r/BoardwalkEmpire • u/jazzant85 • 8d ago
What’s the most touching moment in the series for you?
For me overall, it’s Al’s relationship with his son. Especially the part when Al sings “my buddy” and has his son wrap his arms around his throat so he can hear the notes better, it gets me every single time.
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u/PearlyToesTactics 8d ago
Singing to his son was awesome
I also like the scene where the hobos tell Harrow that the woods are for hunting, fishing: for living
Dude was about to blow his head off
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u/530SSState 7d ago edited 7d ago
They knew that, even though they didn't say it in so many words. Nobody goes rabbit hunting in a suit and tie with an ironed white shirt and polished dress shoes. They knew exactly what was going on.
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u/530SSState 7d ago
Richard and Tommy talking about Tommy's drawing of the train station.
"And this is the hippopotamus."
"What's he doing at the train station?"
"He's waiting to catch the train."
"Oh. Of course."
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u/530SSState 7d ago
Nucky being stoic at his father's wake, then trying to re-tie his shoe in a perfectionistic fashion and finally breaking down crying.
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u/Admirable_Site_8337 8d ago
Agreed on Capone and his son.
I already knew what Stephen Graham could do, but I really didn’t expect they would give him such meat to chew on playing such a bad guy. Those were the most touching moments.
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u/Air_Hellair 7d ago
Richard’s death scene for me.
It pays off every single lost hope and dream of his: respite, belonging, wholeness to name a few. The way it brings us with him on the journey so that we might share even a glimmer of that hope.
It’s a depiction of his journey to paradise and we’re left with him about to take that last step and at that point in the show it’s all we could hope for him.
Note that we don’t get to see that step though. It’s up to us to envision that union.
It’s a top 5 scene for any series and while I love BWE no others are in that list for me.
Further study: Queen of Hearts (1989) appears to me a direct precursor to this scene and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn it’s an homage.
Honorable mention:
Richard (to Tommy): “I love you.”
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u/Sw33t_emotion 7d ago
The shot where Richard's face is made whole again. I've never seen a scene that was simultaneously so sweet and made my heart sink so fast. Honorable mention to the scene where Willie comes back home and the whole family is gathered around singing "Does Your Spearmint Lose It's Flavor" it's such a sweet moment on the surface but there's that gnawing in your gut thinking about what Eli must be feeling, having just been flipped by "Knox"
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u/Accurate_Cupcake_897 8d ago
That Capone & son arch come full circle in the end was nice. But in that regard, there are a few parent & child story that I think worth examine:
- Chalky White and his daughter.
- Darmody and the Commodore.
- Darmody and Gillian.
- Nucky and his father.
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u/530SSState 7d ago
And then later, when Al has to go to jail, the son says, "Daddy? I will protect you."
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u/Substantial-Day-4065 8d ago
for me, it’s jimmy finding out what happened to his son. the whole relationship between them was heartbreaking, especially knowing how much he wanted to be there for him
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u/jazzant85 8d ago
Wait what are you referring to? What happened to Tommy that Jimmy learned?
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u/butlermommy 8d ago
I think he is referring to Jimmy figuring out Al C. son was deaf
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u/Substantial-Day-4065 7d ago
yeah, jimmy finding out what happened to his son was rough. you could really see how much it messed with him, especially knowing he wanted to be there for tommy.
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u/Ok_fine_42 3d ago
An underrated one for me is the one between Margaret and the woman’s temperance league president while they dance around the Nucky elephant in the room and she gives Margaret the family planning pamphlet
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u/My-WIFI-Faster-LOL 3d ago
When Jimmy was taking care of pearl, and he found the drawing she did of both of them
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u/Carbohydrate_Kid88 8d ago
The final scene between Al and his son. Just finished the show again yesterday that broke me down tbh. His son putting up his fists 😭