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

Royal and Pagoda plan further instructions; Royal greets Etheline and Henry as they return from a play.

Scene 52 of 143 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Royal
Etheline
Henry

Find another scene in The Royal Tenenbaums

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 42 min into a 1:59 film

The story so farBefore scene 52

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.
Just before
Scene 49
Royal tells his children he wants to repair the family; Chas rejects him, and Royal invites them to visit his mother’s grave.
Scene 50
Royal follows Chas upstairs and asks to meet Ari and Uzi, but Chas refuses and walks away.
Scene 51
Royal says goodnight to Margot and Richie, visibly emotional as Richie hugs him.
Scene 52
This scene

52EXT. TENENBAUM HOUSE. NIGHT.

Royal and Pagoda stand outside the top of the front steps. Royal says quickly:

ROYAL

I’ll contact you in the next twelve

hours and give you further instructions.

Pagoda nods. A taxi stops in front of the house. Royal’s face darkens. Henry and Etheline get out of the taxi. They each carry a playbill for a play called That Rascal. Royal clamps his hand on Pagoda’s arm and lets out a slow whistle.

ROYAL (CONT’D)

Look at that old grizzly bear.

Royal licks his fingers and smooths back his hair. He bounds down the steps.

ROYAL (CONT’D)

Hello, Ethel! Good evening, sir. Hold

the cab, please, driver.

Henry leaves the door to the taxi open.

ETHELINE

Royal, this is Henry Sherman.

ROYAL

Hey, man. Lay it on me.

Royal puts out his hand for Henry to give him five. Henry reluctantly slaps hands with Royal and says:

HENRY

How do you do?

ROYAL

(shrugs)

Ah, what can I say? I’m dying.

Henry looks uneasy.

ETHELINE

Don’t pay any attention to that man,

Henry.

ROYAL

I’m just kidding. Goodnight all.

Royal gets into the taxi and closes the door.