The Royal Tenenbaums · written by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson · 2001

Royal gives Etheline divorce papers to sign, then tells her and Henry he loves her and congratulates them, saying Henry is everything he is not.

Scene 117 of 143 · ≈ 2 min on screen · Act three

Royal
Etheline
Henry
Sanchez

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Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:42 into a 1:59 film

The story so farBefore scene 117

After losing his hotel room, Royal claims he has only weeks to live so he can move back in with his estranged family; as the truth unravels, he must find a way to be useful and earn a place in their lives.

Scenes 1–39
Royal is absent from the children’s adult lives, and their family remains shaped by his betrayals and abandonment.
Scenes 40–47
Royal wants a path back to Etheline and the children, and claims impending death will give him one.
Scenes 48–50
He returns to the house and openly asks his children for a chance to make things right.
Scenes 51–90
Royal tries to reconnect through schemes, misjudgments and genuine care, learning that affection alone cannot erase old injuries.
Scenes 91–92
Royal admits to Etheline that he hoped to win her back and remove Henry, revealing the motive behind his return.
Scenes 92–110
Royal loses the household and faces separation again; Richie’s suicide attempt exposes the family’s deeper pain.
Scene 111
Richie asks Royal for advice, inviting his father to help him face a painful truth rather than perform a reunion.
Just before
Scene 114
Richie, Royal and Pagoda try to take Eli for treatment; Eli recognizes that he has a drug problem, then escapes through a window.
Scene 115
At an ice-cream parlor, Royal tells Margot that Richie is hurting and asks whether a bad person can try to repair the damage.
Scene 116
Royal invites Ari and Uzi to burgers and the cemetery, but Chas closes the window; Royal later leaves flowers at Rachael’s grave.
Scene 117
This scene

117EXT. STREET. DAY.

Etheline and Henry come down the front steps of Henry’s building. They both look depressed. Royal is waiting at the bus stop on the corner, next to a small Mexican man in a windbreaker and a tie. Royal has a large envelope in his hands. Etheline and Henry see him. Royal goes over to them

ROYAL

I got you something, Ethel. Actually, I

made it.

Etheline and Henry look at Royal warily. Royal hands Etheline the envelope. She looks to Henry. Henry shrugs. She opens the envelope. It contains a sheaf of typwritten documents.

ETHELINE

What’s this?

ROYAL

A divorce.

Etheline looks to Royal. She says quietly:

ETHELINE

From you?

ROYAL

Yes.

Royal looks to Henry. Henry does not know what to say. Royal motions to the Mexican man.

ROYAL (CONT’D)

This is Sanchez. He’s a notary public.

HENRY

(hesitates)

Hello.

SANCHEZ

Hello, sir.

ROYAL

If you’ll just sign here, please, Ethel.

Royal hands Etheline a pen and points to a dotted line. Etheline signs.

ROYAL (CONT’D)

And here.

Etheline signs.

ROYAL (CONT’D)

And initial here.

Etheline signs. Royal hands the sheaf of documents to Sanchez. Sanchez puts several stamps and notations on it. Royal looks up at Henry’s building.

ROYAL (CONT’D)

You own this building, don’t you, Henry?

It’s magnificent. I used to be a home-

owner myself, but my son expropriated it