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THE
ROYAL TENENBAUNS
"What the story says is that even though everyone
goes through hell with their family, still?as corny as it sounds?family
members are still the ones you have to be close to, and really the
only ones who will understand what you're going through" screenwriter
Owen Wilson says.
Review by Simon Remark
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THE ROYAL TENENBAUNS
(2001)
This
page was created on December 15, 2001
This page was last updated on May 22, 2005
ABOUT
THE PRODUCTION
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Credits
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 Directed
by Wes Anderson
Written
by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson
Gene
Hackman .... Royal Tenenbaum
Anjelica Huston .... Etheline Tenenbaum
Ben Stiller .... Chas Tenenbaum
Gwyneth Paltrow .... Margot Helen Tenenbaum
Luke Wilson .... Richie Tenenbaum
Owen Wilson .... Eli Cash
Danny Glover .... Henry Sherman
Bill Murray .... Raleigh St. Clair
 Seymour
Cassel .... Dusty
Kumar Pallana .... Pagoda
Alec Baldwin .... Narrator
Grant Rosenmeyer .... Ari Tenenbaum
Jonah Meyerson .... Uzi Tenenbaum
Stephen Lea Sheppard .... Dudley Heinsbergen
Al Thompson .... Walter Sherman
Produced
by Wes Anderson (producer), Barry Mendel (producer), Scott Rudin
(producer), Rudd Simmons (executive producer) Will Sweeney (associate
producer), Owen Wilson (executive producer)
Original music by Mark Mothersbaugh
Cinematography by Robert D. Yeoman
Film Editing by Daniel R. Padgett and Dylan Tichenor
MPAA
Rating R
for some language, sexuality/nudity and drug content
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The Royal Tenenbaums
Various Artists - Soundtrack - 2001
1. 111 Arthur Avenue - Mark Mothersbaugh 2. These Days - Nico 3.
String Quartet in F major (Second Movement) - Ysaye Quartet 4. Lindbergh
Palace Suite - Mark Mothersbaugh 5. Wigwam - Bob Dylan 6. Look At
That Old Grizzly Bear - Mark Mothersbaugh 7. Lullaby - Emitt Rhodes
8. Mothersbaugh's Canon - Mark Mothersbaugh 9. Police & Thieves
- The Clash 10. Scrapping and Yelling - Mark Mothersbaugh 11. Judy
Is A Punk - Ramones 12. Pagoda's Theme - Mark Mothersbaugh 13. Needle
In The Hay - Elliott Smith 14. Fly - Nick Drake 15. I Always Wanted
To Be A Tenenbaum - Mark Mothersbaugh 16. Christmas Time Is Here
- Vince Guaraldi Trio 17. Stephanie Says - Velvet Underground 18.
Rachel Evans Tenenbaum (1965-2000) - Mark Mothersbaugh 19. Sparkplug
Minuet - Mark Mothersbaugh 20. The Fairest Of The Seasons - Nico
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Family
isn't a word, it's a sentence.
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 SYNOPSIS:
The Tenenbaums are an eccentric New York family. Actually, they're
extraordinary--all geniuses. Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) is a
successful litigator. His wife Etheline (Angelica Huston) is an
ambitious archaeologist. His daughter Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow) is
a gifted playwright. His son Chas (Ben Stiller) is a masterful businessman
with a taste for real estate. And his other son Richie (Brian Wilson)
is a natural tennis champ. However, when Royal packed up his life
and left his wife and his family in a cloud of betrayal, everything
fell apart. Twenty years later, he feigns illness as an excuse to
reunite with his estranged family. From Wes Anderson, director of
RUSHMORE, this film is full of true-to-life comic relief that will
have audiences reeling.
 Royal
Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children and then
they separated. Chas started buying real estate in his early teens
and seemed to have an almost preternatural understanding of international
finance. Margot was a playwright and received a Braverman Grant
of fifty thousand dollars in the ninth grade. Richie was a junior
champion tennis player and won the U.S. Nationals three years in
a row. Virtually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums
was subsequently erased by two decades of betrayal, failure, and
disaster. Most of this was generally considered to be their father's
fault. "The Royal Tenenbaums" is the story of the family's sudden,
unexpected reunion one recent winter.
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|  Review
by
SIMON REMARK
simon_remark@hotmail.com
Film Reviewer
Simon
graduated from Trinity Western University where he studied film
under prolific screenwriter Ned Vankevich. He prefers independent
and lower-budget films.
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 The
Royal Tenenbaums is one of those films that's funny, warm, sad and
touching. But mostly funny. Gene Hackman plays Royal, the detached
patriarch of an eccentric family of geniuses. Gwyneth Paltrow plays
Margot, a brilliant playwright who won a Braverman Grant of fifty
thousand dollars in grade nine. Ben Stiller plays Chas, an ambitious
financial wizard with a 'preternatural understanding of international
finance.' And Luke Wilson plays Richie, a tennis champion since the
third grade. |
 To
say Royal is detached may be a bit of an understatement; he's downright
nasty-he doesn't mean to be it's just his style. This is a father
who makes a point of introducing Margot as his adopted daughter. He
criticizes her first play, at her eleventh birthday party nonetheless
(he was never invited to another Tenenbaum birthday party after).
He shoots Chas in the hand with a bee-bee gun, even though they are
on the same team during a game of capture the flag. And he, more or
less, blames his kids for his split from their mother, Etheline (Anjelica
Huston). |
 But
he's so likable, for some strange reason-perhaps it's the twinkle
in his eye, it's as if he doesn't want to be a jerk, he just is. I'm
so used to seeing Gene Hackman play the military tough guy sort, so
I thoroughly enjoyed this diversion. Hackman originally turned down
the role, asking co-writers Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson not to write
the part specifically for him, as he doesn't like being constricted.
But I can't see anyone other than Hackman in this role; he's perfect. |
 When
Chas deems his apartment unsafe for his two young sons (he lost his
wife a year prior in an airplane crash and is now obsessed with his
boys' safety) he returns home and becomes the catalyst for a Tenenbaum
family reunion. After catching wind of Chas's return (and Royal's
illness, which I'll mention in a moment), Margot and Richie both feel
lead to return to their birthplace. Margot is unhappily married and
spends most of her time locked in her bathroom; Richie returns from
his travels on an ocean liner, the Cote d' Ivoire, on which he's seen
both polls, the Amazon and the Nile. |
| Because
he wants to make up for lost time with his family, to set things straight,
Royal fakes an illness. He tells Etheline he's sick (stomach cancer)
and only has six weeks to live. He visits the family, and when he's
kicked out of his hotel room at the Lindbergh, where he has been living
for the past 22 years, he moves back into the Tenenbaum house, much
to the chagrin of Chas, the least forgiving of the three kids. |
| (Warning:
Spoiler Ahead) |
 Beneath
his tough exterior, Royal is a father desperate to connect with people,
especially his family. He regrets not giving a damn, and wants to
love and be loved. The Tenenbaums are a very broken family, more than
dysfunctional; all have been deeply hurt, all are seeking love, acceptance,
security and happiness. |
| Richie
had a meltdown during a tennis match at Wimbledon (he took off his
shoe and sock and sat down in the middle of a match). We later find
out why. He has been secretly in love with his adopted sister since
childhood (his studio is a subconscious clue: all his paintings are
of Margot). And at the tennis match we see him looking up into the
stands at Margot and her new husband. When we learn of Margot's past
we see that she too is desperate for love and affection. And Chas
is very angry and unforgiving. He despises Royal and doesn't seem
to like Richie that much either (Richie was always Royal's favorite-Royal
used to take him on outings around the city when he was a child, none
of the other children were ever invited). When Chas tells his two
sons about their grandfather they respond, 'I thought he was already
dead.' |
| That
is why it is so touching when Chas forgives Royal at the end of the
film. When Royal actually does die (of a heart attack), Chas is the
only family member present. He rides in the ambulance with him, holding
his hand, comforting him. |
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 I've
seen The Royal Tenenbaums twice now, and really loved it both times.
It is actually more touching the second time around because you
are more familiar with the characters: you see past their quirky
exteriors. This is a film that will make you laugh, cry, and think.
It's truly wonderful: the writing, acting, characters, music, sets
and costumes are all brilliant.
Continue
page 2
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About
Family
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I
believe the family was established long before the church, and my
duty is to my family first. I am not to neglect my family.
--DWIGHT LYMAN MOODY (1837?1899)
Civilization
varies with the family, and the family with civilization. Its highest
and most complete realization is found where enlightened Christianity
prevails; where woman is exalted to her true and lofty place as
equal with the man; where husband and wife are one in honor, influence,
and affection, and where children are a common bond of care and
love. This is the idea of a perfect family.
--WILLIAM AIKMAN (1682?1731)
Nobody?s
family can hang out the sign Nothing the Matter Here.
--CHINESE PROVERB
Parents
have lots of trouble solving their children?s problems, and children
have even more trouble solving their parents? problems.
Fathers,
don't exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take
them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.
--Ephesians 6:4 (Message Translation).
Parents,
don't come down too hard on your children or you'll crush their
spirits.
--Colossians 3:21 (Message Translation).
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I
LOVED THIS MOVIE
Subject: Royal Tenebaums
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002
From: "Harry Diehl"
Royal Tenenbaums
I loved this movie. I though the few areas Christians might object
to were so very brief to be inconsequential. The moral to me was
that no one is beyond redemption and that forgiveness overcomes
bitterness. I found the humor to absolutely hysterical. This movie
really hit my funnybone many many times. The acting was superb.
I'm sure the actors roared with laughter after shooting each scene.
Harry Diehl
hndiehls@msn.com
AN
ORTHODOX REVIEW OF THE ROYAL TENNENBAUMS
Subject: The Royal Tennenbaums
Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2002
From: "Utley Christopher M"
the
film has been described as the story of a "dysfunctional family."
the word "dysfunctional" doesn't begin to describe it. Gene Hackman's
character has got to be a direct descendant of Jacob. he really
was a Deceiver and a Trickster! he pretty much destroyed this family...so
much so that Margot Tennenbaum and Luke Wilson's character Once
this love is revealed, the brother and his adopted sister begin
making out.
People
began walking out of the theatre from this scene through the end
of the movie. I would have walked out also but I stayed. My first
opinion of the film was that it was sick.
but
as i type this, i go back to Gene Hackman's portrayal of Royal Tennenbaum.
i have a saying. "If someone or something is sick, it starts with
the head. Royal Tennenbaum was the head of this family. He misused
and abused his children...not physically but mentally. He was the
reason why these children were destroyed. He was a bad bad father.
this film is pretty much about a father who destroyed his family
attempting to make amends with them. it's not death that draws him
to this attempt. it's his estranged wife Etheline's (Angelica Huston)
decision to remarry.
it's
clear to me why "the world" is embracing this film. many people
were raised by mean and surly fathers AND MOTHERS who emotionally
abused and abandoned their children...just as Royal Tennenbaum did.
some
of these parents call on the name of Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
they lift their hands. they shout. they study the Bible...all in
front of church folks. at home they're abusive and mean and surly.
their kids grow up and make a big splash into the world head first.
these kids want nothing to do with Jesus because of the bad example
from their parents. and their lives are destroyed.
some
do what Chas Tennebaum did and involve themselves in their work
and become excessively emotional and overprotective with their children...all
in an attempt to escape the memories and pain of home and how they
grew up.
some
become like Margot Tennenbaum and withdraw. from life. from love.
from everything.
some
become like Richie Tennenbaum. they still show love towards their
mean, surly and sick parents. and all that sickness passes onto
them.
some
of us Christians may have fallen into one of these three categories
and if we tell the truth, it's because our parents in their quest
for "holiness and righteousness" didn't show us grace and mercy
and love. now our parents are older and their time is running out
and they want to make those amends by getting back into our lives
by any means necessary. and, like our three protagonists, we don't
want to let them back in. we don't want to trust again. we don't
want to open our hearts and have them broken by our parents again.
we'll even hinder our children from having and building a relationship
with their grandparents.
there's
so much to say. there's also the temptation to throw scripture into
the mix to offer a solution to this. and there are some. Ephesians
6:4. Colossians 3:21. but the bottom line is that a lot of the stuff
we're going through in our nation and with our children may very
well be because we either behave like Royal Tennenbaum or were raised
by someone who behaved like Royal Tennenbaum. if we fall into any
of those categories, we can still take heart. if our earthly fathers
(or mothers) fail us, we still have a Heavenly Father who loves
us so much that He sent His only son to die for us. this Heavenly
Father will never fail us or abuse us. He will never leave us nor
forsake us. no matter how far we drift away from Him, He will continue
to love us and await our return with joy and celebration. through
His love, we will become The Royal Children of God...if we let him.
Chris Utley
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Royal Tenenbaum ? 2001 Touchstone Pictures.
All Rights Reserved.
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