This scene is fantastic. It really illustrates how smart Nucky was. He was fully aware of the fact that he was way out of his league here, yet in spite of that he conducted himself well enough to earn Mellon's favor in the end.
Nucky was amongst the most disciplined negotiators I have ever seen in film. He never took anything personally and always kept his cool, knowing that peoples responses werent always their actual responses. This public rejection gave way to a private acceptance. He was in fact in his league and Mellon recognized this by his collected response to the seemingly offensive response. Someone like Lucciano would have blown up like a petulant child. Lucciano would have been out of his league.
@@Bethune_Groundstaff Not sure if you have read much by Ayn Rand, but it's a good foundation for understanding motivations. When it comes to negotiation, we are presenting a value exchange. We must accept that a rejection is merely a lack of sufficient value communicated to convince someone to make an exchange. The person making the offer is a part of that value. Always look at it in economic terms and never let emotion enter the equation. Doing this allows for one to conduct themselves professionally at all times. In this case, Nucky was an unknown to Mellon. His personal value was zero. Although the business exchange was sufficient, the net negative of Nucky being unknown was enough to kill the deal. The manner in which Nucky conducted himself increased his value (built rapport). This added value and made the exchange worthwhile. In sales (life is sales, not just sales jobs specifically), the economic terms are usually easy to meet. It's the human factor that makes deals happen. If dollars and cents were the primary driver, accountants would make the best sales people. I have never met an accountant that could sell water in the desert.
@@robyeone7976 or he's not moronic enough to agree to such a deal in public with countless witnesses. it's almost out of Nucky's character to be shocked my his inevitable response here
@@trenttrip6205 I suppose that’s a quote from the show. Just for the record, I’m not saying it didn’t happen, just that I don’t remember, it’s been a while since I’ve seen it. I need to watch it again when I’m ready for the heartbreak.
Blackmailing a guy of his position in that day and age was a good way of being conveniently found in a ditch a few months later. These rich guys have no problem using their wealth to rid themselves of their problems.
Notice how Mr. Mellon simply gestures to those throughout the room. That's real power. He "enjoyed " Nucky Thomson's little pitch; even though he could've squashed him like a bug.
It’s kind of ironic how Nucky was the Treasurer and Mellon was Secretary of the Treasury but even with his $200 million and power as head of the Treasury Department, Nucky still got the better of him like he did with Rothstein. Mellon arrested Remus and forced Daugherty to resign and Nucky didn’t end up filling his part of the bargain but did get to use the distillery to bait Rothstein and got Daugherty to go down “lock, stock and whiskey barrel.”
Beevenhouse his nervousness is a sign of humility, that would make the secratary comfortable enough to do business with him, its a wise move on nuckys part
Beevenhouse his nervousness is a sign of humility, that would make the secratary comfortable enough to do business with him, its a wise move on nuckys part
I love how the writers of this show troll the main characters every now and then: as if saying, these goons are getting too cheeky now, we need to show them some humility.
People think that Mellon called him an interloper because he wanted to insult him. He said that with authority and told the staff because he's probably paranoid enough to know that some of them are being paid as spies by his rivals to listen in on their conversation or that there are possibly journalists listening in on them. He also did it to remind Nucky of his place in the club, and establish a power hierarchy between them. What a character.
I think that was because of Nucky not being used to taking insults. Later on in the episode he says "You fucking Interloper" to the man in Billie Kent's apartment. Almost like he had to pass on the insult to someone else to feel better.
There's a lot of times where people repeat something somebody else told them on the series, the two that pop out in my head is when Al Capone told one of his men to grow up after being told it earlier in the episode, and when Jimmy repeated "not every insult requires a response." It's a good way to show what's going on inside of these people's heads.
@ Alexi Barona - Yeah, like Carnegie, Mellon was of Scottish descent. But your instinct was accurate. Ulster Scots were even more Protestant than the WASPs. Still are.
@Jim Dandy but these elites still subscribe to the notion of European/Anglo Saxon dominance though. See Carroll Quigley for details. Also, notice how these elites still doggedly refuse to entertain meaningful dealings with African nations...even in the face of China & Russia aggressively courting said African continent's leadership. The Anglo elites *_DO_* to subscribe to some sort of ruler-ship based on Anglo-originated precepts...even if they dont necessarily view those precepts with the same approach as the masses.
The real Andrew Mellon was a cold-blooded patrician. His response to the Great Depression was "Purge the System," in other words let the peasants die. Magnificently played here by James Cromwell who turns in another excellent performance.
@La Onda they dont make westerns anymore? Is your old ass still living in the early 2000s? 2018 was the biggest year for the modern western.There have been many critically accalimed shows, movies even video games about westerns. What draws a lot of ppl to westerns is the outlaws, not the governent.
Amazing how the show builds Nucky up to be some kind of criminal mastermind, pulling strings everywhere, get treated like a small insect by those with real Power. Then you think about how insignificant the NJ crime scene is compared to running a nation.
Politicians give themselves titles, medals, awards and pay rises. Gangsters go to jail. Thats the difference. What they have in common is, if they're good at what they do, history remembers them.
@@thesunris Influence. Gangsters especially nowadays are only effective if they play ball with heavy-hitters akin to men like Mellon. Hell even most big cartels nowadays are on the fringe just waiting to get snuffed out either with time or action.
When not sucking in the smoke in the streets, they were sucking in tobacco smoke. Or both at the same time. I pity the lungs of city-dwellers in those days.
His response would have been the same whether or not he had heard of him. Gives him the edge in the conversation that ensues by forcing Nucky to reveal more than he might otherwise if he were familiar with him. I assume that Mellon is aware of who Mr Thompson because it is to his advantage to know even the minor players in the game.
At an environmental event, the man sitting in front completely blocked my view. During a break, I politely asked this tall, elegant, distinguished man with impeccable diction if we could switch seats. He kindly agreed. While joking about his 6'6" and my 5'2", he saw me finally recognize him. To avoid any awkwardness, he shook my hand and said, "Sorry! I didn't get your name. I'm James Cromwell." (Said with a twinkle in his eye.)
Same goes for abstinence. It's a dumb and ineffective way of enforcing an archaic mentality. It's proven to be more disastrous at preventing teenage pregnancy rather than proper birth control education.
@@Reach1335 , Yep, it was the WCTU among others that drove the imposition of the prohibition amendment, 18th, which caused more crime and harm than prior to its passage. I am always concerned that the maternal instinct will override good economic sense. The economic damage done since women got the vote and have forced the loot A to satisfy B, commie/socialist welfare statism on Amerika is proof!
I love the outside background of the city with its misty overview that you can see through the Club's big balcony portals. Evidently the Club is located many stories high over the city downtown, surrounded by other tall buildings but you can still perceive the city noise, the pollution in the air, and the cars outside down on the streets and how the misty sunlight hits the neighboring buildings giving this scene that old fashinon 'smell' in a setting portarying a private club during the 1920's.
Exactly...its like window to zeitgeist of early 20st century America. Almost like you can feel growing and vibrant american city outside, city of newcoming empire, growing power and Andrew Mellon represent that in person...its fantastic detail, fantastic scene
@@lukasustic752 Absolutely fasinating. This scene has it all. Everything that you mentioned about the rising Empire and the US climbing the last steps to reach this Everest to become the most dominant and industrialized country in the world. The path of hegemony. Amazing!
Holy shit like look at the power Mellon exuthes simply by reading and being calm. Like the old saying there are two types of Men: Showouters and Gentlemen and Mellon is DEFINITELY a gentleman. He holds true power.
4:12 - 'You've brought some color to my day...' The same iconic line I use for those solar panel salespeople that constantly knock on my front door with their pitch, and I send them away.
I love these old club leather chairs. This makes me think of having that certain smell when you walk into an older building and have that old wood smell.. of the floorboards. The mix between wood and leather would be very delightful aromataticaly.. the smell of old aged whiskey and cigar as it envelopes the upper atmosphere.. delightful
It's not really something you can get anymore, apart from some of the few places that have actually survived renovations. The only place I know of with that sort of scent and social climate is a German restaurant here in Houston. Haven't ever found it anywhere else.
@@Vistresian1941 yeah here in Australia I used to enjoy going to the old country towns that had the antique stores or antiquated historical buildings that had that atmospheric quality. I loved when crossing the threshold it was like stepping into a different time era. It wasn't just visually but the atmosphere within the place had that quality of the unknown. Sadly these days many homes have lost that quality as they now are pretty much all the same.. I myself used to love the older homes with the high ceilings or the pressed tin ceilings and the different mouldings used to decorate it.. creaking floor boards and mantlef fire places .. the kind of places you'd want to explore carefully because just what if... ( Like the homes in the famous five where if you ran your fingers in the right place or knocked on the wall to find the hollow you could find a secret passageway or secret nook or cranny..) the kind of places that excite the mind.
@@zu1875lu haha you snook in? Are you sure apparently they don't exist like the me.. maybe it was all an illusion I thought snook was like a snog.. oh wait yeah the accent.. hmm Birmingham hey.. that's a kinda sexy accent
"bandits, fighting over a cut of the loot". Absolutely spot on! I also find it amazing how noticeably nervous Nucky is before addressing Mellon, trying to find a way of starting a conversation that's engaging enough, but, at the same time, won't bore Mellon. Nucky might run a city, but these guys are much bigger than that, and he knows it.
@@yxvm Apparently Mellon was a major businessman turned politician who became Secretary of the Treasury. The guy was extremely instrumental in reforming the federal taxation after WWI and even limited US debt during his time in office. The guy was literally hand in hand with several presidents and was pretty much the Businessman of The White House. So... Essentially... The dude was the money man for the government and influential on the very country itself. I could be wrong here, but he's one of those guys that has REAL power. Another quote from wikipedia is: Journalist William Allen White noted that "so completely did Andrew Mellon dominate the White House in the days when the Coolidge administration was at its zenith that it would be fair to call the administration the reign of Coolidge and Mellon."
Woosh. Mellon is considered one of the reasons for the great depression and one of the worst Secretary of the Treasury of all times. He is far worse than the people he is talking about and at least as criminal as Nucky.
What exactly do you think underrated means? This show was considered one of the top ten shows on tv when it was running. The first season was nominated for 18 emmys. It won a golden globe for best series. The cast won the screen actors guild award. All five seasons got between 88% - 95% on rotten tomatoes. Even the soundtrack won a grammy. This show was wildly popular among viewers too. What do you mean by underrated?
@@reinarforeman6518 I understand it won a lot of awards but it was not talked about a lot loke a lot of the other popular shows. A lot of people I takes havnt never watched it.
breaking bad, sopranos, and the wire are imo the trifecta of television, but this show's characters, and how they change and how dynamic they are, is best in this category
"Looking back on it, I feel that I could have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents." -Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler
"War is a Racket" by Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler ought to be required reading in every school. Of course, if it was, the shape of US & indeed world politics would be transformed..
@@theofficialphoenixtv5765 Mellon would probably hate Narcisse. The pomposity would have been epic but Narcisse being pompus to Mellon would have pissed Mellon. Look how careful Nucky has to be with his words to avoid offending Mellon. "Small business man, I'm sure you can understand"
May 1st, 1776 is when the Illuminati came out. Look into it don't just spew ignorance when it is so easy these days to acquire info with the click of a button.
You mean the Masons...the Illuminati started within the Mason ranks. Thirteen mason members were all killed along time ago. The mason are the ones who created this country.
Love this scene. Such brilliance going on between the two of them. Nucky gets favor with him which is cool. JC is playing such a powerful character and only appeared very little. But man what a great scene. 1920's wealthy gentlemen relaxing at their country club. Awesome.
Andrew William Mellon (March 24, 1855 - August 26, 1937) was an American banker, businessman, industrialist, philanthropist, art collector, and politician. From the wealthy Mellon family of Pennsylvania, he established a vast business empire before transitioning into politics. He served as United States Secretary of the Treasury from March 9, 1921 to February 12, 1932, presiding over the boom years of the 1920s. He left office after the onset of the Great Depression, briefly serving as the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom. A conservative Republican, Mellon lowered taxes and government spending in the aftermath of World War I.
@La Onda No, it was the Fed EXPANDING the money supply throughout the twenties that gave us the Great Depression. A boom brought about by creating money out of thin air, not backed by real savings, always leads to busts. And the Fed has been doing it now for quite some time too...
They’re the same type of character. Incredibly wealthy men in sort of second-rate positions that clearly actually run everything. In the earlier seasons they emphasize that even national politics is just another racket filled with incapable dipshits, just like most the Westerosi royalty, but ppl like Mellon....
How is he underrated? Someone commented that this series was underrated, and now Steve? Besides the numerous awards and nominations, huge roles in iconic films and tv shows, being a household name and a net worth of 35 million dollars.... what exactly do you need him to be recognised for?
@@reinarforeman6518 when people say this what they're really saying is "I love this thing (in this case being an actor) not many people know about but people should know about it." , its a slight ego boast for them.
@@tylerphillips6523 I get it.... but Steve is a huge Hollywood actor. He's not exactly a cult figure. He's in block-busters and Sandler films. Highbrow and low.
This is a demonstration of power, without using it. Nucky is a big fish in HIS OWN pond. Andrew Mellon lead the entire nation financially. All he had to do is wiggle his finger and Nucky would have two broken legs in a jail cell.
Making it illegal makes it harder to enjoy doing it. Not eliminate them from doing it. Because, hardheaded people are going to be hardhead. The alternative is just as braindead and childishly idealistic. Which is why our beautiful US states with the most liberal policies (i.e., decriminalization, "harm reduction," welfare specifically for homeless, etc.) are looking like the set of The Walking Dead, going bankrupt because it's enabling on a macro level; and all it takes is an episode of Intervention to see what enabling does.
@@ThaMightyWon Literally the opposite. It's wild how states with the most "liberal" policies all take less federal funds than they pay yet the ones with the harsher more "conservative" ones have to rely on that federal money just to survive. There's a reason why the CITY of New York has over 8 Million people living in it while the entire STATE of Alabama has 5 Million. You know Portugal decriminalized all drugs over 20 years ago right? Or how for all of human history right up until the 1920's there were no illegal drugs?