Site Migration

The server migration is on hold. Check here for more info.


The Sopranos/46 Long

From The TV IV
Jump to: navigation, search
46 Long
"What's the situation right now on the ground today in the mob?"
Season 1, Episode 2
Airdate January 17, 1999
Production Number S102
Written by David Chase
Directed by Daniel Attias
Produced by Ilene S. Landress
← 1x01
The Sopranos 		1x03 →
Denial, Anger, Acceptance
The Sopranos — Season One

46 Long is the second episode of the first season of The Sopranos, and the second episode overall.

Starring: James Gandolfini (Tony Soprano), Lorraine Bracco (Dr. Jennifer Melfi), Edie Falco (Carmela Soprano), Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti), Dominic Chianese (Junior Soprano), Vincent Pastore ("Big Pussy" Bonpensiero), Steven Van Zandt (Silvio Dante), Tony Sirico (Paulie "Walnuts"), Robert Iler (Anthony Soprano, Jr.), Jamie-Lynn Sigler (Meadow Soprano)

And: Nancy Marchand (Livia Soprano)

Guest Starring: Michael Rispoli (Jackie Aprile)

Also Guest Starring: Al Sapienza (Mikey Palmice), Anthony DeSando (Brendan Filone), Drea de Matteo (Adriana), Frank Santorelli (Georgie), Johann Carlo (Bonnie DiCaprio), Debrah Ellen Waller (Perrilyn), Mike Epps (Jerome), Yancey Arias (Arnaz), Tibor Feldman (U.S. Attorney Braun), Harvey Levin (Talk Show Host), Steven Randazzo (Vincent Rizzo)

Co-Starring: Kate Anthony (Counter Person), Anthony Caso (Martin Scorcese), Victor Colicchio (Joe), Marcia Haufrecht (Fanny), Desiree Kehoe (Nude Dancer), Michael Parr (Bouncer), Sharif Rashed (Antjuan), Charles Santy (Truck Driver), David Schulman (Mr. Miller), Manny Siverio (2nd Truck Driver), J.D. Williams (Special K)

Contents

Plot Overview

When Livia becomes increasingly accident prone, starting a kitchen fire and then seriously injuring her best friend Fanny when driving, Tony hires a Trinidadian nurse named Perilyn to assist her at home, but Livia's racial harassment provokes Perrilyn into quitting. Dr. Melfi suggests Tony bring her around to the idea of moving into the retirement community Green Grove, but a verbally embattled Tony ends up threatening to take power of attorney over Livia and place her there if she refuses to go. Although he angrily denies to Dr. Melfi any repressed guilt from his actions, he has another minor panic attack, and he takes out his frustrations on Georgie, the technologically challenged bartender at the Bada-Bing, whose inability to use the phone mirrors Livia's.

Meanwhile, Carmela hears Anthony Junior's science teacher, Mr. Miller, has had his car stolen and suggests to Tony he have Big Pussy retrieve it as a favor. Tony agrees, and soon Big Pussy and Paulie Walnuts start their own brand of detective work, locating the two thieves, but finding the car already chopped for parts. Threatening the pair at gunpoint, they have them steal another car of the same model and replace the plates to match the original vehicle. The next day, A.J. proudly presents the surprised Mr. Miller with the "returned" car but does not notice the hastily applied new paint job come off on Mr. Miller's hand.

Christopher and his friend Brendan Filone cause problems for Tony by hijacking a load of DVD players from Comley Trucking, a company under Junior's protection. Junior calls for a sitdown to resolve the matter despite the toll on acting boss Jackie Aprile, who is undergoing chemotherapy. Tony agrees to have Brendan and Christopher pay $15,000 in restitution to Junior, almost their entire profit from the robbery, which the pair reluctantly give, but that night they get high on crystal meth and plan yet another heist from Comley, this time a delivery of Italian designer suits. At dawn, however, a sober Christopher refuses to disobey Tony, so Brendan recruits a couple of African-American associates, Antjuan and Special K, to replace him. Unfortunately Antjuan drops his gun during the heist, accidentally setting it off and killing the driver. Tony holds Brendan and Christopher responsible and orders them to return the truck and its contents to Comley and hope that it is enough to calm Junior's reaction.

Notes

Music

  • Piel Morena, performed by Thalía: The Truck Driver drives up to where Brendan Filone and Christopher are waiting to hijack his truck.
  • A Whiter Shade of Pale, performed by James Gandolfini: Tony sings at breakfast as Carmela tells him of Mr. Miller's stolen car.
  • Party Girl, performed by Ultra Naté: Bada-Bing dance music as Christopher arrives with the DVD players.
  • Instrumental, performed by Zino and the Human Beatbox: Bada-Bing dance music as Tony talks to Livia on the phone.
  • This Time, performed by Richard Blandon & The Dubs: Big Pussy goes over the books at his car shop (background).
  • Bop Hop, performed by Brooklyn Funk Essentials: Big Pussy and Paulie Walnuts go to two coffee shops in search of the car thieves.
  • Let Me Call You Sweetheart, performed by Debrah Ellen Waller: Perrilyn sings to herself as she does chores around Livia's house.
  • Chica Bonita (Levante las Manos), performed by Artie the 1 Man Party: Big Pussy and Paulie Walnuts find Arnaz's apartment.
  • Symphony #3, Op. 36, performed by Dio: Tony packs up Livia's house and has a minor panic attack.
  • Battle Flag, performed by Pigeonhed²: Bada-Bing music as Tony beats Georgie with the phone. Also plays over the closing credits.

²Appears on The Sopranos: Peppers & Eggs soundtrack collection.

Whack List

  • 2nd Truck Driver
    • Killed by: Antjuan
    • Method of death: Shooting
    • Ordered by: God
    • Notes: Brendan Filone and his cohorts Antjuan and Special K hold up a truck driven by the 2nd Truck Driver. Antjuan tries to drive the truck, but as he climbs out of the cab, his gun falls from his lap and discharges, killing the driver.

Total Episode Body Count: 1

Title Significance

46 Long is a suit size, referring to Tony and his crew fitting themselves from the line of Italian suits Brendan Filone has hijacked.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

Characters

  • Tony: Tony has his third panic attack while packing up Livia's house.
  • Tony and Dr. Melfi: Tony gets defensive of Livia when Melfi suggests she has problems with relationships. Later, Melfi's suggestion that Tony may harbor hatred toward his mother causes him to storm out of their session.
  • Tony and Livia: Livia is forced into Green Grove retirement home, which she holds against her son.
  • Christopher: Christopher's friend Brendan Filone is a drug addict, and Christopher takes crystal meth with him at the nightclub. This is the first direct reference to Christopher's own drug addiction. Also, Tony says Christopher's low rank is due to immaturity and a lack of leadership, which Christopher demonstrates in allowing Brendan to hijack the Comley truck.
  • Big Pussy: In the opening teaser, Tony, Paulie Walnuts, Silvio, Christopher and Big Pussy watch a TV interview with mobster rat Vincent Rizzo. Everyone reacts with anger except Big Pussy, who changes the subject to cloning and Princess Di.

Referbacks

  • 1x01 - The Sopranos: While complaining to Tony of his unfair treatment, Christopher speaks of his handling of "the Triborough Towers situation," meaning his assassination of Sopranos family business rival Emil Kolar. Later, Tony stares out the kitchen window and tells Meadow he is looking for ducks, saying, "It was special them coming here," in reference to a family of ducks who came to his pool.

Trivia

The Show

  • First Appearance: This episode marks the first appearance of recurring characters Jackie Aprile and Mikey Palmice. Although actress Drea de Matteo appeared in episode 1x01 - The Sopranos as a restaurant hostess, she appears in this episode as "Adriana," a girlfriend of Christopher's, making this Adriana's first official appearance.
  • Teaser: This is the only episode of The Sopranos to feature a pre-credits teaser scene.
  • Legitimate Businessmen: Big Pussy's front business is revealed to be an auto garage.
  • Soprano Family: Dr. Melfi refers to Tony's sisters, but he says they have cut off ties with Livia. This is the first reference to Tony's Barbara and Janice Soprano. Tony may have originally been intended as an only child. In episode 1x01 - The Sopranos, Livia tries to hurt Tony with a comment about how daughters take better care of their mothers than sons—a strange comment to make if she were estranged from her daughters.
  • The Hierarchy: Although episode 1x01 - The Sopranos implied Tony was the boss of the family, this episode spells out the hierarchy. Acting boss Jackie Aprile mediates a dispute between Tony and Uncle Junior, and references are made both to Jackie's illness and to "the old man [who is] a guest of the government," meaning Dominic DiMeo, the real boss.
  • Georgie the Punching Bag: This episode marks the first of many beatings (this time using a telephone) that Tony would administer to Georgie, the hapless Bada-Bing bartender, for trivial reasons.

Behind the Scenes

  • Awards & Nominations: Director Daniel Attias was nominated for a DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series' - Night for his work on this episode.
  • Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Tony says there are fewer titles available in DVD than on laserdisc. The first season DVD set of The Sopranos was one of the early successful TV show sets and contributed to the popularity of the format.
  • New Set: From this episode on, the pork store where Tony has meetings is the fictitious Satriale's, not the real-life Centanni's from episode 1x01 - The Sopranos, which could no longer be used due to logistical concerns with the neighboring businesses.

Allusions and References

  • John Gotti: The New York mobster and head of the Gambino crime family known for his flamboyant mannerisms. In 1992, he was convicted of 13 counts of mob-related activities and sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Talk Show Host: John Gotti. Life in prison, no chance of parole.
  • The Godfather: Part III: Silvio's repeated Al Pacino impression reenacts a famous line from The Godfather Part III. In the film, Michael Corleone tries to legitimize his family, but the manipulations of rival families force him back to criminal activities.
Silvio: Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.
  • Princess Di: Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales' August 1996 divorce from Charles, Prince of Wales, was a point of embarrassment for the British royal family. Just over a year later, she died in an automobile accident in Paris.
Silvio: Princess Di, You think the royal family had her whacked?
Paulie Walnuts: Last time I take a fuckin' limo in Paris.
Big Pussy: I'm fuckin' Rockford over here.
  • Frankie Valli: New Jersey-born Italian-American singer and actor who rose to prominence as the frontman for the 1960s boy band The Four Seasons, who had such hits as "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like a Man." Valli would later appear as New York capo Rusty Millio.
Tony: You know, Frankie Valli, when he visits Jersey, this is the florist he uses.
Tony: Retarded? What if Jerry Lewis heard you talkin' like that?
Mikey Palmice: No, that's muscular dystrophy, Tone.
  • The Bank Dick: Classic 1940 film comedy starring legendary red-nosed comedian W.C. Fields as a bank security guard.
Tony: Screened The Bank Dick last night. "Did you warble, my little wren?"
  • Desi and Lucy: Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, the comedy duo and married couple who co-created and starred in the classic sitcom I Love Lucy.
Big Pussy: Anybody else here, Desi? ...
Paulie Walnuts: Yep, here comes Lucy now.
  • Johnnie Cochrane: American attorney who became famous for his flamboyant manner while defending former football star O.J. Simpson in his 1995 murder trial.
Big Pussy: Well go ahead, make a statement. I got fuckin' Johnnie Cochrane right here for you!
  • Martin Scorsese; Kundun; GoodFellas: The appearance of director "Martin Scorcese" (actually an impersonator, with his name intentionally misspelled) marks another ironic reference to the mob in pop culture. Director Scorsese is more famous for his mob movies than for 1997's Kundun, a relatively obscure Scorsese film about the life of the Dalai Lama. Actor Michael Imperioli appeared in Scorsese's 1990 film GoodFellas in a memorable supporting role as Spider, a bartender who is shot and killed for telling a short-tempered gangster to go fuck himself.
Later, Christopher echoes the first line of Henry Hill's narration in Goodfellas: "As far back as I can remember, I wanted to be a gangster."
Christopher: Marty! Kundun! I liked it!
Christopher: There was a time in my life when being with the Tony Soprano crew was all I ever dreamed of.

Memorable Moments

  • Paulie shoplifts an espresso machine from a coffee place in revenge for the "rape of the culture," the Americanization of Italian cuisine.
  • Livia hits Fanny with her car.
  • Mr. Miller's car is returned.

Quotes

  • Christopher: Like you were ever in Paris, Paulie.
    Paulie Walnuts: I went over for a blow job. Your mother was working the bonbon concession at the Eiffel Tower.
  • Paulie Walnuts: Fuckin' espresso, cappuccino, we invented this shit, and all these other cocksuckers are gettin' rich off it.
    Big Pussy: Yeah. Isn't it amazing?
    Paulie Walnuts: It's not just the money. It's a pride thing. All our food: Pizza, calzone, buffalo mozzarella, olive oil. These fucks had nothing. They ate puzzi before we gave them the gift of our cuisine. But this? This is the worst, this espresso shit.
  • Tony: It's too bad they don't have a telethon for fuckface-itis, huh? They found a cure yet?
  • Christopher: In my thoughts, I use the technique of positive visualization. How come I always feel undermined? By what I did on the Triborough Towers alone, I shoulda been made, right then, boom!
  • Christopher: Maybe one reason why things are so fucked up in the organization these days is guys running off, not listening to middle management.
    Brendan Filone: Fuck Tony. That's a quote.
    Christopher: We have to stick together. Why be in a crew? Why be a gangster?
  • Christopher: What about the dead guy?
    Tony: Oh, you keep proddin' him with a stick. You light a candle to St. Anthony. But I think you're fucked.
Retrieved from "http://m.tviv.org/w/index.php?title=The_Sopranos/46_Long&oldid=2994315"