.
Esther Randolph: And Mr. Thompson did business with you in Cincinnati?
Remus: Remus rues the day.
J. Edgar Hoover: Stop doing that! … Referring to yourself in the third person.
Remus: Remus will say whatever he pleases.
Hoover: And I will have you transferred to Leavenworth.
Knox/Tolliver: What do you know about Tampa?
Remus: It’s humid.

Johnny Torrio: Why do you want to move on Deanie O’Banion?
Al Capone: For Frank
Torrio: You got nothing that puts O’Banion in that.
Capone: They hit nobody but Frank. What? A whole crowd of people…
Torrio: I have business with Dean O’Banion which you will not impede.

Lucky Luciano: Frankie Yale. They finally run you out of Brooklyn?
Frankie: No, Charlie, I come by for the cake.
Joe Masseria: Vincenzo Petrucelli. He call me on the telephone.
Luciano: I turned it down, Joe.
Masseria: Go back to Tampa. Talk to Petrucelli. Those trucks he send up here with the rum, maybe they carry something for us too.

Doris: Those boys who killed that kid in Chicago… They thought they were supermen who could get away with murder.
Doris: I read Zarasthustra in high school. All that ‘God is dead’ malarkey…
You believe in God, don’t you?
Will: Of course. Why would ask me that?

Dean O’Banion: Your boy, Al, he’s pixelated or something. He won’t listen to reason.
Torrio: But his suspicions regarding you and those cops?
O’Banion: On my mudder, John, I swear. it wasn’t us.

Gaston Means: Impressive set of pipes, isn’t that what the youngsters say?
Nucky Thompson: If you’re willing to do blackface, you can go on after this number.
Gaston Means: What’s wrong, Mr. Thompson? What troubles you so?
Nucky: Ever wake up and have a vague feeling of unease? Like you know something’s wrong but you can’t put your finger on it yet?

Arnold Rothstein (as Abe Redstone): I have the distinct feeling we’ve met somewhere before.
Margaret Thompson (as Mrs. Rohan): I’m sure you’re mistaken. I’d have remembered.
Mr. Bennett: I was just telling Abe here how I put your husband into Anaconda.
Rothstein: And what does your husband do, Mrs. …
Margaret: Rohan… I’m so sorry, Mr. Bennett, I don’t feel well. Excuse me.
Rothstein: Mrs. Thompson, this is Arnold Rothstein calling. Did you receive my gift?

Chalky White: Your cut. Good week.
Valentin Narcisse: I see Miss Maitland is a success.
Chalky: She all right.
Dun Purnsley: She putting asses in them seats.

Gillian Darmody: A gentleman in my boudoir and me — like this, no less.
Roy Phillips: We all carry our own burdens, Gillian.
Gillian: What’s yours?
Roy: Ambition.
Gillian: What’s wrong with that?

Police Officer: Well this is chummy. Dean O’Banion and John Torrio. What is that a peace treaty?
Torrio: A raid, Deanie? The minute you sell me this shithole?
O’Banion: I’m in irons just like you. Quit your griping.

Dunn Purnsley: Mr. White indisposed at present.
Congregation member: That’s cause he out there on that boardwalk disposing himself with the white folk.
Deacon Cuffy: With all due respect, within the past month we’ve had two incidents of young men in the community succumbing to heroin overdoses.
Narcisse: Ladies, gentlemen: I am Dr. Valentin Narcisse. Though I am not from here. I am of here just as I am of anywhere the Libyan makes his home. There is a scourge in our community in the guise of heroin. There is a scourge in the guise of alcohol. The true scourge, however, is not disguised at all. That scourge is apathy on the part of your leaders. I know your Mr. White, know him better than he realizes.

Willie Thompson: I dropped out today.
Eli Thompson: Things get tough so you just quit. What kind of man are you?
Willie: I was the one who made money for this family while you were in jail.
Eli: You’re gonna do as I say.
Willie: Get your hand off me.
Eli: You leave school. You leave this house.
Willie: I’m leaving this house anyway.

Daughter Maitland: So what he say?
Chalky White: You ain’t packing no bags just yet.
Daughter: I wish I wasn’t packing them ever again.
Chalky: What he like?
Daughter: The Doctor?
Chalky: He kin or something?
Daughter: My mother was a prostitute. She was murdered. I saw it. She always put me in the closet with my doll when she had business. Don’t peep. Don’t peek. Sometimes I did. All the ladies had a jar of lye they kept under the bed in case a man got rough, acted the fool. One day I saw her swing that jar. Man screamed so loud, sounded like he got lit on fire…
Chalky: She ain’t take no mess.
Daughter: No. No, she did not. That man choked her till she didn’t move anymore.
Chalky: They catch him?
Daughter: Dr. Narcisse found me. Put his wings around me ever since.
Chalky: You and him ever…?
Daughter: No! He’s a decent man.
Chalky: So what that make me?
Daughter: That make you my man.
Daughter: A year long engagement at the Onyx.
Chalky: Got to think about that.
Daughter: Pharoah can make all things pass.
Chalky: Pharoah ain’t had no partners.
Daughter: Mr. Thompson.
Chalky: He the kind of partner I like … cause he’s the silent kind.
Daughter: Shouldn’t you be getting home?
Chalky: Home is wherever you be, darling.

J. Edgar Hoover: Just recently, after extensive investigative work on my part, I came to a realization that a nationwide criminal conspiracy was at work, undermining the very fabric of our great nation. Bootleggers and murderers from New York to Chicago, from Philadelphia to Atlantic City have formed a network of organized crime, if you will, one that I myself will disband…
Knox/Tolliver: He ‘came to the realization.’ That’s rich. I mean, the gall to say that in front of an entire group of agents, the attorney general, no less … I’m the one running the entire undercover operation.
Gaston Means: Yes, regarding that, Mr. Tolliver, it would be ever so helpful if you would refrain from carrying monogrammed handkerchiefs.
Tolliver Don’t tell me what to do, Means. I’m the only one standing between you and a jail cell.

Dunn Purnsley: Deacon, I need to talk to you. Found out who’s been running that poison around here.
Deacon Cuffy: I know full well, Mr. Purnsley, and I’m on my way to see Mr. White right now.
Dunn: Deacon, please. I’ve seen the error of my way and I’m on the path to righteousness.
Deacon: No, a guilty man will say anything to save his skin.
Dunn: Pray with me, Deacon. Please. Take my hand.

Al Capone: The cops knew to be right there, right then. Just like with our brother, just like with Frank… O’Banion walks away.
Johnny Torrio: I’m tired, Al. It’s been a long bleeping day.
Capone: Need a ride home? Anything?
Torrio: Actually there is one thing I’d like you to do. Kill that Irish bleep.

Valentin Narcisse: What did the spirit divine today?
Daughter Maitland: Chalky, he…
Narcisse: Uh, uh… Mr. White.
Daughter: He doesn’t seem pleased to have to answer to Mr. Thompson.
Narcisse: And you, is he pleased with you?
Daughter: I believe he is.
Narcisse: A babe among the reeds. Your mother, she fought the spirits.
Daughter: She hurt you.
Narcisse: It burned for but an instant. Her pain is everlasting. These hands set her free and set you on your path.
Daughter: Yes, doctor.