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

The family attends Royal’s funeral; Ari and Uzi fire BB guns while the inscription on his gravestone memorializes his final act.

Scene 143 of 143 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Last scene of act three

Save the Cat: Final Image

Find another scene in The Royal Tenenbaums

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:58 into a 1:59 film

The story so farBefore scene 143

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.
Scenes 111–133
Royal returns to a useful place in the family by listening to Richie and protecting Ari and Uzi during the wedding-day crash.
Just before
Scene 140
Richie demonstrates the continental grip to the children, then returns Uzi’s serve down the line past Uzi.
Scene 141
Royal, Chas, Ari and Uzi ride together on a speeding garbage truck.
Scene 142
Chas rides with Royal in the ambulance during Royal’s fatal heart attack.
Scene 143
This scene

143EXT. CEMETERY. DAY.

Snow falls lightly, and the sky is getting dark. Everyone in the family is gathered around as Chas, Richie, Henry, Raleigh, Eli, Dusty and Pagoda lower the casket. They are all bundled up in coats and scarves. They step away from the grave.

Henry stands next to Etheline. She takes his arm. Pagoda wears Royal’s sunglasses. Tears stream down his face. Dusty stands beside him. Margot has her arm around Richie’s shoulder. She smokes a cigarette. Raleigh stands next to Dudley. Eli stands next to Walter. The priest is on crutches.

Chas looks to Ari and Uzi standing a few yards away. He nods. Ari and Uzi fire several shots into the air with Chas’ and Royal’s old BB guns.

Royal’s gravestone sits in a wheelbarrow next to a pile of dirt. It reads “Royal O’Reilly Tenenbaum (1932-2001).” Epitaph: “Died tragically rescuing his family from the wreckage of a destroyed sinking battleship.” The priest sees this and hesitates. He looks puzzled. He smiles slightly.

Richie throws a white flower into the grave. They all stand in silence for a minute before they turn away and walk to their waiting car.

-- THE END --