Edward Copeland's Tangents: Boardwalk Empire No. 9: Belle Femme

Monday, November 15, 2010

Boardwalk Empire No. 9: Belle Femme

BLOGGER'S NOTE: This recap contains spoilers, so if you haven't seen the episode yet, move along.

By Edward Copeland
For the first time in the brief history of Boardwalk Empire, we have an episode without any Chicago scenes. Have no fear though: There is more than enough going on in New Jersey (and one scene in New York) to hold your attention. Erstwhile Sopranos fans used to complain when there wasn't enough "action" on the show, though it was just as great anyway most of the time. Well, if any of those blood junkies have morphed into fans of Boardwalk Empire, tonight's episode certainly will not leave them disappointed because the episode, written by Steve Kornacki and directed by Brad Anderson, pretty much does not let up once it gets going, so take the spoiler warning even more serious than usual (and that includes art). It also contains a lot of payoffs, reaching back to questions many viewers (or at least this one) may have had in previous episodes. It's the first time it's reminded me of The Wire, not in terms of complexity or greatness, but in terms of storytelling memory, showing that it did set up things early that would come into play somewhere later down the road. Perhaps casual viewers need to pay closer attention.

Lolly Steinman and Ward Boss O'Neill are gathered around Eli's bedside with Halloran and Nucky looking at mugshots they've obtained of the D'Alessio brothers. The three victims all cite all or some of them as being involved in their incidents and Halloran fills them in on their history: Starting our as second-story men in Philadelphia before moving up to armed robbery, including one of a restaurant that left people dead and sent

them on the run from Pennsylvania. After the identification has been completed, Nucky asks everyone to leave so he can speak to his brother alone. "These ginnies. They're desperadoes," Eli tells his brother. "Nuck, we've got to track them down and squash 'em before they spill more blood." The elder Thompson tells his sibling there's more than spilled blood to worry about and asks if he's seen the paper, but Eli tells him his wife keeps the paper away from him. In the episode's very first scene, we're calling back to an earlier worry of Eli's: When he was reading Dale Carnegie out of fear of Democratic reformers. It seems that Fletcher, the reform candidate for mayor, is really making noise and even current Mayor Bacharach asked in print why the sheriff was at an illegal casino at 3 in the morning. Whereas before it was Eli who worried about his electoral future, this time it's Nucky, because Fletcher alleges corruption in both the mayor and sheriff's offices and with the approaching election, it threatens both their futures. The wounded Eli's attitude is "fuck 'em. Let them say what they want" and he'll get out there and press the flesh, but Nucky reminds him that the doctor told him that he still needs to recuperate because of his spleen. "How do you rest your spleen?" Eli asks.

With Margaret as her guide, Nan Britton takes in the sight of the ocean from the Boardwalk. She asks Margaret if she believes in love at first sight, which Margaret calls a rather romantic notion. As usual, the conversation for Nan serves merely as a segue for her to wax on about Warren Harding. Nan says she fell for him the first time she laid eyes on him. She was only 16, but he was the handsomest man she'd ever met. This was before he was a senator, but merely a newspaperman in Marion, Ohio. Kelly Macdonald proves masterful once again as she tries to be polite to the girl but at the same time wants to get her to move on to another subject. She laughingly admits that because Harry Houdini's brother is named Hardeen, that's who she first thought they were saying was running for president. It's no use. You can't get Nan off topic that easily. She continues talking about how much Warren loves his baby daughter and her, but America needs him, so she understands why they can't be together right now. The camera moves away from Nan's romantic dithering about the adulterous candidate for president with the illegitimate child and to a large placard for Fletcher, the reform candidate for Atlantic City mayor.

As Margaret continues her duties baby-sitting Nan, she takes the future president's mistress to Belle Femme so Madame Jeunet can help her find some outfits to wear during her stay in Atlantic City. Jeunet's temper flares at her Polish assistant, whom she tells Margaret is all she can afford and doesn't have any of the taste that Margaret did. Margaret asks if the shop has been losing business, but Jeunet says that's not the problem, it's that the city has doubled her rent and being alone, she can't cover her costs and doesn't know how long she'll be able to stay open. Margaret asks if she's spoken to her alderman, but Jeunet says it has done no good, but perhaps she can speak to Mr. Thompson and tell him that she's the only one who can dress her the way she likes. Margaret seems hesitant at first, uncertain as to whether she can help, but Jeunet assures her that Margaret has power which she does not suspect.

Nucky tells Halloran as they approach his office to get the word out everywhere from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh to see if they can get a lead on the D'Alessios, but he gets a start when he enters the office to see Jimmy standing there with a cup of coffee. "A little notice would have been nice," Nucky says. Jimmy tells him he sent a telegram by Western Union and Eddie tells his boss that he already was calling Western Union to try to figure out what happened to it. He says he hasn't been home yet and didn't get anything to eat because the train's dining car was out of service, so Nucky tells Eddie to order him up a steak. Nucky takes his presence to mean he's accepted his offer. Jimmy says yes, but he has two conditions. The first is that he wants to bring Richard Harrow there with him. "The man in the iron mask?" Nucky asks. "What's under there exactly?" Most of his jaw and cheek, basically that whole side of his face is

gone, Jimmy tells him. A surprised Halloran exclaims, "And he's still alive!" "There are a lot people still alive who shouldn't be," Nucky says. "Modern medicine," Halloran says with amazement. Jimmy's other condition is that all business be just between him and Nucky, so Nucky gets Halloran out the door as Jimmy starts looking through the mugshots. He notes their names — Leo, Ignatius, Pius and Sixtus — all come from popes and Nucky suggests he write the Vatican to see if they know where they are. Jimmy asks what Nucky wants him to do to them when he finds them. "Do I have to spell it out?" Always the politician, Jimmy says, but he wants to hear Nucky say it, to admit that he's a murderer and he wants the D'Alessio brothers dead and Nucky affirms that that is what he needs done. Buscemi subtly plays the tension in Nucky's response and it really calls back to the ending of the series' first episode when Jimmy told him that he couldn't be half a gangster anymore and it's taken awhile, but Nucky has now seen that is very much the case. He's come a long way from the graft-loving politician who thought that Prohibition was just going to mean more money for everyone now that there is a body count to go with it. Jimmy does make a special point of asking if it includes the youngest one (Pius) but Nucky doesn't say anything specific on that point. Jimmy decides he's going to go have that steak before he goes home and gets to work.

Two of those D'Alessio brothers they are looking for, Leo and Ignatius, are on a trip to New York along with Mickey Doyle at the invitation of Luciano to personally meet Arnold Rothstein. As with with previous meetings, it takes place in Rothstein's billiards room. They express their pleasure nee excitement at meeting Rothstein, who asks if it's because they know he makes fair deals. "A reputation takes a lifetime to build," Rothstein

informs them, "but only seconds to destroy." The New York gangster says he understands the men are interested in making money in the liquor business. "Loads of it," Mickey giggles. Rothstein explains that there are two ways to make money in the alcohol business. One is to take cheap rotgut whiskey, dilute and sell it. "I was doing good with that myself," Mickey interjects. "That's the stupid way in which I have no interest," Rothstein responds. Rothstein goes on to explain that there is a growing market for quality whiskey from Britain and he would like to start shipping scotch from Europe to the three-mile limit and then smuggle it ashore. The ports of Atlantic City would be ideal for this purpose and ordinarily, Rothstein adds, he would deal with someone important in the port town and cut them in on the deal but he finds Nucky Thompson to be greedy and unreasonable. "Nothing a bullet in the eye won't cure," Leo says. To assure that they have a deal and that they

won't chisel him, Rothstein makes the three men each sign life insurance policies worth $500,000, payable to Rothstein of course. Luciano says it's just an incentive to make sure they don't screw up. After Mickey and the D'Alessios have signed the policies, they leave the room. As Rothstein lines up a pool shot, he asks Luciano if he knows what's nice about the Bronx Zoo. Luciano doesn't have an answer. "There's bars between you and the monkeys." It's understandable given the way the story is set up why we don't get more of Michael Stuhlbarg as Rothstein, but each scene he has been in has been one to treasure. I still find it hard to believe that last year I'd never heard of this actor and this is the same man who was so pitch-perfect in a completely different role in the Coen brothers' A Serious Man. Whatever happens to Rothstein as far as his story goes in Boardwalk Empire, Stuhlbarg must keep getting great roles in film and television. He's too talented to waste.

At Margaret's house, she returns from finally getting the kids down for a nap to find Nucky still engrossed in The Road to Oz that he was reading to them, particularly "The Wonderful Love Magnet" which as long as the bearer carries it every living thing he meets will love him dearly. Margaret remarks that it would make his

elections easier. "Certainly cheaper," Nucky says." "Is winning elections expensive?" Margaret asks. "Not as expensive as losing." Margaret asks if Harding will win, but Nucky volleys back that it depends: Will she vote for him? Margaret has to be honest that she doesn't see him in the most flattering light. Nucky asks if it's because of the girl, who Margaret reminds him has a name and it's Nan. "If we only elected good men, we'd never have leaders," Nucky tells her, an unfortunate truism that still stands 90 years later. Margaret changes the subject to Belle Femme, telling Nucky that Madame Jeunet's shop is in danger of closing. Nucky says that it's a pricey spot and she should talk to her alderman. Margaret tells Thompson tells him that she has, but to no avail, but she thought perhaps the county treasurer could do something. Nucky begins to get testy and asks if Jeunet put her up to this, but Margaret denies that. She says she just felt that since she did her a favor by hiring her, but Nucky interrupts her by telling her that she hired Margaret because he made her. Margaret says then maybe he should owe her something. Nucky just says if she can't afford it, she shouldn't be trying to run a shop in Atlantic City and that this conversation is not a suitable topic. He then rises and gathers his things to leave. Margaret asks if he's not staying, but a still steamed Nucky tells her that he's got an early meeting and leaves.

The Dittriches have come over to Angela for some socializing and come what may. While Mary struggles to open a bottle of wine, Angela sits on a couch next to Robert looking over Angela's painting, which he compares favorably to Mary Cassatt. He says the art dealer spoke promisingly, but he's in Europe right now.

Mary Dittrich manages to get the cork stuck in the bottle, so Angela goes to help her and both women share a swallow and a kiss while Robert urges Mary not to forget her jealous husband and kisses her and tries to do the same with Angela. Angela resists, but Robert tries to get her to go along. "It's OK, I don't bite." He insists that everyone in Paris is doing it. The drinking and Robert's clumsy attempt at a menage-a-trois is interrupted by a loud knocking at the door. Angela goes to see who it is. It's Jimmy, who asks why the chain is latched. She says there have been intruders in the building. Jimmy asks if they are having a party, but Angela says they were just visiting. Robert asks Jimmy if he'd like some wine. "I heard that's illegal now," he replies. Mary says that they shouldn't interrupt the homecoming and she and Robert leave. Angela says it would have been nice to know he was coming and Jimmy complains about Western Union again. He asks where Tommy is and Angela says he's sleeping. Jimmy starts kissing his wife passionately, but she's as resistant to him as she was to Robert, going so far as to slap him. Jimmy, however, is more forceful, pushing himself on her before she finally gives in and they have sex on the kitchen table.

Since Van Alden had been intercepting Jimmy's letters to Angela, it would have been safe for viewers to presume that he was the reason behind Nucky and Angela not receiving Jimmy's telegrams from Western Union. However, this turns out not to be the case and Van Alden is not happy about it. When Agent Sebso enters their makeshift office at the Post Office carrying papers and a cup of coffee, an enraged Van Alden slaps them out of his hands. He informs Sebso that he just got a call from Western Union who had been contacted by Eddie, whom he refers to as Nucky Thompson's butler, wanting to know why they didn't receive a telegram and Western Union told Van Alden that they went to Sebso. Sebso stammers and says he forgot but they are somewhere and finds it and gives it to Van Alden who learns that Darmody was arriving by train yesterday. "You're either incompetent or a liar," Van Alden shouts. Sebso says he did it because he'd like to keep his job since Supervisor Elliott thinks they are being too obsessive about Hans Schroeder and Nucky Thompson.

Jimmy gets to play on the floor with Tommy for the first time in a long time and both seem to be enjoying it as Angela prepares breakfast, though she makes sarcastic cracks about Jimmy's "work out west." Jimmy said things are better now and Nucky has made him a great offer and they'd be getting out of that dump of apartment soon for (everybody try not to think of Monopoly) a place on Marvin Gardens or one of those of those beachhouses on Ventnor. The phone rings and Jimmy grabs it. He says good and tells the person on the other end to keep him there. Angela asks who that was and Jimmy tells her it was his mother and he's going to have to go see her. As Jimmy and Tommy sit down to eat, Jimmy raises the prospect of having another child, a concept which sounds less than thrilling to Angela. Jimmy asks Tommy if he'd like a little brother and he says yes, so Jimmy says it's settled. At Gillian's, she and Luciano have wrapped

up another boisterous round of boinking. Lucky asks Gillian if she has any more coffee and she says she's certain she can accomodate him and gets up to leave. Lucky lights up a smoke and relaxes in post-coital bliss, stopping to look under the sheet to check on his johnson. The next thing he knows, his coffee has arrived — in a hot stream across his chest, courtesy of Jimmy. "You didn't say, if you wanted cream," Jimmy says. Luciano calls Gillian a fucking twat and as both mother and son hold guns on Luciano, Jimmy warns, "Hey, that's my mother you are talking about." He tells him his friend Al from Chicago said to say hi. Lucky denies Capone is his friend and Jimmy agrees, because he says Capone told him to blow his head off. Jimmy orders Luciano to get dressed so he can take him where no one is going to see him again. As Jimmy leads Luciano downstairs at gunpoint, Lucky tries to talk his way out of the situation, offering to get Rothstein to call the D'Alessios off. When they reach the bottom of the stairs, Luciano gets an unlikely savior as they are greeted by Van Alden and Sebso holding guns. Van Alden arrests Jimmy and Luciano laughs that the feds have just saved his life.

Nucky has Mayor Bacharach and Deputy Halloran in his office where Bacharach is currently seething over the amount of Fletcher signs popping up all over the place. Nucky orders Halloran to have his department's officers start tearing them down and fining any stores that display them. "Can we do that?" Halloran asks. Nucky tells him they can do whatever they want. The mayor inquires about Eli and Halloran says the doctor says his stitches have opened up and set him back another month. Nucky sighs. "More good news." Halloran says that someone needs to take charge of the department in terms of making schedules, etc. Nucky asks if Eli is well enough to do that, but Halloran says not in his current condition. Fine, Nucky declares, and appoints Halloran acting sheriff. "Really?" a surprised Halloran responds. "Should I reconsider?" Nucky asks. Halloran says no, that he knows they haven't always gotten along, but he will be there for him, all the way through November, should he need him. A puzzled Nucky asks what that means. Halloran says with Eli sick, should he need to step in for him he feels he can fill Eli's shoes.

For the first time since Agent Nelson Van Alden tried to turn James Darmody to use as an agent against Nucky Thompson, the two men have come face to face again, only this time fully as adversaries as Van Alden interrogates Jimmy about Hans Schroeder and the dead men in the woods. Jimmy is remarkably calm, sticking to his alibi story: He was at the movies. When Van Alden tells him that the film was only 78 minutes long, Jimmy adds that he fell asleep during it. Van Alden's questioning, brilliantly played as one would expect by Michael Shannon, goes off on some unusual tangents that underlines the agent's own peculiar obsessions. He brings up

the fact that Jimmy and Angela have a child out of wedlock and asks if Angela is not fit to marry. He asks Jimmy how he knows Hans Schroeder and Jimmy tells him he doesn't, which is actually true. He asks about the connection between Nucky and Margaret Schroeder and again Jimmy doesn't know who he's talking about. He brings up Lucy and then asks if Nucky had Hans killed because he's in love with Margaret Schroeder. "If you want to know who Nucky Thompson's fucking, why don't you ask him?" Jimmy tells the agent. Jimmy just sticks to his story about the movie and falling asleep and not knowing anyone named Al. "I thought you might find some satisfaction in watching your son grow into a man," Van Alden grunts. Jimmy tells him to go ahead and charge him because he doesn't have anything on him. "Don't I?" As Van Alden leads Jimmy down the hall to his cell, another officer is taking Billy the other direction. "Billy. What did you tell them?" Jimmy blurts nervoursly. "They were going to send me to Rahway," Billy replies. Suddenly, Jimmy isn't so confident.

As Nucky and Margaret lounge around in bed discussing the upcoming elections, Margaret expresses the wish that she could help him more. Nucky says she could if she spoke to more of her female friends and got them to vote. Shouldn't we wait until the amendment is passed, she asks. Nucky says he's an eternal optimist.

Margaret climbs out of bed to fix herself up a bit as Nucky continues. He's serious. She could give speeches, such as to the temperance league, on his behalf. Margaret questions her ability as a public speaker but Nucky reminds her of his birthday party with Senator Edge. She says that was just banter. Nucky doesn't let her downplay it. He says she comports herself very well: Edge is a United States senator and she wiped the floor with him. Sensing the opportunity to appeal to Nucky once more, Margaret returns to the bed and asks him if he likes the way she looks and dresses. He says of course, no matter what she's in. Margaret moves in for the kill, telling him that Madame Jeunet is the only person she trusts to make her look pretty. Nucky asks if that's why she brought it up before. Eddie knocks on the door to report a phone call, but Margaret has time to finish, saying she didn't want him to know how selfish she was but Nucky reassures her that he never holds that against anyone. He then takes the call. "When did this happen? I'm on my way."

Remember back in the third episode of Boardwalk Empire, when Van Alden was interrogating the last surviving victim of the hijacking and got him to name Jimmy in the dentist's office? I wondered at the time how the news traveled so quickly to Rothstein in New York and Nucky in Atlantic City. Now, in episode nine, I

think we finally have our answer, though it begs more questions as to where the leak's loyalties lie and what he's up to. Nucky goes to visit Jimmy in the jail cell and Sebbo says he has 10 minutes and don't blink or you'll miss it, Nucky smiles at Sebbo and pats him on the shoulder on his way into the cell. Perhaps he hid those telegrams for an entirely different reason, though it wouldn't explain why Eddie would then call to complain. Then again, maybe Luciano was particularly glad to see him when he and Van Alden interrupted Jimmy's planned execution of him. In the cell, Nucky assures Jimmy that he let Angela know where he is. Jimmy wants to know if he'll be bailed out, but Nucky says there is no bail for five murders. He also says hiring a lawyer would be a waste. For the first time that we've heard him mention him, Jimmy asks if they should call his dad and if he could help. "Your dad? Are you that nervous?" Nucky responds, adding that "The legal system is not your ticket to freedom." There has been a lot of speculation that Nucky was Jimmy's father, but if Jimmy knows who his father is, it sounds as if he's someone powerful and unsavory. Could it be someone we know?

At Van Alden's makeshift headquarters at the Post Office, he phones Supervisor Elliott with the news of James Darmody's arrest. Elliott congratulates him and calls it a real shot in the arm for the bureau. Agent Sebso (or would that be Double or perhaps Triple Agent Sebso) asks what Elliott said and Van Alden relays that their boss was very pleased. Sebso again apologizes about the telegram mixup. Van Alden says it was a stupid mistake, but everyone makes them. "Man must have the courage of his convictions," Van Alden says while once again staring at the photo of the 16-year-old Margaret Schroeder. Sebso speaks up with a suggestion: Perhaps they should move Billy Winslow somewhere else while he's pending trial. Van Alden asks where he suggests and Sebso suggest someplace such as the federal prison in New York. "Keep him out of Thompson's reach," Van Alden nods approvingly.

"You look like shit" are the first words out of Nucky's mouth when he sees the Commodore, who starts coughing and wheezing. He says he needs to see a doctor, but Louanne says he's stubborn. The Commodore waves them both off and tells Louanne to get Nucky a drink but Thompson says he's fine. The Commodore holds a paper and refers to all the troubles that are mounting. "And now your sheriff? It's not so easy, is it?" Nucky says that it is nice that he can still find joy in life. The Commodore again brings up his time in jail. Nucky reminds him that one of them had to go, that's why they made the deal and it's time to put that issue to bed where it belongs. The ailing Commodore points out that even the dog is sick. Nucky tells him about Fletcher's run for mayor and that he's clean and he's not certain what to do. The Commodore tells him to replace Bacharach. Give the people change, or at least let them think that's what they are getting. "What about Eli?" Nucky asks. "Replace him too." Nucky seems shocked at the blunt suggestion that he stab his brother in the back and the Commodore can see the reluctance in his face. "You son of a bitch. I'm dying. There's no time to be sentimental."

Margaret and Nan have taken a return trip to Belle Femme where Nan seems to be preoccupied with what type of dress she should wear to Harding's inaugural. Margaret tells her that since that's a ways off and there hasn't even been an election yet, perhaps she should concentrate on things to wear right now. Once Madame Jeunet's assistant takes Nan to the dressing room, Madame embraces Margaret for saving her, saying she always knew she was a woman of taste. Margaret reminds her that when she first came to work for her, she told her she smelled and needed to bathe more often. Jeunet denies ever saying such a thing and blames it on her less-than-perfect English. Regardless, she owes her everything. She then brings out a box with a small dress that she's made for Margaret's "little one" and an ivory brush for her daughter's beautiful hair. Kelly Macdonald, who never seems to stop discovering new levels to play in Margaret, reminds Jeunet quite curtly that it wasn't her daughter who helped her, she did. Nucky may someday regret what he's built out of the formerly meek and abused Irish immigrant.

While Van Alden was right to agree that keeping Billy out of Nucky's reach was a good idea, he's going to regret letting Sebso drive him to New York by himself. Sebso makes small talk on the road, though Billy isn't very talkative. At one point during the trip, Sebso informs Billy that he needs to pull over and take a piss. Billy says he could stretch his legs. As Billy stands on the side of the road, still handcuffed, staring at the ocean, Sebso says he shouldn't have done that. Billy turns around, confused and asks him what he's talking about. "Lunged for my weapon. That's why I had to kill you." And that's what Sebso does. He then searches around the ground for an appropriate rock and hits himself in the forehead, leaving a bloody wound. He drags Billy's lifeless body back to the car and continues his drive. If Sebso is the leak for both Nucky and Rothstein, where do his loyalties lie? Killing Billy would seem to help Jimmy. Then again, a free Jimmy makes it easier for Rothstein to compete his mission of having Jimmy killed for killing his sister-in-law's nephew. It just keeps getting more interesting. Is Van Alden going to figure out that he has a mole working in the same office?

What a difference a day makes. When the wine was flowing, Jimmy was absent and he had hopes for a three-way, Robert Dittrich told Angela that that art dealer saw echoes of Mary Cassatt in her painting. Now that Jimmy is back and it was made clear that Angela only liked kisses from his wife, Robert tells Angela that the art dealer is staying in Europe and thinks it's just a cheap imitation of Mary Cassatt. Besides, with Jimmy back, her financial burden has been eaaed, hasn't it? Mary Dittrich just looks on helplesally.

I must drift off topic for a moment because of the way the penultimate scene of this episode begins. It takes place at Babette's where the legendary Sophie Tucker (as played by Kathy Brier) is performing. She told bawdy jokes and sang equally bawdy songs and if anyone has ever given thoughts to staging a musical about Tucker,

they need to sign Brier for the part right now because in just the brief bit we get to see of her here, she is phenomenal. Obviously, I've never seen the real Sophie Tucker, but Brier is so great, I recognized who the person on the stage was supposed to be immediately. A sample joke about her boyfriend Ernie: "'How come you never tell me when you reach a climax?' Well Ernie, that's because you are never around when it happens." The reason we are at Babette's is that Nucky and Margaret are dining there with Edward Bader (Kevin O'Rourke) and his wife. As Margaret and Mrs. Bader go closer to the stage to watch Sophie sing, "Some of These Days," Nucky hits Bader up with his idea. First, he compliments the industrialist on all the projects he's built. Then he asks him if he'd like to be mayor. "With you as boss?" Bader realizes he'd just be a figurehead, but Nucky says it would allow him time to build even greater things. He asks what's happening to Bacharach and Nucky says he'll decide that as soon as he hears that Bader has accepted the offer. Bader looks around and sighs that the world belongs to the young, but Thompson interjects, "We'll let them think it does."

As Nucky and Margaret leave Babette's, Nucky tells Margaret that he told Jim Neary he'd meet him at the Ambassador for a nightcap. Well-wishers on the Boardwalk with "Hello Nucky" and "Good evening Mr. Thompson" but one unfamiliar voice calls out his name. Nucky squints to try to make out the young man. It appears to be Pius D'Alessio, acting, as always, as a diversion. Fortunately, Eddie is much more than just a manservant and he spots the other D'Alessio aiming at Nucky with a gun from the other direction and he grabs his arm with the gun and it goes off, shooting a female bystander.

The D'Alessio with the gun (who appears to be Sixtus, played by Eric Schneider) takes off and Eddie opens fire and appears to hit him. Margaret, though not hit, slumps to the ground, the wounded woman's blood staining her dress (a gift from Madame Jeunet) as Nucky hold her and looks stunned.