Sunday, December 12, 2010

Boardwalk Empire: When Alcohol was Outlawed, Outlaws became Kings.

Many shows on television today glamorize the subject matter in which they focus. AMC’s Mad Men glamorizes the smoking and sexism of the 60’s. ABC’s Desperate Housewives casts a shiny coating over the lives of, well, desperate housewives in the suburbs. HBO’s newest series focuses its lens on the era we’ve learned so much about this semester, the roaring twenties. Boardwalk Empire is set in Atlantic City literally on the eve of Prohibition. The tag line for the show reads, “Atlantic City, 1920. When alcohol was outlawed, outlaws became kings.” In October I watched the first three episodes but had to stop. The show was very difficult to watch, albeit interesting. But the violence and harshness of the time was hard to bare. I wondered, would I enjoy this show more after our class? So I stopped watching and let our discussions, books, sources, and blog posts, sink in. With all that new information and mind set I watched the Pilot again, noting every sentence of significance, the music in the background, and any detail that now stood out to me and reminded me of a lesson we’ve learned. I was now “in” on all the facts, names, and history of the time. I took 3 pages of notes, 1,502 words. But does a person have to know about the 20’s in order to truly appreciate the show? Or should one simply tune in to learn and see so many of the things that shaped the era and the very class we’ve shared together?
Unlike most television shows, Boardwalk Empire, is almost entirely historically based. Like Mad Men it must point out the historical going ons of their respected eras, for Mad Men its the death of JFK, the civil rights movement while for BWE (Boardwalk Empire, if you don’t mind) issues such as Prohibition, women gaining the right to vote, and the political leadership of America. The main character is the treasurer of Atlantic City, Enoch Lewish “Nucky” Johnson. Wikipedia, always on stand by while watching the show, proved that the character is very much based on the real life Nucky. Nucky, both in the show and in his real life, is heavily involved in bootlegging, gambling and prostitution, all of which are well depicted in the show. A political figure on the outside showing his support for Prohibition, behind closed doors he reaps the profits of this new law and knows how greatly it is bound to fail. As we had learned in class and Only Yesterday, those against Prohibition were either too drunk to fight it or saw the benefit they may acquire and Nucky exemplifies that. On the eve that Prohibition is to be instated, the mayor of Atlantic City, members of city counsel, and leaders of the law enforcement, join Nucky to a great feast as they toast “to the beautiful ignorant bastards” that may declare the country dry but Jersey will stay wet. He convinces his group of leaders that it will be like the Volstead act never existed, except that the prices will go up. They know, as we learned, America would only realize this all too late. Men will pay anything to get a good drink, especially because the government has made it illegal, which makes it even more tempting (as Tami’s blog post showed us).
The episode goes on to introduce some famous faces we’ve learned about; John “Papa Johnny” Torrio, also known as the “The Fox” was the Italian-American mobster who was part of the Chicago mobster scene, Arnold Rothstein, a Jewish mobster from New York City worth approximately 10 million dollars, and Lucky Luciano, an Italian mobster worth around half a million acquired through drugs, heroine and gambling. While all the men meet to discuss a shipment of Canadian Club whiskey set to arrive the next night, their drivers talk outside. Torrio’s driver says to Nucky’s driver that he believes there is more money than Colosimo realizes in the liquor business because he thinks the law will be too strict on it but he dismisses his own thoughts, “who gives a *%#@ what I think?” Nucky’s guy introduces himself:
“Nice talking to you, Jimmy Dormundy.”
“Al Capone.”
In such a small, underrated, moment, we are introduced to two very real men, one of which we now know will be one of, if not the, biggest mobster in American history.
The episode goes on to show how a mob would acquire their liquor. One way we learned about was how normal everyday people were starting to learn how to make their own beers and whiskeys. In BWE a man running a funeral home starts a liquor factory in the basement. A fake wall opens up to reveal how they make their alcohol: 1 part real, 8 parts water, heat it up, let it cool, then add the alcohol, which is fermented from potatoes, carmel coloring depending on what you want to make whether it’s scotch, whiskey or beer, making up to 2,000 crates a week. The other way we learned about, which BWE mainly focuses on is an import of Canadian Club that is coming in by sea. Nucky agrees to buy all 500 crates for $35,000 every week. Then Nucky sells it to Rothstein for $60,000. But Rothstein gambles at one of Nucky’s casinos racking up a winning of $93,000, lowering his payment to $33,000. The load comes in under the vale of darkness, then moved onto a tugboat, then driven into New Jersey by Rothstein’s own men. The prevalent violence we’ve discussed through only words is shown unapologetically. A group of men wearing ski masks each holding arms set up a false barricade and hijack the shipment. Out of fear the seemingly everyday men start shooting out of fear, after killing all of Rothstein’s men it is revealed that it is Jimmy and Al Capone stealing the shipment from everyone. Meanwhile, Jimmy has sent the FBI and law enforcement to raid the alcohol factory. Back in Chicago Torrio is inside his restaurant listening to music and someone comes in, shoots him, and we can assume it is one of Capone’s men. Before going off to Chicago Jimmy gives Nucky a share of their profits from the hijacking and tells Nucky, “You can’t be half a gangster, not anymore.”
BWE shows how much America was simply distracted and turned a blind eye to all the violence going on. A man is on a stage telling “my girl is so dumb” jokes, rather than our modern version “your momma’s so fat,” in front of a roaring crowd. While the crowd of thousands laugh and the jokes go on, the camera shows us the hijacking of the alcohol, demonstrating what we’ve learned in our class. More serious matters were going on in American politics and the growth of gangs and violence, yet the general public only wanted to be distracted, to believe that their homes are dry and their husbands are sober, rather than look at what is really going on. The episode ends on a song that brought a smile to me, it’s called “I Never Knew I Had A Wonderful Wife (Until The Town Went Dry)”. The lyrics are by Lew Brown, music by Al Von Tilzer, which was released in 1919. Here is the chorus, but I suggest everyone to read the full lyrics from this link: http://www.authentichistory.com/1914-1920/09-fallout/6-prohibition/3-music/1919_SM_I_Never_Knew_I_Had_a_Wonderful_Wife-lyrics.html
“I never knew I had a wonderful wife until the town went dry.
The way I spent my money on women was a crime,
I found that with my wife, I could have had a better time,
I'd sent her to the country and I'd always yell hooray.
But I saw her picture in a bathing suit the other day.
I never knew I had a wonderful wife
Until the town went dry.”
I suggest everyone in our class to watch at least the first episode, but even if you chose not to, based on what I’ve told you, do you think HBO doesn’t glamorize the issue of gangs and Prohibition on purpose? Do you think people can watch BWE to not only get a glimpse into the Roaring 20’s but to get a visual history lesson?

18 comments:

  1. Aliyah- Not only do I love your post for its honesty and obvious passion (and of course a shout-out to me!!!), it brings home everything that we’ve been discussing in class. While it might seem to us that the gangster life is an exciting kind of life, with the popularity and the money and availability of whatever you want because you’re the boss, this shows the very real side of a life of crime. While I know very little about the kinds of shows that HBO generally produces, they seem to consistently give a very “in your face,” up close and personal account of the darker, more hidden, side of life. By showing the violence and hijacking and robbery in conjunction with the “my girl is so dumb” jokes, they aren’t letting viewers fall into the same trap that the generation of the 20’s fell into. HBO won’t let us ignore the horrors of the time; they won’t let us forget the very real violence; we can’t pretend that all was right and dandy during the Prohibition Era.

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  2. Thanks so much for your comment Tami! The show touches on so many topics that I didn't have enough room to even get into.
    HBO is known for being very "in your face" and graphic, that's for sure, and clearly continued in Boardwalk Empire, which is why I think it's the right network for a show like this. The violence and darker side of the twenties has to be shown with no apologies.

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  3. Ok Aliyah I blame you for getting me into yet another show- so after our conversation on Thursday I watched the pilot ( and three more episodes) I love it! It is so cool seeing so much of the information we have learned this semester woven into a brilliantly shot t.v. series. I think BWE definitely focuses on the side of the 20's most people forget, the dark side. While the men and women wear always look polished, the clothes, and scenes themselves, are dark. I don't know if you picked up on the lack of light as well, most of the time gray is featured, lending the show a serious vibe.What I also find interesting about the show is that it almost makes you like the gangsters. I know I personally like Nucky and Al Capone gains the viewers favor as well. Since the show focuses on their lives the viewer is bound to connect with them without even realizing it. Perhaps the network is trying to show how the gangsters had the same effect on people in the 20's, they won them over with money, flair, and favors. Thus, they gained control and were able to commit the crimes they did. What do you think? I really loved your post and the show!

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  4. Also Aliyah- I think the opening credits are done so amazingly. It is genius how at first the sky is light, however, once the liquor bottles roll in dark clouds appear. This clearly symbolizes how due to Prohibition the 20's gained a very dark side one of murder, gangs, lynchings, graft etc.. Also the fact that the camera focuses in on Nucky's shoes and the footprint he makes in the sand,perhaps illustrating the footprint gangsters made on the 20's society-

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  5. Great post Aliyah! I am convinced to start watching the show! As far as HBO not glamorizing gangs and Prohibition.. I have slightly contradictory answers for this. On the one hand it definitely makes it a more historical account because while historically accurate details are nice, when a TV show has an honest tone and paints the bad guys as actual bad guys (not to say they're not lovable characters, just there's no denying their outlaw status) it makes me believe it all the more.
    But on the other hand, if HBO were to glamorize gang culture of the 20s more and the violence of 20s gangs would be masked by their love-ability, then for us - 21st century students studying the culture of the 20s - it would not be historically accurate. We would overlook the violence of gangs and focus on their "bad boy" attractiveness. But if our goal is to understand how the people of the 20s themselves viewed gangs - how they feared them but romanticized them as well - then glamorizing would be accurate. I don't any of today's gang movies would be able to glamorize the outlaws if the 20s didn't do this first.

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  6. This post made me want to watch the show! Thank you so much, Aliyah! I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds like the show accurately portrays gang life in the 1920s. I also believe that Americans probably did glamorize gang life back then, as they do now.

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  7. @Jenny-I'm so glad you like the show! I love everything that you picked up on. The lighting is used so well but I didn't think of it as significantly as you've pointed out. Such a good point! I completely agree that its showing how dark the times truly were in 20's despite all the music and distraction going on.
    I think you make a really interesting point about the likeness of the characters. I love Nucky. That's also why I included the way Al Capone is introduced, I think it's done so well. You do like the gangsters and I think it does reflect how well the people of that time looked up to them and admired their skills.
    @Kim-I was thinking the same thing. People like us, who now have a greater knowledge on the era, will be completely obsessed with every wrong mistake the show makes, which could hinder the show. I think it's true, like Jenny said as well, that the gangsters themselves were somewhat glamorized by the people in their own time and that's the affect HBO is giving us. While they want to give us the raw violence and harshness of the time, they still want you to watch and be invested in these characters.
    @HelenA-Thanks so much (to all of your comments really). It's so funny that we're all talking about how much they were glamorized back then, something I'm not sure I completely picked up but as we're talking and reflecting back on the class I see that they were.

    I really think the show has a challenge: if you are a historically accurate show, how much do you think they need to stay to the truth? Should we pick apart a show because we've learned about the era or simply sit back and enjoy our new found lingo to "get" the jokes?

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  8. If this blog has taught us one thing it's that I don't think it's possible for me to make a short post. lol Can't wait for more comments!

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  9. Aliyah, this show sounds so interesting and i am definitely going to start watching it as soon as finals are over. Television not only informs people but it also lets people, so to say, "live the moment" it is portraying. By making a show that is mostly historically true i do believe that HBO informs people of a famous event in history and also allows them to live it by producing BWE. Some shows tell (and show) you a story and you could interpret that story any way you want so maybe a reason why BWE does not glamorize gangs is so that you could take in the what they show and tell you and choose how you wish to perceive it. But by reading previous posts, it seems that people have taking a liking towards these gang members. So HBO did not have to glamorize them, you already did yourself. Also an interesting fact to note is that the most recent episode is called "A Return to Normalcy," looks like the writers turned to our old friend Frederick Lewis Allen.

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  10. Aliyah- I'm really excited to watch this show after finals! It's awesome that we can apply what we learned in class to mundane things such as a TV show. I agree with Elizabeth in that HBO does not need to glamorize the gang members because by watching the show you are bound to become attached to some of them. Therefore it will lead you to glamorize them yourself.

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  11. LIZ-I saw that also! It's so funny seeing the episode titled that and hearing people talk about TV with phrases and ideas we've learned so much about. I haven't been able to watch more episodes cause of school too but that was the finale episode we we'll all catch up quickly. I have to say it's hard to watch at times because of the violence but I think it's extremely real and there are so many other things to notice when you watch that I didn't have the space to write about like entertainment, the literature brought it, racism, women's role, flappers, jazz and so many other things.

    And YAEL-it is funny that we've glamorized them ourselves. Really we shouldn't be looking up to these people at all, they commit crimes, but as the tag line reads; they really do become kings. I wonder if these "role models" are any better than the ones we have today, whether it's gangsters like Piddy (like we've had in another post) or just the reality stars of today?

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  12. I agree with Helen. Your post has made me want to watch the show as well. It is nice to see that TV can makes shows based on history. I can not wait to see how the show depicts what we learned in class.

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  13. Aliyah, I believe that each type of "role model" has its pros and cons but neither is worse than the other. We idolize anorexic actresses trying to emulate them by cutting down the calories we eat to look like them. At least when we've glamorized these murderers, we can still admit that what they have done to get where they are is wrong. I just hope it doesn't get to a point where people start to believe that the gangsters were correct in how they treated their enemies and competition.

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  14. I don't know if the show's agenda is to make these gangsters and their actions something to be admired necessarily. I think that, as part of skilled film making, a show or movie is the most impressive when it can turn a character that is generally despised and condemned into a sympathetic, or even heroic, character. From a historical perspective, we know that history is shaped by many different perspectives of different events. For example, the Declaration of Independence, a pivotal moment in American History, is just a blip in the history books in England. History looks different depending on who's looking at it. I have yet to watch the show, but it seems to me that portraying gangsters as superstars gives a more complex look into this period in American History as it allows the viewer the opportunity to expand their mind and entertain the possible justifications and benefits of the life of a 1920's mobster.

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  15. Yael-I completely see your point about our role models, models and actresses. Have you heard about Portia De Rossi's new book, an Unbearable Lightness? A little off topic from the 20's but she talks about the industry and its affect on her and the girls of our generation. I hope we don't get to that point where we think it was okay the way they treated with enemies and competition, something perhaps the show might do. Does anyone thing that the show could have us sympathize with these people who are essentially murders!
    Racheli-I really like your post. You bring up a great point about history and the perspective one views it from. Because that does make all the difference. Just like Only Yesterday looks at the roaring 20's differently than the show's producers do, since they have the perspective of the future, who knows but perhaps the show will really have hints to the doom of the The Great Depression and things of that nature and that will be interesting to watch!

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  16. great post aliyah! and I really like the conversations that are going on here!
    I think that in light of todays society, its scary that the show is idolizing the gangsters. Todays kids are surrounded by so much violence on TV, in Video games, and even within the school system with school shootings and bullying. do we really need a show that portrays the violent gangsters in such a positive and sympathetic light? doesn't it only further increase the negative effect it will have on the psyche of todays youth?

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  17. I really hope no kids are watching this show because they will be exposed to a lot more than just violence!

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  18. Hey Gila,
    The show is totally not geared towards kids so I hope they're not watching. Like Jenny just pointed out, she has started watching the show since I told her about my post, the show exposes the viewer to a LOT more then just violence, alcohol but also sex and domestic violence, so I really hope they are not tuning in. I will say that because it is HBO, already known for being an adult-only channel, I will say that as a teenager I still managed to watch Sex and the City behind my parents backs and as much as it may have exposed me to "The City" and sex it didn't make me go out there and actually do what they do on the show. But I definitely see your point, just because I was brought up as a good Jewish girl,doesn't mean someone else didn't watch that and lead them to certain things in life. But that's a very scary thought!

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