THE ROYAL TENNENBAUMS

US, 2001, 110 minutes, Colour.
Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Danny Glover, Kumar Pallana. Narrated by Alec Baldwin.
Directed by Wes Anderson.

The Royal Tennenbaums is a tour-de-force satire written and directed by Owen Wilson, one of the stars, and the director, Wes Anderson. Wilson and Anderson had already combined for Bottle Rocket as well as Rushmore, both films being critical successes. Anderson was to go on to direct The Aquatic Principle.

The film portrays the American dysfunctional family par excellence. Gene Hackman won a Golden Globe for his performance as Royal Tennenbaum, the patriarch of this family, generally absent but, as he is about to die of cancer, coming back into their lives. Anjelica Huston is the matriarch who has made good a life for her family without her husband. The dysfunctional children include Ben Stiller who has never grown up, Gwyneth Paltrow, a novelist who has writer's block and isolates herself, and Luke Wilson, a young tennis star who has never made good. Other stars in the cast include Owen Wilson as a neighbour as well as Bill Murray and Danny Glover.

The characters are caricatures but, because of the skills of the stars, they become characters and quite rounded as well. The film creates very funny sequences of the children in their heyday and their success and then makes the contrast between the influence of parents and the fact that the children have stopped growing.

The Royal Tennenbaums is probably an acquired taste but, for those who find it amusing, it will keep a smile on the face continually and also produces some good hearty laughs.

1. Entertaining piece of Americana? Perspectives on American families? Functional and dysfunctional? American dreams, ambitions, the shattering of the American Dream?

2. The structure of the film: the introduction to the characters, the books, the covers, the prologue, chapters and epilogue? The device for abbreviating incidents? The device of the voice-over, the tone, factual, sardonic?

3. The New York settings, the home, the streets? An atmosphere of New York City? The hotels? The range of the musical score, classic and modern? The final song?

4. The title and its tone? Americans and royalty? The overtones of the name Tennenbaum? The combination? Royal Tennenbaum and his middle name being O'Reilly?

5. The description of the family: the American Dream, mother, father and three children? The children as geniuses? The leaving of the father, abandonment, the mother having to raise the children on her own? Their attitude towards their father, dependence on their mother? The shattering of their genius once the father had gone?

6. Gene Hackman as Royal Tennenbaum, comic touches? The descriptions from the voice-over? Age and experience, loving Etheline, three children? His attitude towards his children, not fully aware of them, even their names? His sharing their experience - and distancing himself? His disappearance for over twenty years? His own life, being sued by Chas, behind bars, living in the hotel? His friendship with Dusty and reliance on him? The attitude of the people in the hotel? His persuading Rick to allow him to come home, the fait accompli for the family? His reaction to Etheline marrying again? The charade of his illness, explanations to Etheline, her compassion? In the room, the equipment, Dusty as doctor and his solemn comments? His eating fast foods and so on, on the sly? The confrontation with each of his children? Margo and her depression, her infatuation with Rick? Her marriage to Raleigh? Chas and his continued resentment and their confrontations? His always being fond of Rick, taking him out when he was small, disgusted at his tennis collapse, trying to build him up again? His friendship with Chas's children, taking them on all kinds of activities - shoplifting, riding on garbage trucks etc? A child at heart? The build-up to the wedding, the car crash, the postponement of the wedding? His reconciliation with everyone? Going on the garbage trucks - even with Chas? His death, Chas witnessing it, the gravestone and the piece about the sinking ship? The portrait of an eccentric American?

7. Etheline, the quiet dependable type, her love for Royal, bringing up the children? Being calm in the midst of crises, helping them along - but not quite aware of what was happening? Her friendship with Henry, his proposal, the plan for the marriage? Royal coming back, her compassion? The accident, the finale with the wedding - and happy ever after for her?

8. Chas, child genius, the mice, finance and his own company? Standing for breakfasts, so busy? Growing up, the death of his wife in the plane crash and his depression? His love for his two children? His work, dislike of his father, exasperation with the family? His father's illness, the fights, Royal and his going out with the children? The graveside scene? The eventual reconciliation, the new dog, the happy ending - even on the garbage truck with the boys?

9. The boys, their appearance, names, the dog? Always busy, serious? The transformation with their grandfather and their escapades? The new dog and the happy ending?

10. Margo the child genius, her plays, publications, marrying Raleigh, falling out of love with him? Continued depression, concealing her smoking? Her infatuation with Rick? The discussions about her state of mind, her explanation of her depression? The wedding, separation from Raleigh, with Rick? The final performance of her play - and her father the only one laughing?

11. Rick, fond of his father, the pet, the outings, his tennis achievement, the collapse? His infatuation with Margo, the adopted sister, his collapse on the courts? Morose, not achieving anything, shaving and cutting his hair? A transformation, his relationship with everyone, pleased that his father was back, conning his mother into taking Royal in, setting him up with all the equipment? The gradual reconciliation with Margo?

12. Raleigh St Clair and his marriage to Margo, not in love? His being morose? His work with Dudley, the interviews and the tests, the parody of psychological testing? His going on tour, the press conferences with Dudley? Dudley as a character, disabilities, their being exploited, his friendship with Raleigh, the book and the tour?

13. Henry as the solemn accountant, his son, the friendship with Etheline, falling in love, proposing? His reaction to Royal, seeing through him? Resisting the upsets? The build-up to the wedding, the accident, the finale?

14. Pagoda, his place in the family the story of his stabbing Royal in Calcutta and rescuing him? Spying for Royal, phoning him, helping him with his deceits? His place in the family?

15. Dusty, the hotel, stepping in as the doctor, the family friend?

16. The hotel, the ultimatums to Royal, his paying them, their having to cope with him?

17. American humour, offbeat, seeing the family at a different angle, affirmation, critique, the comedy of eccentricity?