Boardwalk Empire filled with fascinating, dangerous and charismatic characters. They range from infamous real-life gangsters (such as Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, and Bugsy Siegel) to fictional scene-stealers (such as Jeep Rosetti, Chalky White, Valentine Narciss, and Richard Harrow). But one character in particular manages to perfectly combine the most interesting real-life story and the ability to grab our attention in a room full of eccentric and violent personalities. As we explore both the true story of Arnold “The Brain” Rothstein and Michael StuhlbargRothstein’s incredible performance, we’ll see why this character is considered the most interesting, complex, and compelling character in the entire series.
Who was the real Arnold Rothstein?
Arnold Rothstein was a New York mobster who made millions in illegal gambling and bootlegging. Rothstein cultivated a reputation for being smarter than everyone else, but the reality is that he often played card games and horse races to ensure he won. No predetermined outcome brought Rothstein more fame than the infamous 1919 World Series, also known as the Black Sox scandal. Members of the Chicago White Sox were bribed into deliberately failing the series. The incident made headlines across the country and helped Rothstein become a household name.
One of Rothstein’s most interesting features is that, despite being a smart schemer, he was also an avid gambler who often lost large sums at card tables across the country. IN Boardwalk Empirewe see an example of this in Season 4, Episode 4 when he loses hundreds of thousands of dollars playing poker and Meyer Lansky has to get him off the table (Anatoly Yusef). In real life, Rothstein had a habit of demanding a refund when he won, and conveniently forgot the score when he lost. In the end, he was reportedly shot dead by a poker player who was owed $300,000.
Rothstein stands out as one of the most influential figures in the history of organized crime, credited with helping to create crime syndicates and turn black market enterprises into large corporations. His reputation inspired the creation of two iconic fictional characters, Meyer Wolfsheim in the novel. The Great Gatsby and Nathan Detroit in the musical Guys and dolls. Thus, it is not difficult to understand why the authors Boardwalk Empire were keen to include Rothstein as a character, despite the fact that Rothstein is not mentioned in the book on which the series is based.
Arnold Rothstein plays a vital role in Boardwalk Empire
Not only Boardwalk the writers intended to include Rothstein in their series, they also made him a recurring supporting character. Obviously, it is difficult to know exactly what kind of interactions and deals were made behind closed doors by historical criminal figures, but there is not a huge amount of evidence that the real Rothstein and Enoch “Nucky” Johnson (the inspiration for Steve Buscemicharacter Nucky Thompson) were just as close in real life as they were in Boardwalk Empire. The decision to keep bringing Rothstein’s character back into the story is a clear demonstration of how much the writers appreciated this character. Rothstein visits Atlantic City many times, helps Nucky wage war on Jeep Rosetti (Bobby Cannavale), mentors Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano (Vincent Piazza), seeks Nucky’s help in using political connections to avoid prosecution, and (perhaps most importantly) shells out huge sums of Nucky’s money in exchange for a constant supply of liquor.
As characters, Rothstein and Nucky Thompson are a compelling duo. Both are much smarter than most of the thugs in their orbit. Both meticulously plan business deals, never completely trusting each other, but are also happy to be dealing with someone who can deliver on promises. Like sharks catching the scent of blood, both are able to recognize each other’s weaknesses, such as when Rothstein realizes that the assassination attempt on Thompson has shaken him up, or when Thompson watches Rothstein succumb to a gambling addiction.
While Rothstein and Thompson have had many great scenes together, perhaps the most memorable one is this fight from Season 3, in which Rothstein erases any pretense of genuine friendship between them. Although they are both too sociopathic to be true friends, an undeniable bond develops between them that lasts for the first four seasons of the series. Boardwalk. Even when they cling to each other’s throats, they are based on a sense of mutual respect. As we watch the characters drop like flies throughout the show’s five seasons, Rothstein remains a regular presence on the show until his off-screen death between seasons 4 and 5. because the real Rothstein was killed off between the two seasons.
Michael Stuhlbarg did a great job in Boardwalk Empire
Now that we understand why Rothstein was a fascinating historical figure worthy of inclusion in the series, and now that we’ve seen how important his character was, the cherry on top of Rothstein’s case is that he BoardwalkThe most compelling character is the wonderful portrayal of Michael Stuhlbarg. If you’ve seen Stuhlbarg in one of his other roles, like the Coen Brothers movie, A serious man, you will notice that he tends to portray meek or intelligent characters. While Arnold Rothstein certainly has intellectual qualities, he is far from humble. In fact, there is something sinister, creepy about Rothstein that makes Stuhlbarg’s performance so exciting.
Stuhlbarg has the perfect balance of politeness, formality, and good manners, mixed with composure, ruthless violence (on his orders) and savage cruelty. Based on a real anecdote, Rothstein’s love for milk and cakes is mentioned several times in the show. At one point, Nucky notices that Rothstein is eating like a baby. Although there has long been a connection between villainous characters and milk, in the case of Rothstein, it seems especially unpleasant. His gentle and quiet demeanor, combined with his childhood fondness for milk and cake, gives us the strong impression that Arnold is a sociopath. He mimics the manners of polite society in order to steal, kill, and manipulate more effectively. Stuhlbarg brings depth and nuance to his character that perhaps only Steve Buscemi can match. Although many talented actors (such as Spencer Tracy And F. Murray Abraham) have played versions of Rothstein over the years, but none have played as well as Stuhlbarg. His acting makes Rothstein the most compelling character in a series filled with them.
Source: Collider
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