Well, that unfolded almost exactly the way the episode seemed to be telegraphing it would. In Netflix’s The Gentlemen, the moment Eddie begins imagining a future in which he and his new wife Bella grow old and grey together, the warning lights start flashing. Bella’s fate feels sealed long before the blow lands, which makes it all the more unfortunate. She was radiant in that party dress, too.
That’s not to make light of Bella’s apparent murder, which was presumably orchestrated by one of Eddie’s growing list of enemies. And at this point, there are plenty of candidates worth considering.
First, there are the possible allies or associates of Tancredi (Federico Calistri), the obnoxious guest at the pre-wedding celebration who crosses the line by harassing and insulting Bella. Eddie responds by hitting him, only for the confrontation to end in an accidental killing — the kind of mistake that rarely stays buried in this world.
Then there is Angelica (Claire Novelli), Boss Moretti’s calculating consigliere, who attempts to leverage the death for her own gain. She threatens to reveal what happened unless Eddie agrees to route the money from his operation with Moretti through her Hong Kong contacts instead of his London network. Eddie manages to shut her down by exposing her own vulnerability: the Hong Kong connection is actually her husband, and together they have been siphoning money from the organization.
Most ominous, however, is the Glass family. Susie arrives at the wedding looking sharper than ever — no small feat — accompanied by Jack and several associates. But her appearance is hardly a friendly gesture. She is there to deliver a warning: Eddie should not pursue any arrangement with Moretti that her father might interpret as direct competition.
Despite Eddie’s assurances that he has no intention of moving on Glass family territory, Susie reports to her dad that he can’t be trusted, because he’s more ambitious than even he realizes, and that ambition can’t be contained for long. She knows quite well that the godawful beating Eddie incurred last time he defied Bobby is just a prelude to the grand finale in store for him if he does it a second time, and she narcs on him anyway.
Could it be that she’s hurt he’s in love with another woman? Nah, couldn’t be. Susie Glass, subject to human emotion? God forbid.
Whoever is responsible, they at least wait until after the wedding to do their killing. The gala itself is beautiful, with everyone dressed to the nines: Benedetta Porcaroli’s sheer party dress literally made my jaw drop, and Joely Richardson, Jasmine Blackborow, and Kaya Scodelario all look sensational as well. (By now you know full well how good Theo James looks all dressed up.)
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Sure, there are some hiccups. Freddy, under the sway of Gospel John, has not forgiven Eddie for wronging him yet (lol), and he doesn’t attend. Eddie gets his own taste of religion when Bella encourages him to go to confession; his remorseless tales of murder, particularly of unnumbered “Afghans,” leave the priest questioning his occupation and praying for Lord Edward’s soul.
Nanny discovers that the estate houses what he calls “a vast criminal enterprise” in the form of one of the aristo weed farms Eddie and Moretti are now taking continent-wide. Charly is forced to let him in on the family secret as a result.
“My in-laws are outlaws, not aristocrats,” he quips in a daze.
“Oh, darling, there’s no need to panic,” Charly reassures him. “We’re still aristocrats.”
Back behind the camera, creator and co-writer Guy Ritchie makes a feast ot the Italian scenery and architecture, from the winding road to Switzerland on which Eddie races Bella’s plane in his car to the hotel where he murders a guy for mouthing off.
The race is when disaster strikes, as their goodbyes prior to their departure signal it will. (She’s so obviously doomed at this point I half-expected her to start saying the days of the week in the wrong order.) Whoever set the bomb in her plane must have thought Eddie would be aboard, since the idea to race each other was a last-minute improvisation. Now Bella has paid for Edward’s sins.
I imagine his retribution will be swift and terrible…but only if Marco Moretti doesn’t blame Eddie himself for his goddaughter’s death. On the other hand, could Marco have been willing to sacrifice Bella in order to take out a partner and take over the operation himself, rather than split the proceeds fifty-fifty as agreed? On a show this twisty, I certainly wouldn’t be surprised.
I’m also not surprised by how consistently good this season has been. While it doesn’t quite rise to the level of the previous episode, with Eddie’s ordeal and Susie’s bitter education in the coke trade, its splendid cinematography, gorgeous costuming, and grandly tragic ending make it a worthy entry all its own.