Wes Anderson’s 2001 film The Royal Tenenbaums takes a look into the formerly affluent Tenenbaum family as Etheline’s (Anjelica Huston) adult children, Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow), Chaz (Ben Stiller), and Richie (Luke Wilson) all find themselves living under the same roof again. Conflict strikes when their estranged father Royal (Gene Hackman) fakes stomach cancer in order to be with his wife and children, or just to find a place to stay. The film is an excellent example of an auteur and independent cinema through its quirky characters, unique style, and offbeat subject matter. When watching the film, it holds those noteworthy Wes Anderson qualities, but one can conclude that The Royal Tenenbaums is the first of his films that perfectly combines substance and style while appealing to audiences of both American independent and classic Hollywood cinema. In short, the film has heart and a happy ending which is a stark comparison to much modern independent film. Although The Royal Tenenbaums can branch into the Hollywood sector, the characterization of its cast and the shot structure push the film into an in-between plane of Hollywood and independent.
Quirky characters are what Wes Anderson does best, but in The Royal Tenenbaums these quirks are the least of their true characterization. A compelling aspect of the film is the specific differences each of the Tenenbaum children have as well as the one similarity they share, selfishness. Each of the Tenenbaum children are selfish in their actions, a trait inherited by their father. Whether that be Margot’s multiple affairs, Chaz’s ignorance to his own children, or Richie assisting Raleigh St. Clair (Bill Murray) because he is in love with his adopted sister. This selfishness is the fatal flaw for each of them, which seems perfectly offbeat and independent. When viewing a Hollywood film, one looks for themselves in the main characters which results in a favorable and proud protagonist that seems almost inhuman or flat, just look at any Marvel movie. No one wants to see their flaws so it is safe to assume that they would not want to watch them in a theater, but in The Royal Tenenbaums these flaws are the main plot points that move the film forward. Richie’s ignorance to his grieving children is what placed everyone in the house in the first place. Margot’s depressive episode, soaking in the bath for six hours a day and watching television, as well as her affair with Eli Cash (Owen Wilson), puts her back in her childhood home. Richie teams up with Margot’s husband only to discover what his crush is doing; he does not want to help Raleigh he wants to creep on Margot. These abstract and almost other worldly siblings make this film independent because of their strange honesty. They wear their flaws on their sleeve and are shockingly self-aware. Their desire to be remembered only causes them to dig deeper holes for themselves and end up as burnouts before true adulthood because they are adults behaving as children. The characteristics of Margot, Chaz, and Richie are not done so in order to separate them completely from the audience but are done to make them just disconnected enough so that it is not too personal. Therefore, one can place them in an in-between category between independent characters and classic Hollywood characters which is perfect for this in-between film.
The Royal Tenenbaums morphs into this in-between genre perfectly through the nature of many shots in the film. One of the most unique occurs early on, when Royal lies to Etheline and tells her that he is dying of stomach cancer. Here, they are featured in a wide shot with Royal and Etheline standing in the far-right side of the frame and a tree taking up center. This shot seems unnatural but realistic, as if the audience member is watching them from the street. When Etheline leaves frame, and Royal states that he “actually is dying” the audience does not see her reaction, they just hear her wailing off screen from the other side of the tree. As she continues to cry, the shot does not push into a close-up but rather it stays still, right where it is. The utilization of this strange frame turns a dramatic moment into a comedic one because one does not have to experience the emotions in visceral way, but instead watches as a bystander. In this scene, the shot breaks away from that of a traditional blockbuster and is instead truly independent making it unique and quite frankly awkward. This awkwardness continues in many moments of the film, resulting in an independent look but one of the most striking shots is the most Hollywood. When Margot picks Richie up, he looks as she exits the Green Line Bus. Here, she is pictured in a slow-motion close-up as “These Days” by Nico plays in the background. This moment is cinematic and feels like a movie. It is beautiful and such a Hollywood introduction into a love story because the audience sees her through Richie’s eyes as she glows towards him. Prior to this interaction, the audience only saw Margot as a melodramatic depressed girl but now they see a new light to her that was brought forth by love. In this moment, Anderson does exactly what a Hollywood film would do, and it works perfectly as a part of his auteur style.
The Royal Tenenbaums is a riot. The film has heart, drama, and comedy allowing for it to feel like a movie rather than a slice of life. This “movie” feeling exists because the film sits in a middle ground teetering between independent and Hollywood without fully leaning into one genre over the other whether that be through characters and shot structure or plot devices and narrative. The Royal Tenenbaums is a unique film that audiences leave with a warm and fuzzy feeling despite the abstract nature of the characters and mise-en-scene because of the honesty that persists.
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