Boardwalk Empire

I love me some Martin Scorsese, even his lesser works are infinity more interesting than most directors can dream. I also love me some Steve Buscemi, you know the funny looking guy in Fargo. No, no not William Macy, the OTHER funny looking guy. Yeah the guy that ended up in the wood chipper. He's a great actor and I bet he has some amazing stories.

Now these two are joined together in the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire," well at least for the first episode that Scorsese directed. Set at the eve of Prohibition this is the story of Enoch "Nucky" Thompson. A consumate politician and shady character who is the behind the scenes king of Atlantic City. Nucky sees Prohibition as a license to print money. He can get boats from Canada to smuggle whiskey to a thirsty america. But Nucky despite being as crooked as a bent corkscrew, still has some morals so it will be a question if he can be half a gangster.

The show is smart, funny and exciting much like Steve Buscemi. The period detail is wonderful, specially when they are on the boardwalk. It's one compelling bit of TV.

A Very British Gangster

Sometimes a film maker is lucky.  Director Donal MacIntyre lucked out when he managed to contact Dominic Noonan.  It would be extremely hard to make up such a character and even if you did the audience might not buy such a pile of contradictions.

Who is Dominic Noonan?   He goes to church every week.  He's respected in his community.  He owns his own security firm, and "bank" to which locals use for loans and protection.  He's got a big family and two sons and loves them all.

Dominic Noonan is also alleged to be involved in 25 murders.  Dominic Noonan once was part of a successful prison uprising.  He has his own gang and always has a brigade of young toughs at his side.  He manages to ride the local macho crime scene while also being unabashedly gay.

All these sides make for a fascinating portrait of a modern criminal.  It helps that Dominic is not shy about the camera.  He's very willing to speak on crimes that are well passed the statutes of limitations.  For example, he'll tell the director evenly that he not only tortured one bloke but it was "quality torture." 

The film not only charts the highs and lows of Dominic's career but also current problems including a shooting in the family and legal woes.  Dominic himself is a very personable guy.  You have to look twice to see the inner bull dog toughness that got him to where he is.  You can't really like or root for him, but it would almost be worth the risk to share a pint with him, just to say you did.  This film is a much safer way to have the same experience.

The Baron

I love Vincent Price.  It's a totally hetro man love by the way, but it is a very deep one.  I love his movies and I love the man.  He was, as they say, a class act.  Not only a great actor but a writer, artist, chef.  He has a degree in Art History from Yale and an art gallery that still bears his name.  No one has ever said an unkind thing about him.  Well, except that the IMDb lists one of his nicknames as "Bink."  Bink?  Probably best not to ask.

Though it is near halloween, and we are talking about Vincent here, I rather talk about a non horror role for the moment.  If you haven't seen the Baron of Arizona you really really must.  It is an incredible film about an incredible attempt of theft.  You see Vincent here wants to steal Arizona.  All of it.  And he wants to do it under pretense of law.  As you can imagine this is not easy and requires years of planning and plotting.  We follow Vincent as he goes from step to improbable step.  We also watch as he grooms a young girl to first be a pawn then his wife. 

The film is of course well acted, thank you Vincent.  It is also very well directed by Samuel Fuller.  The most amazing thing, however, is that it based on fact.  James Addison Reavis did indeed try to steal Arizona.  Truly makes Madoff look like clownshoes by comparison.  Certainly you should not miss this film!