“Maybe I’m a Federal Agent, maybe I’m a bigamist, maybe I’m a murderer on the run...” I love how he didn’t blink because he was indeed all of those things!
@Scott D Jimmy Darmody was supposed to last a lot longer than 2 seasons. He was supposed to be the primary antagonist for the duration of the shows run, but Michael Pitt was difficult to work with and demanded too much money. That's why he's haphazardly axed off and Gyp Rosetti just shows up in and then eats it in Season 3 as a "placeholder" antagonist until the writers could "correct" the story, and it unfortunately shows for the rest of the shows run.
He was a prohi agent so he has the tactical abilities under duress to stay calm and get out of trouble. Plus, he was becoming a new man and part of that was making him a little bit nutty. I think both things helped him ouy in this siyuation here. Same as with the situation where Capone wanted him to kill the bread truck driver in the woods.
I had to do the same once when surrounded in a room by five dudes who wanted to wup me for beating their friend in a fight. I had to turn it around on them, like what, are you his fucking babysitter, he can't handle his own shit? Basically I convinced them if they attacked me it made their friend look even weaker.
"Brown rust. It rots the leaf." This shows that he has done his homework on the character he is playing. Makes him a lot more believable. "I get the feeling my boss doesn't like me." Despite being in the most stressful situation a human being could ever be in, he's able to make a joke. "I'd say that's pretty goddamn disrespectful!" Shows his perfect understanding of Al's personality. That is all it takes to throw Capone off the scent.
Luciano didn't even flinch when Van Alden was implying that he was being disrespectful to Al Capone. That was badass. Luciano was always one of my favorite characters.
It's because he knew Van Alden or Mueller had a point... He was in Capone's town where at that point, Capone was THE biggest gangster in the world. Luciano's time came a little later. Van Alden was able to pull this off because he had experience both in law and in the underworld. The badass in this scene is Van Alden. That shouldn't even be up for debate.
The guy that played Al Capone is as good as it gets as far as an actor. You couldnt take your eyes off him in Boardwalk Empire. Van Alden as well. Just incredible.
Yea fucking right. I've never watched this series but this short will never make me want to watch it bc of the little peep squeak playing capone. Horrible casting for that role.
That's what I love about this character. He's cold as ice right up until he snaps and goes batshit crazy. And being loud and such a big lanky guy, him going crazy is always a spectacle.
@@KieranGunnOfficial Goodfellas is different to me though because those weren’t iconic people that everyone has seen their photos a million times. Plus they were amalgams of real-life people with similar names but not portraying them directly. Personally I would have forgiven it all more if they had shot from more low angles so it’s not obvious he is short, and not made it a characteristic of the character like having him waddle up to and say, “I ain’t reaching up that far”, it’s like they are informing us that Capone is short when he’s not. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine is a good example of how you film an actor & not call attention to his true height, never once watching did I think “yea this isn’t the short stumpy beast from the comics I remember”. It’s amazing what a simple camera angle can do, most of the hobbits never even needed cgi in most scenes of the LOTR movies.
Only I hated about Boardwalk Empire is how they glossed over Rothsteins murder when in fact, it was one of the biggest gangster murders for many years……the repercussions from it were felt all the way to the 70’s.
Hotsam Noirchards no, you’re wrong buddy. Have you ever seen it’s always sunny? The title card for the episode title always contradicts the assumptions of the characters. A good example is when Dee tells the others that there’s no way she’s dating someone with a mental handicap, and then the title card pops up (in this case “Dee is a dating a retard”) and the intro music starts.
@The Law Luciano was the Boss of Bosses of the American Mafia centered around the 5 NYC families. The American Mafia was literally his brainchild. Luciano still had tremendous sway over the Mafia after having gotten deported, which is most likely due to respect he'd gotten from having been it's creator. Had Capone shot him, there would have been hell to pay from the 5 families & the other formerly independent organized criminals that they had vassalized there. If anything, Van Alden's comments are able to influence Capone precisely because despite having his own little fiefdom & desiring to be seen as independent, Luciano is still technically Capone's superior.
@rockn roll The difference here is that Luciano is the guy who founded the Mafia, & in this scene, there'd be no plausible deniability for Capone. There's too many witnesses in order to keep such a hit committed in that room secret in the underworld.
Nobody's talking about that hilarious bit in the hallway? You've got a pair. What did I say? You don't remember? *checks pants* I need a men's room. You sick? I may have soiled myself.
Teddy KGB probably because he had a gun in his mouth ans he was scrambling for reasons. It seems obvious in hindsight, but a loaded gun in the mouth will do a lot
Van Alden just causally being the best anti hero of the entire series. Possibly the most relatable character in the entire show. Not to mention Stephen Graham just casually being the best Al Capone in cinema history at the same time.
I wouldn't say he's relatable. Deeply troubled childhood in a religious cult, a zealot, almost incapable of showing any genuine emotion or affection, increasingly unhinged with a murderous streak in him. I related more to Richard Harrow. Also a very troubled background but despite his crimes and killings, he seemed to be kind soul who in essence just wanted to belong and be able to have love and companionship in his life.
*SPOILERS FOR OTHER PARTS OF THIS SHOW, READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION* Agree with Rob above Van Alden is not meant to be a likeable or even relatable person. I would argue both Van Alden and Harrow were the most intriguing characters in the show in that Van Alden on the surface in that Van Alden may have started off as an anti-hero but let himself slide down that slippery slope into just being a criminal outright. He killed and lied and cheated and did all he could to save his own skin. Was there a tragic story as to why he did this? Of course, but that isn't what makes a good anti-hero, it makes him a relatable villain. Harrow on the other hand is the antithesis of a good anti-hero. A WW1 veteran deformed and came home to a country that didn't really give a shit to help him. We know it today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder but back then Harrow was suffering from an *EXTREME* case of what they called "Shell Shock". This was a sniper that had every bit of humanity pulled away from him, mentally and even physically. Without his mask he looks horrifying to the average person, but deep in there is a man that is still trying to just exist. He just wants to have a normal life and Darmody gave him something akin to that, albeit while relying on his skills to make a name for himself. He came so close to losing it all he nearly committed suicide by shooting himself out in the woods before a hunter stopped him mid-act suggesting "These ain't the woods for that kind of thing". Harrow took that literal, he had work to do. When Nucky finally figures out Harrow had killed Manny Horvitz he asks him why, he figures because he had a hand in Jame's death to which Harrow bluntly responds "James was a soldier" implying He got the death that was coming from him, he was a man of violence and if you live by the sword you die by the sword. He killed Manny because he took Angela's life. She was an innocent mother who wasn't implicit in anything her husband did. He deserved death because he killed an innocent mother who didn't deserve her fate. He has his own principles and while at times they're skewed, he wants to protect the family that took him in and gave him a chance. Jame's son didn't deserve to be tied into all his grand-mother's spider web of intrigue nonsense and so he fell into his old ways to free him. That to me, screams the embodiment of an Anti-hero.
@@Rixoli Yeah Harrow's death affected me more than any other on the show. Unforgettable character. When great writing, acting and directing come together!
Mike Shannon has this ability to contort his face to create different characters. It’s like magic. If you see him relaxed in an interview he looks completely different.
In my opinion, Michael Shannon utterly hijacked the spotlight on this show. And it's not like the other actors sucked! He took only a few episodes to make himself my primary rooting interest. What a performance!
This dude had the craziest character arc of anyone on that show. From genuine religious creep Boy Scout to somewhat likeable moss associate, I wasn’t sad when he died or anything but my feelings for him from season 1 to when he was killed were drastically different
Oh yeah, I'd argue he has one of the most interesting character arcs across any tv show and the role is played to perfection by Michael Shannon, I can't think of anyone else who could've pulled the character off like he did. Van Alden was easily my favorite character in Boardwalk Empire, every minute he was on screen my eyes were glued to it.
when van Alden says - maybe I'm a federal agent, the grip tightens around the gun. little details like that are just not there is most shows. With many such instances and a rich vein of superior storytelling, Boardwalk Empire is a cut above the rest.
As subtle as that was,the 1st time i watched this scene i noticed that too..its the tiny details thats sells the story and Graham did an excellent job every single time.
Boardwalk has amazing scenes like this, but it has some pretty turgid shit in it too. All that bullshit about Nucky’s relationship with that Irish woman dragged on waaaay to long. In fact, after Season 1, Nucky was a pretty uninteresting and unconvincing character. Jimmie was great in Season 2 but then died. After that the main Atlantic City/Nucky story was a bit shit. All the good stuff was in the secondary storylines about NY and Chicago. They should have killed Nucky off and just made it about the rise of Capone, Luciano and Lansky.
@@willmosse3684 yeah, it's a very uneven show. Seems like they didn't know what direction to go with it for a while. Seasons 1 and 2 barely resemble the later ones.
Lucky is the coolest guy in the world in this show. Everything he says is gold. 'Let him spill the beans, I wanna hear it'. How the actor, vince piazza, didn't win an emmy is just proof it's rigged. For me, that's the best portrayal of a mobster on screen.
I don't think rigged, Bobby Canavale got an Emmy and they got one for casting. Additionally it picked up multiple actress and actor nominations. It's just everyone acted so well that the enemies would have all been boardwalk empire nominees from Jimmy Darmody, to Luciano, to Capone, and Mr. Harold, and Van Alden they all could have been nominated for their respective roles.
tension for over 3 fucking minutes! that's incredible how they managed to make that scene, holding that for soooo long.... breath taking even if you just watch this scene when finishing the series for many months ago...
Another thing is at the beginning he’s very definitive in his answers, they all sound very true all the way up to the infamous ‘brown rust it rots the leaf’ line. That set the foundation for his brilliant speech in order to stay alive. Even had Capone questioning himself.
@@zu1875lu Caesar didn't have the feds gnawing at him like a fucking rat & still only convicted him on some bs taxes not even after all the murders haha romans had there swords as their cocks so fucking gay
"Do you think I'm stupid?" "No successful man is stupid" Van Alden is so much smarter than all the other characters give him credit for lmao. Everyone is always giving him shit and thinks he is just a stupid tall guy who knows nothing at all lol, I can understand why he got so angry all the time. I loved his outburst in the electric iron company, it was like his true self was coming out, same with all the times he gets angry. I really love the character, and I love Michael Shannon too lol
These guys should have been the main characters and aged with makeup as the story needed. The Irishman suffered from using actors past their prime because they were friends of Scorsese. Yeah, I said it.
The Colt 1911 has a single action trigger. None of the 1911s in this scene are cocked, therefore when they pull the triggers nothing will happen. The pistol isn't a threat until 2:40.
When Capone said "On your knees" I hoped and wished and prayed that Van Alden would say "So what.. We can look each other in the eyes?". It never happened but I so wished it did.
@FuckYouAllToPieces I admit it! The recent crop of humans are the worst the planet has ever seen. They disgust me so bad it brings up the bile from the back of my neck. Those fidget spinning safe space having SOBs can't get themselved unfucked.
I don't know why but I thought it was interesting that Van Alden finishes his final words in exactly 30 seconds. Capone didn't let him speak until 5 and he finished 5 seconds after the 30 second count. I've seen this scene countless times. I'm finally watching the show, currently in early season 2, I can't wait to see how the hell Nelson ended up working for Capone
the point is that they're calling out the bullshit when they think they hear it so they can see the other guy's response and see if he'll slip up with all the lies and expose his story as ultimately bullshit
"Brown rust.. It rots the leaf 😏" Michael Shannon was brilliant in this role. In fact, this is one of the rare shows that gets the characters right.. they all just fit
![fellow fellow - Proud [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9uZF7BlUQPE/mqdefault.jpg)
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“Maybe I’m a Federal Agent, maybe I’m a bigamist, maybe I’m a murderer on the run...”
I love how he didn’t blink because he was indeed all of those things!
Nice catch
He did blink though 😂
@@turklander4582 no you blinked
@@nwzz2916 lol
Former Federal agent...
"i would like to say something before you do anything rash."
I speak fluent gun in mouth.
Ahh, a man of culture I see.
Maybe not guns possible a penis in the mouth is most likely then a gun. and yes a man of very culture.
@@dr.gonzothompson4828 Want some glock?
@@dr.gonzothompson4828 Damn, Heckler and Koch would have worked better SMH
Awesome. I thought I was gonna have to read the subtitles
Van Alden seemed to always have the right words to say whenever he had a gun in his face. Shannon did a remarkable job with this character.
he is excellent
Bill Dumas The Iceman always did a good job.
Michael Shannon is brilliant ....go to his Resume an the list of characters are amazing !
Hes even played Elvis in 'Elvis & Nixon'.Great film , worth a look.
Bill Dumas crazy he was Greg buhl in 8 mile
It's like Van Alden gets a huge Diplomacy bonus when he's under threat of being killed by a gun.
Lol which video game is that a reference too? There is a Diplomacy mechanic in stellaris which I play.
Fallout
@Scott D Jimmy Darmody was supposed to last a lot longer than 2 seasons. He was supposed to be the primary antagonist for the duration of the shows run, but Michael Pitt was difficult to work with and demanded too much money. That's why he's haphazardly axed off and Gyp Rosetti just shows up in and then eats it in Season 3 as a "placeholder" antagonist until the writers could "correct" the story, and it unfortunately shows for the rest of the shows run.
@@yawgmoth6568 In this context, it's most likely Dungeons and Dragons.
and simply rolls a nat 20 every time.
It's great how Van Alden plays into Capone's insecurities/narcissism to save himself from the execution.
+10 Charisma bonus when under threat of execution. Van Alden is praising the dice gods for such a high roll.
He was a prohi agent so he has the tactical abilities under duress to stay calm and get out of trouble. Plus, he was becoming a new man and part of that was making him a little bit nutty. I think both things helped him ouy in this siyuation here. Same as with the situation where Capone wanted him to kill the bread truck driver in the woods.
@@JB-zo7ln or... the writers did a good job..
Then gets offered an alcoholic drink at the end.
@@michellereed2535 🤡
"On ya knees
"What??
" I aint reaching up that high
Lmao
Michael Shannon's accent is absolutely perfect for that time period, makes you believe in time travel
Candy was a dime
Women were 3.bucks an hour 25 bucks a night
He's underrated when it comes to his acting ability for sure.
Him being native to chicago helps
He has an accent here?
" Brown rust, it rots the leaf." That was insanely detailed Jesus what an underrated line .
Everybody knows brown rust rots the leaves of wheat.
@@lawanbrown16 That aint exactly common knowledge
@@Babbolozada especially before Google existed. You’d have to read through an encyclopedia for that
@@Babbolozada right its kinda the opposite of common knowledge lol
@@lawanbrown16 "I don't know what that is"
"It rots the leaf, what else?"
He used capones ego to get him out that situation...amazing
And then he threw his own ego (Nelson Casper Van Alden) right back at him before getting his head blown open ..great character
He absolutely did
I loved how in the end, Van Alden put the fear of death into Capone, as Capone did to him here.
I had to do the same once when surrounded in a room by five dudes who wanted to wup me for beating their friend in a fight. I had to turn it around on them, like what, are you his fucking babysitter, he can't handle his own shit? Basically I convinced them if they attacked me it made their friend look even weaker.
@@mixedman841 sure thing kiddo
"Brown rust. It rots the leaf."
This shows that he has done his homework on the character he is playing. Makes him a lot more believable.
"I get the feeling my boss doesn't like me."
Despite being in the most stressful situation a human being could ever be in, he's able to make a joke.
"I'd say that's pretty goddamn disrespectful!"
Shows his perfect understanding of Al's personality. That is all it takes to throw Capone off the scent.
"And and and... I'd say that's pretty godamn disrespectful." Van Alden has balls
+Leon Delvechio Ramirez General Zod would know a thing or two about that ol' fashioned respect.
well if I had a gun to my head,they told me theyre shooting in 30 seconds, and theyre on 30 fuck what comes out of my mouth on 30🤷🏾♂️
He didn't even remember what he said, it was all instinct. A pretty good instinct.
@@moneymic524 likely blood, lol
I like.. balls.
Luciano didn't even flinch when Van Alden was implying that he was being disrespectful to Al Capone. That was badass. Luciano was always one of my favorite characters.
It's because he knew Van Alden or Mueller had a point... He was in Capone's town where at that point, Capone was THE biggest gangster in the world. Luciano's time came a little later. Van Alden was able to pull this off because he had experience both in law and in the underworld. The badass in this scene is Van Alden. That shouldn't even be up for debate.
Miami 808 I’ve read that’s how he really was.
bmillerdrums how many people would have panicked in that situation?
Not many people can keep their cool in that situation.
Miami 808 They were equals. If Capone had tried anything with Lucky he'd have had a war with NY on his hands.
Because Luciano was NOT disrespectful. He was doing Al a favour and he said it with no disrespect over a lunch meeting. So he has nothing to fear.
"On your knees. I ain't reaching up there." I love mobster lines. Talk about killing aa if they are doing dishes.
The guy that played Al Capone is as good as it gets as far as an actor. You couldnt take your eyes off him in Boardwalk Empire. Van Alden as well. Just incredible.
Stephen Graham is memorable in all of the roles he's played- check him out in Gangs of New York and Snatch.
@Ender Ragnarok This is England is one of his finest performances. He did a good job of portraying a few lads that I grew up with.
Also in The Irishman
You mean our friend, the Tit?
Yea fucking right. I've never watched this series but this short will never make me want to watch it bc of the little peep squeak playing capone. Horrible casting for that role.
I've never seen anyone keep his cool like Van Alden. He is one of my all time favorite characters.
drpapa26 you should see him in the 2012 movie "the iceman".
Mike could keep his cool too.
That's what I love about this character. He's cold as ice right up until he snaps and goes batshit crazy. And being loud and such a big lanky guy, him going crazy is always a spectacle.
What you guys mean keep his cool? Lol He shit his pants literally. In the scene.
When he first came into O'banion's flower shop and saved his ass with his on the fly acting was incredible!
"...I GOT THE FEELING MY BOSS DOESN'T LIKE ME!" :D
2serveand2protect lol with that sad look on his face... I crack up everytime too
I can relate to that
We all have that feeling.
Luciano is the only one not smiling and/or laughing.
Al Capone: **Looks at Luciano**. “See we’re all friendly here”.
@@jessicacampbell4142 what did he mean by that
It’s like he thinks more clearly when there’s a gun in his face
Love that lol
Things get very clear when you're required to make a decision to keep your brain in your head.
clutch player
And he shit himself
@@jessicacampbell4142 who wouldn't lmao
Amazing show but they nailed it with Stephen Graham, what a job he did as Capone, just beautiful acting.
Word
+Channing Winsor Graham is always the perfect pick for his roles. Damn good actor must be the bottom line here
Channing Winsor I think that actor finally got the recognition he deserved... mainstream wise I'd say.
Perhaps Joe Pesci was not credible? What a waste of time it was to read your comment
In this role, he kind of looks like one of the older Wahlberg brothers.
Van Alden was smart to put all his skill points into speech. SPEECH 100 😂😎👍
his speech is only 100 when he is at risk lol
Speech op
"Are you successful?"
"Not really."
WHY?!
@@EricWilke1141987 Because I get the feeling my boss doesn't like me
@@ForgottenSon_ that was the moment he saved his life. The next part was routine.
The second this guy was wanted he became so funny lol
I actually prefer this version of Capone than De Niro's
And to think, they had to get an Englishman to do a better portrayal of an American than an American.
Joey Lock an Italian American at that
Nothing but a talk and a badge
De Niro's Capone is basically a cartoon character.
Al was 6 inches taller than this guy was and way chubbier. This English guy does a great job, carries the fear like pesci did...short but feared
Always cracks me up when Capone does that "You think i'm stupid" with the little lunge forward.
telephonic looks a lot like torrio!!!
Yes it still cracks me up when i see it.
I no u can see how small he is like napoleon lmao
@@admirosmanovic1368 it’s weird for as good as the show was alot of the real gangsters were horribly miscast.
@@KieranGunnOfficial Goodfellas is different to me though because those weren’t iconic people that everyone has seen their photos a million times. Plus they were amalgams of real-life people with similar names but not portraying them directly. Personally I would have forgiven it all more if they had shot from more low angles so it’s not obvious he is short, and not made it a characteristic of the character like having him waddle up to and say, “I ain’t reaching up that far”, it’s like they are informing us that Capone is short when he’s not. Hugh Jackman as Wolverine is a good example of how you film an actor & not call attention to his true height, never once watching did I think “yea this isn’t the short stumpy beast from the comics I remember”. It’s amazing what a simple camera angle can do, most of the hobbits never even needed cgi in most scenes of the LOTR movies.
Only I hated about Boardwalk Empire is how they glossed over Rothsteins murder when in fact, it was one of the biggest gangster murders for many years……the repercussions from it were felt all the way to the 70’s.
'Remember that if you're ever in charge...' (Always Sunny theme: Luciano forms the Five Families)
Hotsam Noirchards no, you’re wrong buddy. Have you ever seen it’s always sunny? The title card for the episode title always contradicts the assumptions of the characters. A good example is when Dee tells the others that there’s no way she’s dating someone with a mental handicap, and then the title card pops up (in this case “Dee is a dating a retard”) and the intro music starts.
J
Luciano didn't form the 5 families in NYC. The 5 families already existed before Luciano ever became a boss himself.
@@Giosdaddy06 it is a joke ffs
@@JakeDisselt *Capone voice* you like joking?
I love how Luciano was like "......." when Capone started listening to Van Alden's comments.
Christopher Chekosky
Yeah... because he realized that in a few moments; he might be the one kneeling on the carpet, blowing a .45.
He played Luciano to a T!!!!!
Thomas Christopher White Lucky was too high up to be touched tho.
@The Law Luciano was the Boss of Bosses of the American Mafia centered around the 5 NYC families. The American Mafia was literally his brainchild. Luciano still had tremendous sway over the Mafia after having gotten deported, which is most likely due to respect he'd gotten from having been it's creator. Had Capone shot him, there would have been hell to pay from the 5 families & the other formerly independent organized criminals that they had vassalized there. If anything, Van Alden's comments are able to influence Capone precisely because despite having his own little fiefdom & desiring to be seen as independent, Luciano is still technically Capone's superior.
@rockn roll The difference here is that Luciano is the guy who founded the Mafia, & in this scene, there'd be no plausible deniability for Capone. There's too many witnesses in order to keep such a hit committed in that room secret in the underworld.
Nobody's talking about that hilarious bit in the hallway?
You've got a pair.
What did I say?
You don't remember?
*checks pants*
I need a men's room.
You sick?
I may have soiled myself.
Funny it's Luciano that gave Van Alden an out by saying "let him spill the beans"
"I need a men's room"
"You sick?"
"No I may have soiled myself" 😂😂 I would too if al Capone put a gun in my face 😂
Get a forehead reduction. Me too
The guy he said it too looked like he understood his situation as well.
Too cliche
Get a forehead reduction. I would have shit myself too. Capone actually scared me and I was on the edge of my seat in this scene.
@@richardholmes9325 Why he needs a forehad reduction?
I hated him at first but grew to love Van Alden quickly. The actor is great, such a crazy likable unhinged performance.
I always wondered why Van Alden didn't mention saving Capone's life from assassination in this scene. Hell he saved Capone's brother's life too.
well... and also kinda killed him - but yeah! this season doesn't make much sense to me
His mind was a little blank worrying if if mind was about to go totally blank.
Teddy KGB probably because he had a gun in his mouth ans he was scrambling for reasons. It seems obvious in hindsight, but a loaded gun in the mouth will do a lot
Capone probably wouldn't want to be reminded of a time when he wasn't in control. It might have just made him angrier.
@@philipsalama8083 Exactly. Reminding people of good things you did for them sometimes makes them resentful.
Van Alden just causally being the best anti hero of the entire series.
Possibly the most relatable character in the entire show.
Not to mention Stephen Graham just casually being the best Al Capone in cinema history at the same time.
I wouldn't say he's relatable. Deeply troubled childhood in a religious cult, a zealot, almost incapable of showing any genuine emotion or affection, increasingly unhinged with a murderous streak in him.
I related more to Richard Harrow. Also a very troubled background but despite his crimes and killings, he seemed to be kind soul who in essence just wanted to belong and be able to have love and companionship in his life.
*SPOILERS FOR OTHER PARTS OF THIS SHOW, READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION*
Agree with Rob above Van Alden is not meant to be a likeable or even relatable person. I would argue both Van Alden and Harrow were the most intriguing characters in the show in that Van Alden on the surface in that Van Alden may have started off as an anti-hero but let himself slide down that slippery slope into just being a criminal outright. He killed and lied and cheated and did all he could to save his own skin. Was there a tragic story as to why he did this? Of course, but that isn't what makes a good anti-hero, it makes him a relatable villain.
Harrow on the other hand is the antithesis of a good anti-hero. A WW1 veteran deformed and came home to a country that didn't really give a shit to help him. We know it today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder but back then Harrow was suffering from an *EXTREME* case of what they called "Shell Shock". This was a sniper that had every bit of humanity pulled away from him, mentally and even physically. Without his mask he looks horrifying to the average person, but deep in there is a man that is still trying to just exist. He just wants to have a normal life and Darmody gave him something akin to that, albeit while relying on his skills to make a name for himself. He came so close to losing it all he nearly committed suicide by shooting himself out in the woods before a hunter stopped him mid-act suggesting "These ain't the woods for that kind of thing". Harrow took that literal, he had work to do.
When Nucky finally figures out Harrow had killed Manny Horvitz he asks him why, he figures because he had a hand in Jame's death to which Harrow bluntly responds "James was a soldier" implying He got the death that was coming from him, he was a man of violence and if you live by the sword you die by the sword. He killed Manny because he took Angela's life. She was an innocent mother who wasn't implicit in anything her husband did. He deserved death because he killed an innocent mother who didn't deserve her fate. He has his own principles and while at times they're skewed, he wants to protect the family that took him in and gave him a chance. Jame's son didn't deserve to be tied into all his grand-mother's spider web of intrigue nonsense and so he fell into his old ways to free him.
That to me, screams the embodiment of an Anti-hero.
@@Rixoli Yeah Harrow's death affected me more than any other on the show. Unforgettable character. When great writing, acting and directing come together!
Harrow's the most relatable but Van Alden is second for me. (Gyp is third)
Pretty goddamn disrespectful!
The finger point and facial expression said more at that point than all of the dialog in the entire scene. Great casting
NeDouble S Bro!!!! That thing impressed me more than anything else in this scene.
"I may have soiled myself "
Comedy gold 😂
“I get the feeling my boss doesn’t like me” 😂😂😂😂😂😂
When the guy that appears to be a God fearing man, uses the lords name in vein, even gangsters can respect that. lol
Mike Shannon has this ability to contort his face to create different characters. It’s like magic. If you see him relaxed in an interview he looks completely different.
Dude mesmerizes in EVERY role
In my opinion, Michael Shannon utterly hijacked the spotlight on this show. And it's not like the other actors sucked!
He took only a few episodes to make himself my primary rooting interest. What a performance!
I rate this scene as perfect.
This dude had the craziest character arc of anyone on that show. From genuine religious creep Boy Scout to somewhat likeable moss associate, I wasn’t sad when he died or anything but my feelings for him from season 1 to when he was killed were drastically different
Oh yeah, I'd argue he has one of the most interesting character arcs across any tv show and the role is played to perfection by Michael Shannon, I can't think of anyone else who could've pulled the character off like he did. Van Alden was easily my favorite character in Boardwalk Empire, every minute he was on screen my eyes were glued to it.
"See we're all friendly here....on your knees" that was badass
"A religious retreat... I bet you're praying now" What a line.
When you reach a Master-level Speech Craft in Skyrim.
"Do you think you're successful?"
"Not really."
“With a gun barrel between your teeth, you speak only in vowels.”
Thats what she said.
Flashback humor. I like that.
when van Alden says - maybe I'm a federal agent, the grip tightens around the gun.
little details like that are just not there is most shows. With many such instances and a rich vein of superior storytelling, Boardwalk Empire is a cut above the rest.
Duncan W. Lievi it’s a good show but the sopranos, the wire, breaking bad are above it
@@ChimcharrNo1 I agree with the wire and sopranos. Lmao not breaking bad though
As subtle as that was,the 1st time i watched this scene i noticed that too..its the tiny details thats sells the story and Graham did an excellent job every single time.
Boardwalk has amazing scenes like this, but it has some pretty turgid shit in it too. All that bullshit about Nucky’s relationship with that Irish woman dragged on waaaay to long. In fact, after Season 1, Nucky was a pretty uninteresting and unconvincing character. Jimmie was great in Season 2 but then died. After that the main Atlantic City/Nucky story was a bit shit. All the good stuff was in the secondary storylines about NY and Chicago. They should have killed Nucky off and just made it about the rise of Capone, Luciano and Lansky.
@@willmosse3684 yeah, it's a very uneven show. Seems like they didn't know what direction to go with it for a while. Seasons 1 and 2 barely resemble the later ones.
Richard Harrow and Van Alden are my favorites from this show. Van Alden has some of the most darkly humorous scenes I’ve seen outside of South Park
I love how Michael Shannon’s awkwardness controls the room
I always found it funny that whenever the boss laughs, they henchmen have to laugh also. Lol
Edax Sachorwzky it’s cause the henchmen are scared of their boss
Agreed but that line was absolutely fuckin hilarious
I'm getting strong Dr. Evil vibes here...
It happens in real life-even today. Quizlings everywhere...
Michael Shannon is such an amazing actor. The whole cast is top-notch!
Al’s look at 1:43. This actor crushed it
I get the feeling that my boss doesn’t like me.
Vincent Piazza did an amazing job as Lucky.
Gabriel the Red Lion who show is casting perfection
Seriously everyone deserves an award for this show.
Lucky is the coolest guy in the world in this show. Everything he says is gold. 'Let him spill the beans, I wanna hear it'. How the actor, vince piazza, didn't win an emmy is just proof it's rigged. For me, that's the best portrayal of a mobster on screen.
Yep. Old-school gangster
I don't think rigged, Bobby Canavale got an Emmy and they got one for casting. Additionally it picked up multiple actress and actor nominations. It's just everyone acted so well that the enemies would have all been boardwalk empire nominees from Jimmy Darmody, to Luciano, to Capone, and Mr. Harold, and Van Alden they all could have been nominated for their respective roles.
It's amazing that NO ONE in TV or movies seems to know how 1911 pistols actually work. Otherwise, very good acting.
He starts hammer down t h e n cocks it, so yes . . . they do.
That “religious retreat” is literally at the end of my street
tension for over 3 fucking minutes! that's incredible how they managed to make that scene, holding that for soooo long.... breath taking even if you just watch this scene when finishing the series for many months ago...
Al, C'mon....What?...they got maid service!........(proceeds to give him a ferocious snarling look!)🤣🤣
The inspiration one finds with a pistol stuck in their mouths.
That big ass Colt 1911 .45 as well. Wouldn't surprise me if he has already seen what one could do to someones head.
"Everyone is Meryl Streep with a gun to their head."
-Mike Earhmantraut
99% Inspiration, 1% Articulation
It was only the once but I couldn't think of shit
Rule by fear or love, implying he does by love even after he pulled a loaded gun out of Van Aldens mouth.
God this show was/is incredible.
I love how everything he confessed to was true.
Another thing is at the beginning he’s very definitive in his answers, they all sound very true all the way up to the infamous ‘brown rust it rots the leaf’ line. That set the foundation for his brilliant speech in order to stay alive. Even had Capone questioning himself.
The cocaine and the syphilis controlled his brain
Georg3 Jung who told you that, he did coke
Even when Val Alden has a gun in his mouth he's still pretty polite "I..I would like to say something before you do anything rash".
Speech skill 100 check passed
Soiled pants perk unlocked
Michael Shannon was legendary in this series. Dude owned this role.
Capone was a bit like Caesar, had supreme power for a short time.
Both!
That's one random comment! Caesar was a genius with balls of steel. Capone is not worth mentioning in the same breath 😑
@Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor oh please.
@@zu1875lu Caesar didn't have the feds gnawing at him like a fucking rat & still only convicted him on some bs taxes not even after all the murders haha romans had there swords as their cocks so fucking gay
Capone's a little bitch
"Do you think I'm stupid?"
"No successful man is stupid"
Van Alden is so much smarter than all the other characters give him credit for lmao. Everyone is always giving him shit and thinks he is just a stupid tall guy who knows nothing at all lol, I can understand why he got so angry all the time. I loved his outburst in the electric iron company, it was like his true self was coming out, same with all the times he gets angry. I really love the character, and I love Michael Shannon too lol
Goes from not being able to sell a iron to a little old lady to selling the air to Al Capone!
I wish I seen more of this actor I genuinely enjoy him.
You can see Charlie looking at him like “Fuck, well played”
this show was class
Lewent Ersoy yes, fuck game of thrones
Masterclass.
Two guys from the Irishman in this scene. Scorsese must have been a fan of this show.
@Satan is great That explains a lot. Thanks.
and he directed the first episode
These guys should have been the main characters and aged with makeup as the story needed. The Irishman suffered from using actors past their prime because they were friends of Scorsese. Yeah, I said it.
“What did I say ? I needs a man’s room I may have soiled myself “ 😂😂😂
No words to say how great this scene was...
Whoever cast actors for this show deserves an award
"and and and...I'D SAY THAT'S PRETTY GOD DAMN DISRESPECTFUL" 🤣, I friggin love Van Alden.
The Colt 1911 has a single action trigger. None of the 1911s in this scene are cocked, therefore when they pull the triggers nothing will happen. The pistol isn't a threat until 2:40.
When Capone said "On your knees" I hoped and wished and prayed that Van Alden would say "So what.. We can look each other in the eyes?".
It never happened but I so wished it did.
That's a very cool generic Hollywood line but very unrealistic especially for the character.
And they say people aren't productive under pressure.
Michael is so amazing!! One of my favourite actor!!
Absolutely amazing show!!
"Are you successful?"
"Not really, I get the feeling my boss doesn't like me"
So this is what Zod did in his civilian life
KrazyKevsta 😂😂😂
I WILL FIND HIM!!!
There are scenes that really stand out in this show, this is definitely one of them.
I aint reaching up that high.
Joseph Homan read that right as he said it
FuckYouAllToPieces that’s fair
@FuckYouAllToPieces Nothing special happened with that either. Overrated.
@FuckYouAllToPieces I admit it! The recent crop of humans are the worst the planet has ever seen. They disgust me so bad it brings up the bile from the back of my neck. Those fidget spinning safe space having SOBs can't get themselved unfucked.
I don't know why but I thought it was interesting that Van Alden finishes his final words in exactly 30 seconds. Capone didn't let him speak until 5 and he finished 5 seconds after the 30 second count.
I've seen this scene countless times. I'm finally watching the show, currently in early season 2, I can't wait to see how the hell Nelson ended up working for Capone
"You gotta pair?" "Nah, I soiled myself, I got a royal flush."
3:02 The look on Van Alden’s face. “🤨”
Lmao 😆
"How do you fuck up wheat farm?"
bro you wouldn't even know how to maintain one lmao
the point is that they're calling out the bullshit when they think they hear it so they can see the other guy's response and see if he'll slip up with all the lies and expose his story as ultimately bullshit
"I ain't reaching up that high"- Al Capone
that's some great acting by all involved
Man, Herc's grandad really does know how to count
This is where you need some type of “game” to talk your way out
"I don't want to meet the little guy"
"I think I may have soiled myself."
I damned well guess you might have there, sport!
"Brown rust.. It rots the leaf 😏"
Michael Shannon was brilliant in this role. In fact, this is one of the rare shows that gets the characters right.. they all just fit
Boardwalk Empire was one of the best shows on TV....I miss it...