Boardwalk Empireis stuffed full of fascinating, dangerous, and charismatic characters.
Who Was the Real Arnold Rothstein?
Arnold Rothstein was a New York mobster who made millions viaillegal gambling and bootlegging operations.
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Members of the Chicago White Sox were bribed to purposefully blow the series.
The incident made headlines across the country and helped Rothstein become a household name.
In the end, he wasreportedlygunned down by a poker player who was owed $300,000.
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As characters, Rothstein and Nucky Thompson are a compelling duo.
Both are far more intelligent than most of the goons in their orbit.
Even when they are at each others throats, theres still an underlying sense of mutual respect.
Image Via HBO
While Arnold Rothstein certainly possesses the intellectual trait, he is far from meek.
In fact, there is a sinister, creepy quality to Rothstein that makes Stuhlbargs performance so entrancing.
Taking a cue froma true anecdote, the show references on several occasions Rothsteins love of milk and cake.
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At one point, Nucky remarks that Rothstein eats like a child.
While there has long beenan association between villainous characters and milk, it feels especially off-putting in Rothsteins case.
He imitates the manners of polite society to be more effective at stealing, killing, and manipulating.
Stuhlbarg provides depth and nuance to his character that is matched perhaps only by Steve Buscemi.
Although many talented actors (such asSpencer TracyandF.
His performance seals the deal in making Rothstein the most compelling character in a series filled with them.