THE DARJEELING LIMITED

US, 2007, 91 minutes, Colour.
Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Barbet Schroeder.
Directed by Wes Anderson.

Very limited.

The film was co-written and directed by Wes Anderson who has become something of a cult figure in American cinema for off-beat comedy: Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. This film is not as good as these previous films although many audiences have found it admirable and entertaining. However, it is difficult to know whether the name Wes Anderson is an explanation or an excuse.

The film will be enjoyed by those who like slacker comedies for the sake of slacker comedy. Those who do not enjoy slacker comedy for its own sake - without some sense of irony, some sense of purpose, even some form of sentiment, will find the film somewhat stupid and, sometimes, distasteful.

The title indicates India and it shows three brothers, three nongs, meeting in India go on what they think is a life changing quest. However, it is not so much a spiritual journey or a life-saving quest, but rather a shallow excursion into some kind of self-understanding which may, or may not, last. For many Indian audiences, the exploitation of their land, people, religious rituals and customs may also appear as very exploitative and patronising on the part of Americans, who feel that they can come into a land, take over, and achieve their spiritual quest.

Perhaps that is taking the film too seriously. It is meant to be light-hearted. Owen Wilson portrays a slacker, characteristically, but is also uncharacteristically a control freak. Jason Schwartzman (who wrote the screenplay with his cousin Roman Coppola and Wes Anderson) is a narcissistic, lascivious brother. Adrian Brody is the middle brother - who does share some signs of potential normality and some kind of integrity but the screenplay does not allow him to follow this through.

The film has the characters getting on and off a train - put off with just fine reasons at times. However, one of the times they are off the train leads them to an act of nobility, trying to rescue some boys in a river and a waterfall. When one of the boys dies, the community accepts them and invites them to the funeral, sees them off as heroes. They are really on a journey to meet their mother who has withdrawn from the family in Boston and become associated with nuns in the Himalayas. When they finally reach her, we find that she is played, quite well, by Angelica Houston.

Bill Murray has a cameo role as a man who misses the initial train. There are some Indian performers - who are cast in some caricature, stereotypic and slightly demeaning roles.

The film is preceded, not in theatres, but on the DVD with a Part One, a 13 minute short film, Hotel Chevalier, where the Jason Schwartzman character has been in seclusion in this Paris hotel for some time, meets up with his girlfriend, played by Natalie Portman (who appears in a glimpse in the Darjeeling Limited but this story is referred to). The film then becomes Part Two. However, during the funeral of the little boy, there is a flashback to the funeral of the three brothers’ father (and some farcical aspects concerning his car, the mother not being there, their being late for the funeral).

In terms of editing, this slows up the film and the boy’s funeral seems contrived just to have this flashback. It might have been a good idea to excise this from the feature film and have it as a second short, it becoming Part Two and the film itself becoming Part Three. It is quite effective, as it is at present in having the short at the opening of the film and then going into the film.

Wes Anderson’s comedy is certainly an acquired taste.
1. The popularity of the film? Impact? Divided opinion about the humour, the content? The use of India - exploitation or not?

2. The films of Wes Anderson, his offbeat comedy, odd characters, stances, families, interactions? Dysfunctional people and families?

3. The Indian locations, the open countryside, the towns, the train, the road, the mountains? The monastery? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score - Indian rhythms?

4. The prologue, Hotel Chevalier? As separate from the film? Jason Schwartzman and his life in the hotel in Paris, his character, type, the arrival of his girlfriend, her phone call, the relationship, the meal, sexuality, the aftermath, the effect on each of them, the break-up? The references to this episode in the film? The girl seen in the summary of characters in the train? The final words of the short story and the references to the words in the film?

5. The funeral, the possibility of its being excised and being made a second short? For the benefit of the film itself? The father's death, the three brothers, their arguments, the father's possessions and the division, the car, the keys, the mechanic unable to fix the car, Peter and his insistence, driving out into the road, his confrontation with the truck driver, giving in, Peter's wife, the mother not turning up? The references in Jason Schwartzman's short story? Their discussion with their mother, her motivation for being absent?

6. The opening, Bill Murray running to get the train and missing it, Peter racing, getting on? The repetition of this running for the train during the film?

7. The three brothers and their relationship, the distance between them, growing up, Frank in charge? Owen Wilson and his style as Frank, the control freak, the plans, A, B and C, making the decisions? The cards, the meticulous detail? Brendan as his helper (and warning them not to insult Brendan and then finally doing it himself, wanting him back)? The cards, the pacts, no secrets - and his discovering the brothers' secrets? The official on the train? Rita and her reaction? Peter and his being more ordinary, the belt, the glasses, the car keys, Frank wanting them, giving them back as a birthday present? The secret about the pregnancy of his wife, his not being able to face up to fatherhood? Jason Schwartzman, the Paris story, the attraction towards Rita, the sexual encounter with her, narcissistic, lascivious? His short story? The return ticket?

8. The behaviour in the carriage, their talk, the episode with Rita? Rita and the guard? The stereotypes?

9. The train stop, the timetable, hurrying, the buying of goods, the shoes, the shoeshine, the children robbing the shoe, the buying of the snake? The prayer? Their religious attitudes and backgrounds? Using the Indian forms? Hurrying back to the train? The snake loose and getting out, the official confiscating it?

10. Their being ousted from the train, walking, discovering the boys in the river, the accident, Peter carrying the dead boy back to the family? The father and his grief? Their being received well by the villagers? Going to the bus, the crowd coming and inviting them to the funeral, the flashback to the father's funeral, their staying, the final departure?

11. The decision to go home, at the international airport, changing their minds? The quest, the spirituality, life changing - wanting some purpose?

12. Going to see their mother, the difficult journey, the arrival, the convent, the mountains, her reaction?

13. The character of Margaret, her sense of freedom, relationship with her husband, with her children? Planning, ABC, pacts - the same way that Frank organised his brothers? Relating to the boys, the discussions? Her work? Her disappearance?

14. The day after, the impact of her going? The journey together, running to get on the train, letting their luggage drop? Returning to what? The nature and quality of their search? Of their journey and quest? Deep or shallow?