The Royal Tenenbaums, written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, directed by the former - Nine out of 10

The Royal Tenenbaums, written by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson, directed by the former

Nine out of 10

The quirky humor of Wes Anderson – writing this eccentric feature with Owen Wilson, who also acts in the film – can be difficult to digest, as happened to this cinephile, who has rated this comedy with only a 7 out of 10 on the first viewing, years ago.

It depends also on the kind of jocularity you prefer, if it is only slapstick comedy, then this is not the thing for you, as well as when one has an adversity for the absurd – the under signed has, perhaps reasonably, given that he had spent about twenty five years in the most ludicrous system of all…would you guess which is it.

Gene Hackman is sensational, divine as he always is when he has something to work with in the role of Royal Tenenbaum, the complex, perhaps we should say rather negative paterfamilias, who shoots at one son, albeit without deadly ammunition, during a game, steals assets form the same and generally behaves with criminal neglect, breaks the law and shows repugnant indifference to his family during a long period.

He unexpectedly appears at the house of the family that he had abandoned and approaches Etheline aka Anjelica Huston, the wife he had left and says he wants to come back, when asked why he explains that he has cancer, then when she is aggrieved denies it, only to affirm it again after he is slapped and pushed…

Chas Tenenbaum aka Ben Stiller is one of the children, who is the father of Uzi and Ari, a widower now, very angry with the parent that had shot him, stolen property for which he had sued and confronted him legally.

Chas rejects his father when he learns about the terminal condition and does not want him to interfere with his sons, but the intrepid, nefarious Royal finds ways to approach his grandchildren, take them to shops where they…shoplift, then they throw objects at passing cars and when the driver steps out, they run away…

This irresponsible and amusing grandparent is bewildered and angered by the apparent intense affection, perhaps love between his wife – they are still officially married, although separated for so many years – and Henry Sherman aka Danny Glover, a gentle, sophisticated, generous scholar.

Pagoda aka Kumar Pallana is a very interesting character, who had saved the life of Royal in India, when he had been stabbed by the…same Pagoda, who would then carry on his back his victim to the hospital and then go on to work for him.

Pagoda is a member of the household staying with Etheline and her children after her husband leaves and he has evidently divided loyalties, faithful somehow to both Etheline and Royal, informing the latter on what goes on in the house, supporting up to a point his false claim that he is dying.

Margot Tenenbaum aka the now unloved Gwyneth Paltrow is yet another outré, provocative figure in the bizarre lineup, adoptive daughter of the family, married with Raleigh St. Clair aka the Comedy God Bill Murray, she is now in a quandary as to where her affections are heading.

She is involved with Eli Cash aka the co-writer of the script Owen Wilson, but she has deeper feelings for her brother – fortunately they are not biologically related – Richie Tenenbaum aka Luke Wilson, who used to be  star tennis player, up to the point where Margot married Raleigh.

The marital vows had such a traumatic effect upon the champion player that the next day he would offer an unseen before performance, when faced with Gandhi – names are part of the comedy game for Wes Anderson – he would send every possible ball into the stratosphere or anyway off the field.

Richie has taken the option of self-imposed exile after the catastrophe of his final game and he has retired from tennis completely, navigating when he learns about his father’s deadly disease and he returns home to spend time with him.

As they talk on the top floor terrace, the hawk that he had trained and then released - for bids should not stay in cages – theory with which I agree although I have two macaws, which spend little time in their cage and the rest out in the home and outside when the weather is nice – returns.

Royal confronts Henry Sherman, jealous as he is and wishing his rival to disappear, and the two nearly come to blows, an incident after which the suspicious Henry decides to investigate and find the truth about the claims made by the returning husband, starting with his pills.

They are mint drops and when he calls to talk with the doctor that had prescribed the medicine; he finds that the hospital where he allegedly works had been closed decades before.

Confronted with the facts and the undeniable evidence, Royal admits he does not have cancer, but he is truthful when he says that he is broke and had to leave the hotel where he had been leaving over the past years.

He has to take job and the former upper class man becomes an elevator operator with his former help, Pagoda, and his friend Dusty, while at the house a terrible incident takes place, involving Richie.

The latter, facing his impossible love for Margot decides to commit suicide, after he had seen evidence of her affection for Eli – prompted by Raleigh, Richie had taken part in meetings with a private investigator.

This great comedy reminds one of the other Wes Anderson accomplishments – Isle of Dogs, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou among them – but also of The Addams Family – where Anjelica Huston also had a leading role.