Boardwalk Empire Wiki
Register
Advertisement


"Anastasia" is the fourth episode of the first season of Boardwalk Empire, and the fourth episode overall. It was written by co-executive producer Lawrence Konner and supervising producer Margaret Nagle and directed by Jeremy Podeswa. It premiered on October 10, 2010.

The episode centres around Nucky celebrating his birthday and Jimmy getting settled into his new home, Chicago.

Plot[]

Summary[]

Jimmy Darmody now works for Al Capone's Chicago boss, Johnny Torrio, and lives in a brothel Torrio runs. Capone and Darmody attempt to strongarm a bar owner manager to buy his liquor from Torrio; when he is uncooperative, Capone beats him. They meet with Torrio's rival, Sheridan, and compromise on business arrangements. Torrio is more impressed by Darmody's negotiation than by Capone's brutality. One of Sheridan's men retaliates, attacking and disfiguring Jimmy's current girlfriend Pearl, a prostitute in Torrio's brothel.

In Atlantic City, as Nucky plans his "surprise" birthday party, he worries about the political impact of the murder of Chalky White's driver. Eli delivers the leader of the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan to White, who tortures him until he is satisfied that the Klan was not involved in the killing. At Nucky's party, Senator Edge tells Nucky he will not receive expected roadbuilding funds needed to complete Atlantic City's development, which will go instead to Frank Hague.

Lucky Luciano finds Darmody's mother at his house and tells her he is looking for "James". She sees through his cover story and throws him out. Luciano follows her around for several days; she spots him, and initiates a physical relationship.

Margaret then goes to work and is directed to deliver a dress to Lucy at Nucky's party, where Nucky asks her to dance, elating her. After returning to the shop, she sees Nucky and Lucy heading for a night on the town. Upset, she then steals a dress from "Belle Femme" and goes home.

Recap[]

Main article: Anastasia recap

A detailed recap of the episode scene by scene.

Appearances[]

First Appearances[]

  1. Pearl, a young prostitute at the Four Deuces.
  2. Frank Hague, Mayor of Jersey City.
  3. Walter Edge, US Senator for the State of New Jersey.
  4. Matteo D'Alessio, third of the D'Alessio brothers by age.
  5. Charlie Sheridan, an Irish-American mobster in Chicago.
  6. Liam, one of Sheridan's thugs.
  7. Regina, resident Madam at the Four Deuces.
  8. Scozione, bouncer at the Four Deuces.
  9. Joseph Earl Dinler, Great Cyclops of the Atlantic County and Cape May branch of the Ku Klux Klan.

Deaths[]

None.

Production[]

Cast[]

Starring[]

  1. Steve Buscemi as Enoch "Nucky" Thompson
  2. Michael Pitt as James "Jimmy" Darmody
  3. Kelly MacDonald as Margaret Schroeder
  4. Michael Shannon as Agent Nelson Van Alden (credit only)
  5. Shea Whigham as Sheriff Elias "Eli" Thompson
  6. Aleksa Palladino as Angela Darmody
  7. Michael Stuhlbarg as Arnold Rothstein (credit only)
  8. Stephen Graham as Al Capone
  9. Vincent Piazza as Lucky Luciano
  10. Paz de la Huerta as Lucille "Lucy" Danziger
  11. Michael K. Williams as Chalky White
  12. Anthony Laciura as Edward "Eddie" Kessler
  13. Paul Sparks as Mickey Doyle
  14. Dabney Coleman as Commodore Louis Kaestner

Guest Starring[]

  1. Gretchen Mol as Gillian Darmody
  2. Greg Antonacci as Johnny Torrio
  3. Edoardo Ballerini as Ignacious D'Alessio
  4. Max Casella as Leo D'Alessio
  5. Chris Mulkey as Frank Hague
  6. Geoff Pierson as Senator Walter Edge
  7. Emily Meade as Pearl

Co-Starring[]

1. Dhemosthenes Chrysan (sic) as George Anastos
2. Robert Clohessy as Ward Boss Jim Neary
3. Cat Davis as Commodore's whore
4. Lucy and Josie Gallina as Emily Schroeder
5. William Hill as Ward Boss George O'Neill
6. Jimmie James as Klansman
7. Anna Katarina as Isabelle Jeunet
8. Nikolas Kontomanolis as Chicago Patron
9. John Lantz as Tailor
10. Al Linea as Matteo D'Alessio
11. Edward McGinty as Ward Boss Boyd
12. Erin McGrath as Edith Day
13. Declan and Rory McTigue as Teddy Schroeder

14. Tracy Lynn Middendorf as Babette
15. Derek Milhem as Attendant
16. Adam Mucci as Deputy Halloran
17. Brady and Connor Noon as Tommy Darmody
18. John Rue as Mayor Harry Bacharach
19. Frank Shattuck as Charlie Sheridan
20. Scott Sowers as Joseph Earl Dinler
21. Barbra Tirrell (sic) as Edith Mauer
22. Susan Varon as Madam Regina
23. Victor Verhaeghe as Ward Boss Damien Fleming
24. Sean Weil as Liam
25. Nathan Williams as Edge's aide

26. Jeffrey C. Wolf as Babette's Dancer 01
27. Simone Assboeck as Babette's Dancer 02
28. Jennifer Bowles as Babette's Dancer 03
29. Tyler Ingram as Babette's Dancer 04
30. Mark Manley as Babette's Dancer 05
31. Dieter Riesle as Babette's Dancer 06
32. Frank Root as Babette's Dancer 07
33. Alison Solomon as Babette's Dancer 08
34. William Ward as Babette's Dancer 09
35. Meredith Riley Stewart as Babette's Dancer 10
36. Felicity Stiverson as Babette's Dancer 11
37. Jessica Swesey as Babette's Dancer 12

Music[]

  1. Billy Murray - "I'll See You in C-U-B-A" plays as Capone sneaks up on Jimmy and Pearl.
  2. Gypsy Queen - "Under the Double Eagle" plays as Eddie goes over guest list with Nucky.
  3. Paragon Ragtime Orchestra - "Whippoorwhill Dance" plays as Jimmy and Pearl open up to one another.
  4. Billy Murray - "K-k-k-katy" plays as Charlie Luciano goes to the Darmody House.
  5. The Happy Six - "By the Pyramids" Charlie watches Gillian from his car.
  6. Dubravka Tomsic - "Waltz No. 12 in F minor" plays as Isablle tells Margaret to deliver a gown to Lucy.
  7. Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks - "Love Song Orientale"
  8. Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks - "Clarinet Marmalde Blues" plays as Nucky and his guests comment on the women's vote.
  9. Victor Herbert - "The Wild Rose When Sweet Sixteen" plays as Jimmy and Capone have a suit fitting.
  10. Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks - "Broadway Rose" plays as Margaret delivers the dress to party.
  11. Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks featuring Amber Edwards - "In My Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown(Irene)" plays as Nucky and Margaret dance. Nighthawks]
  12. Ehud Asherie - "Take Your Time"
  13. "Katy Lou" Wurlitzer 153 Band Organ — "My Old Irish Rose" plays as Margaret reads the truth about anastasia, Eli infors Nucky about Chalky's torture.
  14. Paragon Ragtime Orchestra - "Whippoorwhill Dance"
  15. Vince Giordano - "Danse Exotique(from The Bal Masque)
  16. Dave Arch - "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life" plays as Margaret steals lingerie from La Belle Femme.
  17. Charles Harrison - "Pretty Kitty Kelly" played during end credits.

Memorable Quotes[]

  • "Not while the peaches are still in season." — Gillian Darmody

Reception[]

The episode dropped to a 1.1 adults 18–49 rating this week from a 1.4 the week before, and lost over 800,000 average viewers from the week before.[1]

The episode received positive reviews from critics. IGN gave the episode their highest rating up to that point with an 8.5 and said "It's amazing that the writers found a way to commit so much good storytelling into one hour of television." They also said ""Anastasia", Boardwalk's fourth episode, is so far its best, turning its criminals into sympathetic characters despite their vices and secrets, and doing so without resorting to forced or saccharine ways."[2] TV Fanatic gave the episode 4.5/5.0 and enjoyed the transformation of Margaret. "My favorite moment of the night was Margaret's brilliant transformation into a well-spoken and intelligent character. Her change from a quiet wallflower with small ambitions came at the best time, during Nucky's party. As the Commodore repeated his enraging "test" of female intelligence and political acumen on Lucy ("You're assuming they have minds at all"), Margaret voices an informed opinion about Women's Suffrage by stating, "In most civilized countries, women are afforded that privilege."[3]

References[]

External links[]

Season One
#01 Boardwalk Empire#07 Home
#02 The Ivory Tower#08 Hold Me in Paradise
#03 Broadway Limited#09 Belle Femme
#04 Anastasia#10 The Emerald City
#05 Nights in Ballygran#11 Paris Green
#06 Family Limitation#12 A Return to Normalcy
This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).
Advertisement