10 ways being a fictional gangster has changed since the ’20s

Prohibition has been gone for a long time, and so have many of the things depicted on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,’’ from styles of dress to models of cars. In the show, the roaring ’20s allowed criminals, such as Enoch ‘Nucky’ Thompson (Steve Buscemi, pictured), to live lavish lifestyles – not so much in today on screen. After the end of Season 4 on Sunday, Nov. 24, let’s take a look at 10 ways that being a fictional criminal kingpin is different on “Boardwalk’’ than it is in other, more modern-day gangster movies and TV shows.

What they dealt in then

Nucky Thompson built a criminal empire by bootlegging. Pictured is one of his henchmen guarding a shipment of alcohol. While more modern fictional gangsters tend to deal in more illicit materials (see next slide), on “Boardwalk,’’ there’s a lot of Canadian Club going around. The whiskey maker even released “Boardwalk Empire’’ packages around the time of the show’s Season 2 premiere.

What they deal in since then

In crime shows and films set in the modern era, prohibition is long over, and illegal drugs have been thrown into the mix. In the 2006 film “The Departed,’’ Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), head of Boston’s Irish mob, even deals in stolen microprocessors, selling them to the Chinese government (what?) in a strange plot thread that resulted in the film being banned in China. Not your typical mob activity, but things have obviously come a long way from smuggling booze.

What they drove then

The car that Nucky’s chauffeur, Eddie, drove him around in may look like a museum piece now, but at one point in history, it was top of the line. Oh, and back then, cars had those huge running boards, so if your henchmen couldn’t fit inside, they could stand on them and hang on to the outside.

What they drive since then

Since hiding from the law is a bigger priority nowadays for gangsters and criminals, flashy and expensive autos are less sought after in more recent TV. Look at Walter White and Jesse Pinkman’s RV on “Breaking Bad’’ – they opted for a rolling drug laboratory, rather than a speedy sports car.

Where they lived then

In the show’s first two seasons, Nucky lived in style in the penthouse suite of the Ritz-Carlton Atlantic City, which he also used as an office (pictured) and which was right on the boardwalk. Nowadays, a criminal on TV running a large operation might not want to live somewhere so front-and-center …

Where they live since then

On “The Sopranos,’’ James Gandolfini’s now-infamous turn as Garden State mob boss Tony Soprano saw him running his criminal business from the New Jersey suburbs. That’s a lot less fancy than a penthouse suite.

Their families then

Nucky married Margaret Schroeder (Kelly Macdonald) in Season 2 of “Boardwalk’’ — a season earlier, he orchestrated her husband’s death. What a charmer. However, she left him in Season 3, taking the children with her to keep them safe from her husband’s violent criminal empire.

Their families since then

In the 2013 film “The Family,’’ Robert De Niro’s aging crime boss (center) whisked his family away to France via the witness protection program to get away from danger. That may sound like a fun trip, but, since danger seemed to follow them overseas, maybe Margaret’s decision in the previous slide was the safer choice.

Their music then

Many of the songs and showtunes of the ’20s figure prominently into “Boardwalk’’ episodes. This season, a new exclusive club on the boardwalk gave the show’s creators a chance to highlight some of the era’s other popular musical styles, like early jazz and blues. Guess there’s no gangsta rap for these gangsters.

Their music since then

Rap artist Jay-Z’s 2007 album, “American Gangster,’’ took inspiration from the Denzel Washington/Russel Crowe film of the same name. The record was his first stab at a concept album, tracing the rise and fall of NYC drug kingpin Frank Lucas (played by Washington in “American Gangster’’).

Their money then

Nucky and his fellow gangsters on “Boardwalk’’ sure made a lot of dough through their bootlegging, gambling, and political corruption. A ledger in which Nucky recorded his illegal transactions was the focus of part of the show’s second season.

Their money since then

Nucky made a respectable fortune, but “Breaking Bad’’ kingpin Walter White had so much money that he didn’t even know what to do with it. The pile of cash me made with his violent drug empire was hidden in a storage unit, then buried in the desert. Gangster bosses have always gotten rich — but, as Huell demonstrated in the final season of “Breaking Bad,’’ at least one modern criminal had enough bills stashed away to make a comfy mattress.

Getting away with it then

The gangsters in “Boardwalk Empire’’ don’t exactly keep a low profile. They’re out dancing at fancy clubs, strolling on the boardwalk, and, in Nucky’s case during the first few seasons, holding public office while running a bootlegging operation. When the public caught on to his dirty dealings in Season 2, Nucky was already a very well-known man about town. Rather than run from the law, he decided to face it in court (pictured here) and walked away a free man.

Getting away with it since then

Tony Montana (Al Pacino) had another vast and violent empire in “Scarface,’’ but his excesses caught up with him in the end. Time will tell if the same thing happens to Nucky, but so far, he’s escaped trouble while others around him fall. The same can’t be said for many of the kingpins in more recent mob media.

Where they hung out then

Nucky and his entourage spent their nights at Babette’s (later The Onyx Club), the fanciest spot on the boardwalk, where they listened to the latest big bands and performers. Nucky often conducted his illicit business in the back rooms there.

Where they hang out since then

In another downgrade, “Sopranos’’ mob boss Tony Soprano held court in a New Jersey strip club called Bada Bing. Nucky’s club may have also been risqué, but at least it wasn’t trashy.

Dealing with the law since then

Nucky’s brother Eli (Shea Whigham, pictured) was the sheriff of Atlantic City while Nucky was treasurer, so his illegal activities were often sheilded by his brother’s corrupt police force. In later seasons, prohibition officers and FBI agents give him a hassle, but haven’t yet shown themselves to be as dangerous as Nucky’s gangland enemies.

Dealing with the law since then

While Nucky had eyes and ears among the lawmen trying to catch him, some modern gangster films such as “Donnie Brasco’’ and “The Departed’’ feature police officers who go undercover with the mob. In “The Departed,’’ Matt Damon (left) is the mob’s mole in the Boston Police Department, but the BPD has Leonardo DiCaprio (right) spying on the mob — things have become a bit more complicated in modern times.

What they wore then

Suspenders and bowties were seen as cool, not quirky. Nucky and friends dress to impress — and while their dealings may be dirty, their clothes are always clean. Whether they’re out on the town or up to no good, the characters on “Boardwalk’’ rock some excellent suits, like the one pictured.

What they since then

Compare the stylings on “Boardwalk’’ with those in Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs’’ and “Pulp Fiction’’ — Tarantino’s gangsters look like businessmen in their matching, boring suits, like the ones Vincent Vega (John Travolta, left) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson, right) wear. What happened to the flashy gangster clothing of yore?