I’ve finished viewing season one of Boardwalk Empire. I thought the first six episodes were a rehash of the lives of familiar crime figures and gangster fare. The second six showed marked improvement. I am usually enthralled by the theme of corruption, but I enjoy it much more when the average Joe is in the spotlight, a man trying to lead a decent life in a world where temptation lurks at every turn. Corruption is embraced gleefully by most of the characters in this series. The major player, Enoch Thompson, based on Atlantic City mayor of the 1920s Enoch Johnson, frequently does penance with good deeds, is appalled by the wickedness he witnesses but quietly accepts it and does what he believes needs to be done, using people while trying not to get his own hands dirty, which is, of course, impossible for someone involved in bootlegging. He is a great character. Unfortunately, so many of the others have been seen scores of times and are interesting only in comparison to the way they were interpreted by other actors. I suppose it's unfair to compare Anatol Yusef's offbeat turn as Meyer Lansky to that of the great Ben Kingsley in Bugsy (1991). The main federal agent is depicted as a religious fanatic. Granted, this falls within the overall themes of the show, but I find it irksome and unfair, despite Michael Shannon’s intense portrayal. I ran a search on the character's name. Fortunately, Nelson Van Alden, which has a familiar ring, seems to be fictional, so there are no heirs to be insulted. I like the way Stephen Graham has grown into the part of Capone. Gretchen Mol, frequently naked, lights up the screen whenever she appears. Nudity is a constant. Some consider this maturity. I think it's silly, and I am not averse to gazing at the uncovered female form, which is easily available on the web. Almost every indoor scene in the series is smoke-filled, reminding me of the worst aspect of going to clubs back in the days before smoking in them was banned. A most interesting character is introduced in the seventh episode, Home -- Richard Harrow, a disfigured veteran of WWI, a former sniper, brilliantly played by Jack Huston, whose work I was unfamiliar with before this. Two of the major characters are combat veterans. Both are killers. The Republicans depicted are thoroughly corrupt. They beat back the reforms promised by Democrats. In the season finale, A Return to Normalcy, Thompson utters a quote for which I have the utmost respect: "We all have to decide how much sin we can live with.” This is a great theme, although I would rather have heard it from a figure who isn’t a gangster. Get inside the average Joe and you will find him every bit as interesting as a criminal, and infinitely more worthy of portrayal.
RIP Phil Everly, 74, younger brother of Don, trailblazer when rock n roll was in its infancy. The duo's harmonies were glorious, Phil singing the high parts. From 1957-1962 they had 19 songs crack the Top 40. Unfortunately, they had a public falling out during a concert and did not speak for ten years. They eventually made up and again recorded. The pair are in both the Rock n Roll and Country Hall of Fame. Their parents were country artists. Here’s a clip from a 1983 show, after they'd patched up their differences: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5YQkgSaZ38
I hated to leave the parking spot I had, which was clear of snow, but I do the wash at the old house on Saturday and the roads were in good shape, so there was no reason not to travel. I was lucky going and coming, getting a spot right in front of the house and only a block away upon my return. The forecast for tomorrow is temperature in the mid 40's but rain, so the floating book shop will likely be on the shelf for a fifth straight day. My thanks to whomever purchased Adjustments on Kindle.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Horror Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic's Rom-Com Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kny5llp
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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