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

Eli admits to Richie that he is taking mescaline and raises concern about Richie’s love for his married adopted sister.

Scene 63 of 143 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Save the Cat: B Story
Eli
Richie

Find another scene in The Royal Tenenbaums

Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 57 min into a 1:59 film

The story so farBefore scene 63

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 60
A flashback shows Chas suing Royal over stolen money and bonds after Royal controlled his accounts as a minor.
Scene 61
Richie visits Eli, who admits to sharing Richie’s private letter with Margot.
Scene 62
Richie meets Eli’s wife Sabrina and their children in her studio, where Eli’s unsettled household is on display.
Scene 63
This scene

63INT. ELI’S STUDY. DAY.

Eli sits on a couch across from Richie. They are both drinking wine. There is a large zip-lock bag of marijuana on the table. There is a large, frightening painting on the wall of five men wearing African masks and sitting on dirt- bikes.

Silence.

ELI

What’d you say?

RICHIE

(pause)

Hm?

ELI

What?

RICHIE

I didn’t say anything.

ELI

When? Right now?

(pause)

I’m sorry. Don’t listen to me.

(barely audible)

I’m on mescaline. I’ve been spaced out

all day.

Eli pours himself another glass of wine.

RICHIE

Did you say you’re on mescaline?

ELI

(nods)

I did, indeed. Very much so.

Richie reflects on this for a minute.

RICHIE

How often do you --

ELI

I’m worried about you, Richie.

RICHIE

(pause)

Why?

ELI

Well, actually, Margot is, for some

reason. But I did find it odd when you

said you were in love with her.

(pause)

She’s married, you know.

RICHIE

Yeah.

ELI

And she’s your sister.

RICHIE

(quickly)

Adopted.

INSERT:

CONTINUED: (2)

Page 112 of The Royal Tenenbaums. It says “Chapter Five.”