Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014): Season 1, Episode 8 - Hold Me in Paradise - full transcript

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

Well, who was it?

Fella got off on the wrong floor.
He was drunk.

The General Motors convention.

That's it? There's nobody else out there?

That waiting room's packed
when Nucky's in town.

I don't get it.
It's not like the city's closed for business.

When he's away, I'm in charge.
What's so complicated?

People are funny. Creatures of habit.

They need a favor,
they know Nucky's the man to see.

Get me some coffee.



You don't think I can do what he does?

The glad-handing, the backslapping?

I'll buy a nickel joke book
down at the five and dime,

I'll be the toast of the town myself.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Oh.

Oh, what?

I forgot! Nuck's in Chicago.

And I'm here, so what do you want?

This Friday,

my daughter's being fitted for her leg braces.

I was hoping to take the day,

have someone else make my collections.

- Who usually fills in?
- Neary.



But with the indictment,

I got his route now, too.

Your kid has polio?

Take the day off. Be with your girl.

Are you sure?

I just said it, didn't I?
Why would I not be sure?

Thanks.

- Good day, sir.
- Here you go.

Thank you, sir.

My wire specifically requested
the presidential suite.

I'm sorry, sir.
General Wood has also made that request.

- He's jumping the gun a bit, isn't he?
- Sir?

General Wood is only a candidate
for president.

Oh, yes, of course.

The ambassador suite
is quite lovely as well, sir.

Fine, then give Wood the ambassador

and bring my bags
up to the presidential suite.

Sir, I...

Let me tell you the difference
between me and General Wood.

He is a war hero, former Army chief of staff

and practically a shoo-in
for the Republican presidential nomination.

I, on the other hand, am a magnificent tipper.

I'd like a bucket of ice

and three bottles of Canadian Club
waiting in the parlor.

Please make yourself comfortable
while we prepare the suite.

All this empty space,
I wonder where they hide the hooch.

Well, if it isn't Marley's Ghost.

Senator Edge,
whatever brings you to Chicago?

Oh, I don't know.

I heard the Republicans
were throwing a little shindig.

Thought I'd drop by.

Grab the VP nod while you're here?

I hadn't actually considered that,

but now that you mention it...

(LAUGHS)

How are you, Nuck?

Well, I can't complain,
but that doesn't mean I won't.

I'm wondering if you'd do me a favor.

Harry Daugherty's
hosting a reception tonight.

He asked me to drop by.

Warren Harding's campaign manager?

- Who cares about Harding?
- Well, nobody.

But Daugherty's a good man to know.

If you'd go on my behalf?
I have a pressing engagement.

Well, don't press on her too hard, Walter.

You know me well, my friend.

I do, indeed.

We're gonna take this thing, Nucky.

And as soon as we do, the sky's the limit.

The sky?

I'm only interested in the roads,
Mr. Vice President.

So you'll see Daugherty?

You know me, I'll see 'em all.

You're a real pal, Nuck.

- Gentlemen.
- Senator.

The senator seems in a good humor.

Go check on the room.

- Peridot.
- Is that what it's called?

Not emeralds, but not nothing.

Do you think he picked it himself?

I don't know.

Either he's got better taste in women's jewelry
than a red-blooded man should,

or someone's doing his shopping for him.

Mr. Kessler, perhaps.

- The little bochey fellow?
- Mmm-hmm.

What's he got hidden under his woolens?

The Kaiser's mustache.

You are a terrible influence.

MARGARET: How is your Harry?

ANNABELLE: My Harry's fine. How's yours?

(LAUGHS)

We should get some more cream cakes.

Oh, why not?
We can bring them back for the children.

Not so bad sometimes, is it?

What?

The whole ball of wax.

- Margaret.
- Madam Jeunet.

You must assist me.

- In what?
- Where'd you go?

Everybody knows everybody. Isn't that swell?

- How's tricks, Lucy?
- Don't act like you care.

She wishes to make a large purchase,
but her credit...

Mr. Thompson has made clear
that he no longer...

What are you two whispering about?

Americans don't whisper.

I have asked Margaret to help me to explain...

Ah, she'll help.

She's very helpful.

Aren't you, Mrs. MacDougal?

Schroeder.

Is that Irish for "bitch"?

You are not at your best now
and you should leave.

You're in charge of the lobby now, too?

- Lucy.
- My old friend Annabelle.

You wouldn't steer me wrong, would you?

- No, I wouldn't.
- You're about as phony as that wig.

Miss Danziger, you must stop now.

You think that he's your friend?

You think you understand him?

And what if I did?

Then you're the dumbest Dora I ever met.

(WOMEN GASPING)

The next time won't be nearly as pleasant.

What do you think?

She looks pretty.

The grocery bill. It's overdue.

- How much is it?
- Nearly $11, dear.

Hello, Tommy.

Did you check the box?

I saw the postman as well.

There was nothing else.

Perhaps it's time you get a job.

My friend Mary said the same thing.

Have you considered selling Little Dot?

- I'm not sure what that is.
- It's a perfume company.

The ladies who go door to door?

Some of their fragrances
are really quite lovely.

The Violet, Lily of the Valley.

I don't think it's for me.

That's right,

you bohemian types go au naturel.

I've worn perfume.

I was talking about the job.

There's an art dealer in New York.

Greenwich Village.

And he's agreed to look at my work

with an eye toward selling it.

- Oh, really?
- There are no guarantees, of course.

- But Mary...
- Your friend.

Yes.

She thinks I have a good chance.

You could take a stenography course as well,
you know.

- Sir?
- Yes?

We got another one.

FALLON: I haven't confirmed it yet,

but word on the street is the D.A.
Is sniffing around some of the White Sox.

Then he'd be wise to put
a clothes-pin on his nose.

Any idea which players?

Cicotte and Jackson, near as I can tell.

Get the farm boys to spill their milk,
is that the idea?

(PHONE RINGING)

(RECEPTIONIST SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

It doesn't matter what they say
if Attell won't talk.

Will he?

(SIGHS)

He's already been flapping his gums.

And if the D.A. Pulls him in?

He may be able to take a punch,

but put him in a witness chair
and Abe Attell will fold like hot laundry.

Give it to me again.

Baseball is the heart of America.

As a patriot, I would never do anything

- to degrade our...
- Besmirch.

It's better.

To besmirch our national pastime.

Ladies and gentlemen, this entire ugly affair

began when Abe Attell
and some other cheap gamblers

approached me to fix the World Series.

A sordid scheme
which every newsboy on Broadway knows

I turned down flat.

And not only was I not in on the deal,

I furthermore did not bet
one red cent on the Series

after I found out what was underway.

Isn't it true, sir, that a man named
Sport Sullivan approached you as well?

I'm approached by people every day

with all manner of harebrained schemes.

Certainly, suffering fools

can't be illegal.

(CHUCKLING)

You know it's not too late
to go to law school, Arnold.

I prefer to make my living honestly.

- Never get close to a majority.
- Absolutely.

And with Coolidge on the ticket,
I think he has...

- Sir?
- Nucky Thompson.

I'm looking for Harry Daugherty.

Right over there.

Mr. Thompson.

Harry Daugherty.

- Call me Nucky.
- Nucky it is.

- What can I get you?
- I wouldn't say no to a bourbon.

Two double bourbons on the double.

Say that 10 times fast.

Senator Edge sends his regrets.

He'll certainly be missed,

but those in the know say
you're the man to see.

I suppose that depends on what you want.

"As Nucky Thompson goes,
so goes the New Jersey delegation."

Well, is it true?

We'll have to wait and see, now, won't we?

That's why I wanted to meet you.

See, I think Warren Harding
could go all the way.

Put Edge on that ticket
and we've got a winner.

I like a long shot as much
as the next fella, Harry,

but I'm not quite sure
how you're doping that out.

The front runners are
Wood and Lowden, right?

That senate inquiry
is a black mark on 'em both.

- The campaign finance.
- Then there's Johnson,

who started the damn investigation
to begin with,

which didn't exactly win him any friends.

The field has no first-raters
and Harding's the best of the second-raters.

Not exactly a rousing endorsement,
but it happens to be true.

NUCKY: Well,
he certainly looks like a president.

That's half the battle, my friend.

More than half if those trollops get to vote.

- Great meal last night, Harry.
- Do the right thing, boys,

and steak won't be
the only thing on the menu.

You bet, Harry.

I have quite an appetite myself, you know?

You should meet Warren.
You're gonna like him.

(BABY GURGLING)

NAN: Mr. Smith, he invited me.

- My name should be on the list.
- Miss Britton, go to your room.

- I'll make sure he knows...
- Would you please just tell Warren

that I'm here.

Senator and Mrs. Harding, I'd like you to meet
Nucky Thompson,

an esteemed member
of the New Jersey delegation.

- How do you do?
- An honor and a privilege.

Senator, I read a speech you gave back in May

in Rhode Island, I believe.

"Back to Normal."

- Boston, at the Home Market Club.
- Right.

It was quite something.

- Very well done.
- That's nothing.

I can spend hours bloviating.

You see, Americans don't want

someone looking to stir things up.

They want stability, someone dedicated

- to safeguarding America first,
- (BABY CRYING)

To prosper America first,
to think of America first.

My best judgment
for what America needs now

is to steady down,
to get squarely on our feet...

Warren, there's a few other gentlemen
I'd like you to meet.

Nucky, I hope you'll consider
what we discussed.

A pleasure.

You must be awfully proud of your husband.

It's a terrible wretched thing.

A fortune-teller told me he'll die in office.

Thank you, Miss Britton.

- Evening.
- Good evening.

- Beautiful child.
- Thank you.

A young Republican, I'm guessing.

She certainly is.

And what brings you to the convention?

Oh. We're friends of Mr. Harding's.

Well, it's good to have friends in politics.

Do you have children yourself?

No.

I had a son.

He died.

I'm sorry.

Bless this food, O Lord,

and ourselves to thy loving service,

that we may always continue in thy faith

and fear to the honor and glory of thy name,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

- Amen.
- Amen.

The garden.

The tulips are looking a little ragged.

(CRYING)

What's wrong?

You put yourself through this every month.

It means I'm not fully a woman.

- Yes, you are, very much so.
- No, no.

No baby will grow inside me.

And in the place of that joy,

every 28 days the blood flows

and then I can't help it, so do the tears.

Please eat.

I ran into Naomi Ellsworth at the milliner.

Mmm.

She said I might be able to get some help.

Must everyone know our private affairs?

She had difficulty conceiving herself.

There was a blockage in her tubes as well.

Why must we always go on about this?

If the Lord wanted us...

If the Lord wanted us to die of appendicitis

then he wouldn't have given us
the ability to treat it.

That's Naomi Ellsworth talking.

I want to get this fixed.

There's a physician in Manhattan.

- He can perform a surgery.
- Surgery?

It's $270.

My salary barely meets expenses as it is.

I want to give you a son, Nelson.

(SOBBING)

All I want is for you to be happy, Rose.

I'll do what I can.

Now please, dear, eat.

(MEN HOOTING)

MAN 1: She knows what she wants!
MAN 2: Cover your eyes.

ELI: You're too good.

MAN 1: Get in there!
ELI: Here we go.

Look at that.

I'll tell you, if they had nuns like that,
I might have made it past sixth grade.

I don't think anything could have got you
past the sixth grade, Jim.

MAN 1: What's this now?
MAN 2: Oh, boy.

It's called a snatch, Al.

What's that smell like on a hot summer day?

(ALL LAUGHING)

Jesus, where do they get these women?

If I find out, I'm sure as hell
keeping it to myself.

- Sorry, boys.
- MAN: God damn it.

- Come on!
- It was just getting good.

MAN 1: There we go.
MAN 2: Back in business.

So are we all straight on the collections?

Yeah, I'll take the inlet to Maryland Avenue,

Fleming will take the other side.

(SINGING) I'll be in Scotland before ye!

- How about the casino?
- I'll take that myself.

- Are you sure?
- Yeah.

June and I have an affair.
Her cousin's wedding.

I'll swing by on the way home.

NEARY: Sister Mary Catherine!

(ALL LAUGHING)

MAN: Uh-oh! Bad girl!
NEARY: Yeah.

Fellas, I think I'm joining the priesthood.

ELI: Come on,
what's going on back there, Boyd?

- Jesus Christ!
- What the...

(ALL LAUGHING)

- MAN: Boyd, nice work.
- To too hot to watch.

Good job, Boyd!

- Shit.
- Good thinking.

Oh! What you doing?

These are friends of mine.

Convenient you waited till he was done.

Standard operating procedure.
It's a new world.

If he can talk,
I'm sure Charlie Sheridan would agree.

You read about that, huh?

Your boy Jimmy? My boy.

Two rums, Tommy! Oh.

Wait, that's right, we ain't got any.

You just can't make your point, huh?

Where the fuck is it already?

McCoy's sailing up from Bimini as we speak.

On a raft? I need delivery.

These broads are over the moon
with this Mary Pickford cocktail.

They mix the rum with grenadine.

'Cause the bootleg stuff tastes like shit.

So you're making a show
at the convention, eh?

- It's so nice to meet your acquaintance.
- (GIGGLING)

I'm a politician.

There are some things you can't buy
in a cathouse.

(TOASTING IN ITALIAN)

So let me ask you, any scuttlebutt
on this Harry Daugherty?

- Never heard of him.
- He's Warren Harding's campaign manager.

- Never heard of him neither.
- He's a senator from Ohio.

- He's running for president.
- Why didn't you say so?

Ohio? You should talk to Judge Graves.

- Who's he?
- See? You don't know everybody.

Your Honor!

I want to introduce you
to a dear friend of mine.

Nucky Thompson from Atlantic City.

- How do you do?
- I've never been to Jersey.

Staten Island once, but that was years ago.

Well, you're welcome any time.
At my expense, of course.

- Much obliged.
- Here.

So I hear you have some insight
into Warren Harding.

Harding? He's a puppet
for the fast-money boys in Cleveland.

I used to sit on the bench there.

You like his chances?

I like them better with Harry Daugherty
behind him.

- A little cagey, that one.
- But he knows how to treat a friend,

I can tell you that from experience.

These Ohio fellas
know what they're doing, Mr. Thompson.

Five presidents since the Civil War.

REGINA: Judge Graves?

Belle's arrived.

Gentlemen. I never keep a lady waiting.

- A pleasure.
- TORRIO: Enjoy.

Loves his dark meat, this one.

Gotta bring her in special from the Black Belt.

- (WOMAN SHRIEKS)
- JIMMY: Go, get out of here, go!

- You think it's funny?
- MAN: I gotta take my money.

JIMMY: Tough guy, move it.

- Move it! Piece of shit.
- Let go of me.

The lady says stop, that's what it means.

If I see you here again,
I'll cut your fucking pecker off.

- Get him outta here.
- Move it.

Nucky.

James.

- Is everything all right?
- Why wouldn't it be?

What are you doing here?

I've been coming to Chicago since
before you were born.

Who do you think lit that fire?

NUCKY: You're looking well.

New suit.

Mr. Torrio's been very helpful.

(KESSLER CHUCKLING)

Call us a cab, Eddie.

KESSLER: Excuse me.

If you want, I could give you fellas a lift.

Old times, eh?

Sure, why not?

Somehow, James, we've all been managing
to get along without you.

Your family as well.

- How are they?
- Why don't you call and find out?

I write her every week, Nuck.
She never writes me back.

Next time you buy
a new wristwatch for yourself?

Don't. Send them the money instead.

ELI: Lolly?

Hello!

What the hell are you doing?

The fuck's going on here?

Don't fucking move!

(GRUNTING)

(WOMAN SCREAMS)

Get the bag!

You follow us,

we'll kill youse all!

(GROANING)

I'll tell you, as much as they crow
about their meat here,

for my money it's the Occidental in DC.

Your money?
When's the last time you paid for a dinner?

Right after McKinley was elected.

(LAUGHS)

(WHISPERING INDISTINCTLY)

How bad?

- Excuse me, Walter.
- Everything okay?

I need a telephone.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello?

It's me.

What time is it?

I don't know. Late.

Are you all right?

No. Margaret, there's been an incident.

My brother's been shot.

My God! Is he dead?

No, I don't think so.

- I need you to do something for me.
- I'll go to him immediately.

But I'll need to call a sitter.

No, actually, it's my office.

Yes?

Eli's being cared for.
He's home with his family.

There's a doctor.

I need you to go to The Ritz.

- Very well.
- My office, it's been left unattended.

I'll need you to safeguard a few things,

some business records.

What about Mr. Fleming

or one of your aldermen?

I don't know what's happening right now

and until I return I prefer to rely only on you.

Can I do that?

Yes.

Yes, of course.

In the top drawer of my desk is a ledger book.

I want you to take it out, leave it closed
and bring it to my closet.

In the back, behind the shoe rack,
is a compartment.

Slip it in there and stay in the suite
with your children until I return.

When will that be?

I'm on the first train home tomorrow.

Are you all right?

I don't know.

(DOOR CLOSING)

What are you drinking?

Whiskey.

I figured only champagne now
with that get-up.

It's bespoke.

Al bought it for me.

Who's your friend?

War buddy.

Richard Harrow.

To the lost.

So I'm assuming this is not a social call.

I need you to come home, James.

Need or want?

Eli's been shot. They robbed Lolly's.

- Who did?
- I don't know.

We're at war, kid.

They hit Chalky's a few months back.

Killed one of his men.

Robbed O'Neill right out in the open
on the boards.

And now this?

Someone's got it in their head that I'm weak,

that I have no real means of retaliation.

You got the whole Sheriff's department
on your payroll.

And the Sheriff's in bed
with a bullet in his gut.

There are things I may require
that I'm uncomfortable asking of Eli anyway.

Particularly with the election coming.

This afternoon when you saw me,

you looked at me like I was something
you scraped off your boot.

Now it's 4:00 in the morning,
the world's closing in,

- I'm your long lost son?
- Don't overestimate yourself, James.

Why shouldn't I, Nuck?
I'm doing very well here.

And how far will that go?

You're Irish, Torrio's Italian.

You'll always be an outsider.

You know this suit cost 70 bucks?

You're about as subtle as a kick in the teeth,
you know that?

5% of anything that comes in by boat

and 10% of anything that comes in on wheels.

And that Fed?

What do I do about him?

I'll work that out.

I got to think about it.

You do that,

but whatever you decide,

don't ever keep me waiting again.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hello?

(HEAVY BREATHING)

Hello.

This is Mrs. Schroeder.

Who is this?

(LINE DISCONNECTS)

Well, this is rather clandestine.

Something tells me
you're no stranger to backroom meetings.

Quite a back room.

I need to head home. Something came up.

Before the convention even starts?

I've made inquiries, Harry.

Heard good things about you
from Judge Graves.

You mean you heard I play ball.

Well, don't you?

The Babe's got nothing on Harry Daugherty.

I've thought about what you said.

It's slim, but Harding has a chance.

I thought you were backing Wood.

I think he'll deadlock with Lowden.

- And if that happens, they're both done.
- Delegates won't cross over.

Don't expect Harding to be nominated early,
but come the fifth or sixth ballot?

Those bleary-eyed delegates will want to
nominate somebody who could actually win.

If that happens, I'm prepared to throw

the Jersey delegation behind Harding.

In exchange for Edge getting VP.

In exchange for Edge not getting VP.

What am I missing here?

That Walter Edge
is a dirty backstabbing chiseler

who gave my road money to Frank Hague.

How do you know that?

Because Hague's an even bigger
backstabbing chiseler,

not to mention a friend.

(LAUGHS)

That's a rich play, I'll tell ya.

You can tell me something else
while you're at it.

Like how you propose to take care of
Harding's lady trouble.

Which lady? Which trouble?

- There are more than one?
- Showgirls, shopgirls,

I've lost count, to tell you the truth.

One of them's even blackmailing him.

The skirt with the little girl?

No, she's okay. She's in love, is all.

- Name's Nan Britton.
- And the baby's his?

It could cost him the election.

Then let me help. I'll bring her to A.C.
Put her up till November.

I've got a ladyfriend with kids of her own.
They'll look in on her.

After the election, she's your problem again.

And then I get my road money.

I'll have to sell it to Warren.

I'm sure you're quite the salesman.

You know Al Jolson agreed to write
his campaign song.

Eddie Cantor's better.

I love to hear from you.

I'm just surprised, that's all.

What, a fella can't call his mother
once in a while?

You can call me twice a day if you like.

I saw Nucky.
He was out here for the convention.

I'm assuming you've heard
what happened to his brother.

Yeah, that was something, huh?

I swear, this world is going to hell
in a handbasket.

Yeah.

You sound lonesome, baby.

I was thinking of you.

Are you eating?

Yeah, of course.

Why don't you come home, honeypot?

I don't know.

So what can you tell me
about this Luciano fella?

Well.

Where do I begin?

- (BABY CRYING)
- Yeah, those two. This way, Miss Britton.

Nucky!

I got your message. Where are you going?

- Home.
- But the delegates haven't voted yet.

Who's gonna get all our ducks in a row?

- Why don't you ask Frank Hague?
- Hague?

What's this all about?

We've known each other a long time, Wally,
so why don't you cut the crap?

Wally?

You're speaking to a United States Senator.

And that's all you'll ever be.

You made a deal with Hague to fuck me over.

Nucky, I have no idea
what you're talking about.

Don't insult me.

It was just politics.

I'll make it up to you later.

Later when?

When I'm in the White House.

Senator, the only chance you have
of entering the White House

is on a guided fucking tour.

(MEN SPEAKING ITALIAN)

Spade.

Antonio.

This horse looks like your girlfriend!

(ALL LAUGHING)

Fuck you, Alphonse.

What?

I saw you riding her the other day!

Look.

Spurs!

(SPEAKS ITALIAN TRIUMPHANTLY)

(CONTESTING IN ITALIAN)

(ALL LAUGHING)

NAN: "I love your back, I love your breasts

"Daring to feel where my face rests

"I love your skin, so soft and white

"So dear to feel and sweet to bite

"I love your knees, their dimples kiss

"I love your ways of giving bliss

"I love your poise of perfect thighs

"The way they hold me in paradise"

That was the first love poem
Warren ever wrote me.

He's got quite a way with words.

We'll be making a coal stop
in 30 minutes, folks.

I'm going to freshen up.

- Anything out of Chicago?
- Just came over the wires.

Warren Harding received the nomination
after 10 ballots.

That imbecile is going to be the next
President of the United States.

NELSON: "My dearest Rose,

"like Sarah, Rebecca and Hannah before you,

"I urge you to trust in God's plan.

"Not just for your own sake,

"but also the sake of any offspring

"He may see fit to bestow upon us.

"Not only so that you may know him better,

"but walk more closely in his footsteps.

"Your devoted husband, Nelson."

(CRYING)

Nucky.

My God!

Everything's going to be fine.

It might take awhile,

but we'll get him back on his feet.

Give us a minute, will you?

How are you doing, little brother?

They came out of nowhere.

Nothing I could do.

It's only money. Forget it.

It's more than money.

We're under siege.

I asked Jimmy to come back.

Jimmy?

We need help, Eli.

How many years have we been doing this?

Not once has this ever happened.

It's a new world.

(LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING PLAYING)