Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen is a TV show set in the same universe as his 2019 movie; however, apart from a couple of small Easter eggs, the show takes a completely different road from the film. A battle between being an aristocrat puppet and a soldier, Edward Horniman’s journey is quite the eventful one; however, it all occurs because of the existence of one Bobby Glass. Of course, he’s got the upper hand, even in the name. The Gentlemen follows Eddie Horniman, a man who unknowingly acquires his father’s assets one fine day after believing his whole life that it would be handed down to his elder brother Freddy. Between the two brothers, it is quite the obvious choice, even if it goes against centuries-old tradition. See, Freddy, considering how gullible and naive he is, is incapable of actually handling the true business of the Hamstead estate—the cannabis. This is where the Glasses come in. For the most part, Susie Glass, Bobby’s eldest daughter, looks after the business and its daily activities. While Susie is immersed in her father’s business, Eddie wants to make it his choice to step away from his own father’s hazy legacy. Somehow, this leads to a slew of criminal activities that change Eddie as a person; however, we’re not here to talk about Eddie.
Spoiler Alert
A businessman, billionaire, and a father, Bobby Glass is a highly intelligent and highly regarded kingpin of the English cannabis scene. To understand why, I suppose we’ve got to dig into his past just a little bit. Assumably, Bobby found a gap in the cannabis market, and seeing as it is hard to procure land in the sunny (just kidding) countryside of England, he created an opportunity for himself to fill a hole that nobody else seemed to notice. The mark of a true businessman, Bobby set out to fill two massive gaps in the market. One for those in need of the weed, and one for those in need of cash. It seems everyone knows the British aristocracy is simply asset-rich and cash-poor, so his first move was to get the gullible and cash-hungry rich to partner up with him to create an underground weed empire like no other. Ironically, at present, his incarceration hasn’t stopped him from living a lavish life, one that also allows him to know exactly what is happening with his empire, run by his trusted daughter Susie.
Although the series is focused on Eddie’s journey into gangsterhood; it also parallels that with Susie and Bobby’s relationship. More specifically, Bobby’s goal is for his empire to grow and remain within the family. Everybody knows Susie Glass is just as capable as her father, and her father’s name allows her the liberty of doing as she pleases, almost like a queen of the underground criminal world. While initially it seems Bobby’s relationship with his daughter is purely business, as the show progresses, it becomes apparent that he may be testing her. Seeing as his business has taken center stage in the criminal world, one appreciates that that means the vultures will be circling soon. It seems, before anybody else, Bobby already knows who these vultures are. Specifically, Johnston, or “The American,” who claims to have a penchant for all things posh, is only looking to take over Bobby’s empire by purchasing it wholesale.
Bobby makes a cunning plan, using Eddie and his own daughter Susie to do the real dirty work in order to make sure that they are capable of looking after his business after he’s long gone. Bobby knows that Susie’s emotionality needs an antidote, and that comes through Eddie’s military brain. Bobby knows exactly how to harness this and sees the gangster in Eddie, much before Eddie himself does. Bobby is certain that Eddie will be the perfect scapegoat for his future plan. This becomes especially apparent in the last episode when Eddie eliminates the competition, i.e., anyone who may have the courage or stupidity to try and take over Bobby’s empire without realizing that that is exactly what Bobby was expecting of them. Though Susie is quite the perfect heir, Bobby doesn’t treat her like a princess; he challenges her by making it seem that he doesn’t want to expand the business or do “bigger things.” However, through her and Eddie, he has done exactly that. Ironically, Johnston believes he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but Bobby’s the bear who will reduce the wolf down to sheep status.
The final episode of the Netflix series is called “The Gospel According to Bobby Glass.” Here, he speaks about his appreciation of pigeons as a symbol of the harmony between man and nature. After narrating the story of the pigeon that was awarded the Medal of Valor, he talks about how pigeons are loyal, brave, and honest beings. It seems Susie and Eddie are Bobby’s pigeons; this is why he wants them to continue to work together and grow his empire. Bobby’s ultimate plan is to offer up his business to the highest bidder. Eddie wants out, and Bobby promises this is possible if he helps him in the process. In truth, Bobby knows that Eddie will fold and buy out the whole thing himself, which is exactly what happens. Essentially, Bobby gets the biggest investment his empire could hope for, and since it stays in the family, considering Susie and Eddie are equal partners, he continues to run the empire. There’s no retirement in the picture; it’s all just a fake set-up for the perfect business deal. I suppose at the end of the day, Bobby makes a “gentleman” out of Eddie, the morally bewildered man of law turned criminal gangster (a very stylish one at that). Through all of this, Bobby never gets his hands dirty and delegates all his work to those under him—the mark of a perfect businessman. Given the circumstances at the end of the show, with Eddie even taking someone’s life for fun and acknowledging his taste for all things criminal, there’s an opening for us to expect another season in the show. The ending is the perfect opening for the start of a new empire.
