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

Dusty tells the family Royal is stable and recommends continued medication, then leaves for another call.

Scene 69 of 143 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Dusty
Chas
Richie

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Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:01 into a 1:59 film

The story so farBefore scene 69

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.
Scene 63
Eli tells Richie that Margot is troubled by his love and reminds him that she is his sister, making the relationship an active family conflict.
Just before
Scene 66
Royal calls Richie from the hotel telephone booth.
Scene 67
At dinner, Richie proposes letting Royal stay in his room; Chas objects, but the family learns Royal is already upstairs.
Scene 68
Chas tries to evict Royal from Richie’s makeshift hospital room; Royal’s staged collapse prompts the family to help him.
Scene 69
This scene

69INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT.

Dusty speaks with the Tenenbaums in the hallway outside Richie’s bedroom.

DUSTY

His condition is stable. The attack was

just a side-effect. I recommend that

you push fluids and continue the stomach

cancer medication.

Dusty’s beeper goes off. He looks at it.

INSERT:

Dusty’s beeper has a digital message on it: “Smitty worked a double yesterday. Can you sub for him tonight?”

CUT TO:

Dusty pushing a button on his beeper.

CHAS

Can we move him?

DUSTY

Absolutely not.

CHAS

For how long?

DUSTY

We’ll have to wait and see.

RICHIE

Is he going to be all right?

DUSTY

That depends. Is he a fighter?

RICHIE

Yeah.

DUSTY

(solemnly)

Then that’s the best we’ve got. Now, if

you’ll excuse me, I have another call to

make.