The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti

"The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti"
The Sopranos episode
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 8
Directed by Tim Van Patten
Written by David Chase
Frank Renzulli
Cinematography by Phil Abraham
Production code 108
Original air date February 28, 1999
Running time 49 minutes
Guest appearance(s)

see below

Episode chronology

"The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti" is the eighth episode of the HBO original series The Sopranos. It was written by David Chase and Frank Renzulli, directed by Tim Van Patten and originally aired on February 28, 1999.

Starring

Guest starring

Also guest starring

Episode recap

At Larry Boy Barese's daughter's wedding, Larry Boy informs the DiMeo crime family members present that his source at the FBI has told him that the FBI is going to begin handing out indictments to New Jersey associates involved with mob activity. The capos gather around and question whether they should take a break from business. Junior says that they should not. Tony is asked his opinion, causing Junior to become agitated. Tony agrees with Junior and reaffirms Junior's authority, and implies that Junior would want everyone to undertake some "spring cleaning". During the wedding dinner, the capos gather their families and leave prematurely to dispose of or hide any incriminating evidence in their possession. The stunned bride is reduced to tears.

Upon arriving home, Tony and Carmela remove cash and guns from their hiding places. Carmela is upset when Tony asks for her jewelry, claiming he does not have receipts. When she expresses shock when he asks for her engagement ring, Tony allows her to keep it. Meadow and A.J. observe what is happening, and Meadow tells A.J. to delete the pornography from his computer, lest the FBI find it and alert his parents. Tony's crew undertakes similar precautions: Pussy and his wife burn all their papers in a barbecue grill, and Silvio enlists Christopher and Georgie to search for bugs in the Bada Bing!'s restroom.

Meanwhile, Tony asks Carmela to take Livia out for brunch so that he can hide the money and guns in her assisted living apartment unit at Green Grove. Tony successfully completes the task and leaves before Carmela and Livia return. The following day (during comedy night at Green Grove), Junior visits Livia, who tells him that Tony is seeing a psychiatrist, a fact she learned from A.J. in the prior episode.

At their therapy session, Tony tells Dr. Melfi he may not be at the next appointment. When she asks why, he explains that the situation is complicated and that he may be going "on vacation". Melfi gets the point, having seen a newscast that the DiMeo family, in particular Junior, would likely be indicted. Previously, Dr. Melfi and her family have discussed her "Italian" patient. While Melfi's ex-husband does not know the patient is Tony Soprano, he suspects the patient is connected to the mob. He is irate that approximately 5,000 Mafia have given 20 million Italian-Americans a bad name, and suggests that she drop the patient. Melfi's son points out that mobster movies have become an icon of American cinema. The rest of the family nod in agreement.

Tony misses his next appointment with Dr. Melfi because he is detained by the FBI, who arrive at his home with a search warrant. The FBI agent, Dwight Harris, knows that Tony has children and does not want to upset them by using force or barging in. Tony agrees to allow the FBI access to his home, and they proceed to search the residence. They then take A.J. and Meadow's computers and a few items of Carmela's. However, tensions arise when a fellow agent, Grasso, accidentally breaks a glass bowl in the Soprano kitchen and Tony, recognizing Grasso's ethnicity, curses the agent in Italian. Carmela refuses to clean up the broken glass and Grasso is made to sweep the pieces off the floor. Later as the family eats Chinese takeout, Tony complains that Italians are unfairly targeted by the police, and that Italians like Michelangelo and Antonio Meucci have contributed to society. A.J. points out that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone but Tony disputes this, saying that everyone knows Italian immigrant Antonio Meucci was the real inventor of the device.

At their next appointment, Dr. Melfi tells Tony that he will be charged for the missed session. Tony is enraged by this apparent betrayal, feeling that she was there to help him instead of shaking him down for his money at a time of duress. He throws cash at her, swears at her, and walks out of the office.

Christopher suffers recurring nightmares about the first man he killed, Emil Kolar. In the dream, Christopher serves Emil cold cuts in Satriale's and receives the meat from a severed hand in the meat cooler. Emil warns him that he left evidence from the murder. Awake, Christopher worries about Emil's body and enlists Georgie to help dig it up and relocate it.

Additionally, Christopher is struggling to write a screenplay, based in part on his experience in the Mafia. He complains that he cannot develop a story arc to advance the characters, and expresses concern that his life also lacks a significant event that will prompt him to start a successful arc in his life. Christopher has written 19 pages while his script-writing booklet says a movie should be about 120 pages.

Adriana, Paulie Gualtieri and Big Pussy all try to offer support, but Christopher continues to fall into desperation. The situation worsens when Christopher watches the news and discovers that Brendan Filone is receiving more recognition as a deceased DiMeo "associate" than Christopher is as a living one. Tony calls Christopher to drive over to the Bing and asks him to pick up some pastries on the way. At the bakery, Christopher takes his frustration out on the clerk, shooting him in the foot for making him wait longer for service.

Uncle Junior goes to visit Livia and discusses with her that he may have a "bad apple", and tells Livia not to bring it up with Tony as he has a lot of other problems to deal with. Livia reveals Tony is seeing a psychiatrist. Junior repeats "A psychiatrist?" multiple times as if in disbelief. Livia tells Junior that she doesn't want there to be any repercussions.

When Tony learns of the shooting, he berates Christopher. Concerned for Christopher's mental state, Tony asks him if he has ever considered suicide, which he denies. Tony's tentative attempts to have Christopher discuss his feelings, as Tony himself does in therapy, are met with bemusement and derision. The next day, Christopher receives a call from his mother, who tells him that his name is featured in a Star-Ledger article on the Mafia. While his mother is disapproving, this is the recognition Christopher has longed for. Energized, he drives to the nearest coin-operated newspaper dispenser and buys a paper. Upon seeing his name in print, he grabs the entire stack of newspapers and throws them in his car before speeding off.[1][2]

First appearances

Title reference

The title is a play on Christopher Moltisanti's name and that of noted 20th-century American playwright and sufferer of depression Tennessee Williams. Adriana calls Christopher her "Tennessee William" [sic] when he struggles with his screenplay.

Production

Other cultural references

Music

References

  1. ↑ "The Sopranos - 1.08 - The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti Synopsis". HBO. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  2. ↑ O'Connor, Mimi (2007-10-30). "The Sopranos: Episode Guide". In Martin, Brett. The Sopranos: The Complete Book. New York: Time. ISBN 978-1-933821-18-4.
  3. ↑ Weber, John; Kim, Chuck (2003-05). "Do You Have the Patience to Wait?". The Tao of Bada Bing! Words of Wisdom from The Sopranos. United States: Carhil Ventures LLC. pp. 88–89. ISBN 1-56649-278-5. Check date values in: |date= (help)
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