Boardwalk Empire quotes

Nucky Thompson

[to Jimmy] First rule of politics, kiddo: Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

I'd be honored to name my child after you.

Nucky Thompson

Enoch? You couldn't possibly be so cruel.

And he took the loaves and fishes, looked at his disciples and said, "Fuck it. We're going into the whiskey business"!

Jimmy Darmody

Nucky, all I want is an opportunity.

Nucky Thompson

This is America, ain't it? Who the fuck's stopping you?

Jimmy Darmody

[to Nucky] Look, you can't be half a gangster, Nucky. Not anymore.

Arnold Rothstein

There was a man once, I don't recall his name, frequented the billiard parlors downtown. He made a comfortable living wagering whether he could swallow certain objects, billiard balls being a specialty. He'd pick a ball, take it down his gullet, to here, and regurgitate it back up. One evening, I decided to challenge this man to a wager. Ten thousand in cash for him to do the trick with a billiard ball of my choosing. Now he knew I'd seen him do this a dozen times so I can only surmise that he thought I was stupid. We laid down the cash and I handed him the cue ball. He swallowed it down, it lodged in his throat, and he choked to death on the spot. What I knew and he didn't was that the cue ball is one sixteenth of an inch larger than the other balls, just too large to swallow. Do you know what the moral of this tale is, Mr. Yale?

Don't eat a cue ball?

Arnold Rothstein

The moral of the story is: If I'd cause a stranger to choke to death for my own amusement, what do you think I'll do to you if you don't tell me who ordered you to kill Collisimo?

Would you help me, Mr. Thompson? All I want is to provide for my children.

Nucky Thompson

I'd like to help you.

Then tell me what to do. What do you want from me?

Nucky Thompson

I want you to vote Republican.

Al Capone

What'll it be?

I'll take a whiskey and a statement on the record.

[seeing Capone kicking Corrigan] What the fuck's going on?

Al Capone

I'm making a statement.

Nucky Thompson

The split is 80 percent-20 percent, my favor. I supply the product, your people work their magic.

Chalky White

That's a whole lot of magic for 20 percent.

Nucky Thompson

It's the same deal I gave Mickey Cusick.

Chalky White

You know that motherfucker changed his name to Doyle?

Nucky Thompson

I did.

Chalky White

40 percent.

Nucky Thompson

What happened to 30?

Chalky White

I'll charge 10 extra for thinking I'd take the same deal as Mickey.

Nucky

I didn't know you were so sensitive.

Chalky White

As a baby's ass, motherfucker. [leaves]

Nucky Thompson

[to Eddie] What's motherfucker mean?

Eddie Kessler

I suppose it's a schvartze term.

Arnold Rothstein

There's a lot of money in that pot. Do you know how much?

Yeah, 20.

Arnold Rothstein

22,500. How much mining equipment would you have to sell to make 22,000 bucks, Buck?

A lot. Are you in or out?

Arnold Rothstein

I'll see your 2, and raise you 5.

[after a moment's hesitation] Take it. I was bluffing.

Arnold Rothstein

I know. So was I.

Gillian Darmody

I was under the impression that you could do anything.

Nucky Thompson

I'm not God, Gillian.

Gillian Darmody

Now you tell me.

Nucky Thompson

When you were 10 years old, I don't know if you'll even remember this, President Taft came to town, some campaign speech. You were in the crowd. I suppose you were with your dad. But you turned to me and said, "Nuck, what's a fella gotta do to become president?" I said, "well, you gotta study, learn everything you can about the world and do a lot of hard work." And you looked up at me in disbelief and said, "gee, is that all?" I used to think you'd own the world one day.

Jimmy Darmody

Where am I supposed to go?

Eli Thompson

I hear California's nice. Maybe Chaplin needs a foil.

Chalky White

I was born in Elgin, Texas. My daddy taught himself the carpenter trade doing for the black folk there. I tell you, anything that man put his hand to - table, chair, wedding chest - he make that wood sing. Now one day, a man, Mr. T. O. Persall, come 'round. He a white man, own his own store, stable, hotel. He say to my daddy: "I hears you the finest carpenter in Elgin." My daddy tell him: "Well, I can't say one way or the other, but I knows a bit about somethin'." So Mr. T. O. Persall take my daddy to this house he was building. Biggest house in town. They walk in there, say: "This here gon' be the library. What you think 'bout that?" My daddy say: "Well, I think you need some bookcases." "Well then, that's what I want you to make me." 10 months my daddy worked there. And when he finished, he bring me 'round. "Mr. Persall, this here my boy. I'd like to show him what I done." "Well, come on in! Through the front door!" Just like that! And we did. When I see them bookcases, all covered with scroll and flowers, baskets of fruit, little angels floatin' in the corner... that was the most beautiful thing I ever seen. About a month later, another man come 'round. "I see what you did for T. O. Can't let that old dog top me. You come 'round my house, I'll show you what I need." My daddy go with him to the edge of town. Wasn't nothin' there but 6 white men, 12 foot of rope, and the pepper tree they hung him from. [pause, Chalky takes out some carpentry tools] These here my daddy's tools.

[afraid] What are you gonna do with them?

Chalky White

Well... I ain't buildin' no bookcase...