S6 EP1

The beginning of season six marks the end of prohibition in America, so Tommy must adjust his imports and exports business. He travels to the island of Miquelon to meet with business partners. The island is devastated from losing their main industry of smuggling whiskey. Tommy waits in a dimly lit bar for his meeting room to be prepared, but, while drinking a glass of water and reading the paper, an angry drunk berates Tommy for ruining their industry. Tommy hands him his business card that shows he does not work for the whiskey company, but, instead of reading it, the man burns it. Then, he attempts to force Tommy to drink a glass of whiskey, but Tommy refuses because he gave up alcohol four years prior. Throughout the buildup of this scene, the background noise in the bar is eerily quiet. The camera work also focuses on odd angles, blurring the side of Tommy’s face, showing him through a mirror covered in writing, and focusing on his business card. The anger of the townsman is met with Tommy’s calm demeanor. He rarely makes eye contact with the man, preferring to stare straight forward or at his newspaper. The calmness is broken when the man smashes a bottle on the bar. The camera mimics Tommy’s swooping motion as he slashes the man’s face with a knife. The loud swoosh and then metallic slice are prominent. A brief tussle with the man and his friend is paused with another calm speech by Tommy. Tommy’s attempt to de-escalate the situation is in vain because the drunk man draws a knife, so Tommy pulls his gun and shoots the phone on the wall. This act is important to show his willingness to use the gun and destroy their line of communication. Seconds later, he shoots a flying dove. The dove is another symbolic form of communication, but, more importantly, it demonstrates his accuracy and experience. Mirroring the movement of the gun again, the camera spins across the musty room as the barman’s wife runs into the room. Finally, Tommy ends the conflict with a warning about the dangers of his temper and walking up to his meeting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEvYLYetWA0 (Starting at 2:50)