The Royal Tenenbaums, 2001

Likely based upon The Magnificent Ambersons, The Royal Tenenbaums follows the attempts Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman), the estranged patriarch of the family, to become closer to his family of three child-prodigies, their children, and his ex-wife Etheline Tenenbaum (Angelica Huston). His two biological children, Ritchie (Luke Wilson) and Chas (Ben Stiller) were child prodigies, indulged by their mother Etheline in tennis and investing, respectively. Adopted daughter Margo (Gwyneth Paltrow) was prodigal in her writing of plays from a young age, but has always felt like an outsider due to the cold manner with which she is treated by her father. Eli (Owen Wilson) is a friend who is almost a part of the family because he spent so much time with them and is an author of some significant value. Finally there is Henry Sherman (Danny Glover) the accountant and nearest thing to a spouse to Etheline, and Raleigh St. Claire (Bill Murray), the husband of Margo.The cast of characters is detailed and the rich costuming, styling, setting and other devices are used to establish that the family seems to be trapped in the 1970s when all of the children were prodigies and not yet established. All of the characters, even the supporting characters not mentioned, are incredibly well-developed and portrayed by the cast. Richie lives an estranged life aboard a large ocean-going ship exiled since he burned-out of his tennis career, Margo lives a life of such secrecy that no one even realizes she’s been smoking since she was twelve, and Chas, since the death of his wife, is a nervous wreck who stages elaborate emergency drills to try to get his boys into a safer place. All three return to the house, or at the very least, to the area and Royal visits them and despite his terrible nature, self-centeredness, and other faults, he eventually begins to mend the ties which he has broken so many times with his children and tries to give what he couldn’t give at the time to his own children, to his grandchildren.

It is a touching narrative and can confidently be said to be the best of Wes Anderson’s work, though the competition is quite fierce for that title.

Tags: 2001, angelica huston, ben stiller, bill murray, comedy, danny glover, drama, gene hackman, gwyneth paltrow, luke wilson, owen wilson, wes anderson

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