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

Raleigh confides that he suspects Margot is having an affair; Richie reacts by smashing a window and asks who the man is.

Scene 76 of 143 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Raleigh
Richie

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Begins 1:07 into a 1:59 film

The story so farBefore scene 76

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 73
Eli climbs out of the house and runs away after Royal calls to him; Margot and Etheline discuss his clippings, then Raleigh appears at the window.
Scene 74
Raleigh asks Margot whether she plans to come home; she cannot give him an answer and he collapses in despair.
Scene 75
Royal accuses Margot of cheating on Raleigh with Eli; she reminds him that she was never a genius.
Scene 76
This scene

76EXT. ROOF. DAY.

Raleigh stands at the edge of the roof looking down to the ground while Richie cleans the empty falcon’s coop.

RALEIGH

Richard, I know you’re terribly close to

Margot, and perhaps you understand her

better than anyone else.

RICHIE

I doubt it.

RALEIGH

Nevertheless, may I confide in you?

RICHIE

(pause)

OK.

RALEIGH

I believe she’s having an affair.

Silence. Richie comes out of the coop and goes over to Raleigh.

RALEIGH (CONT’D)

I’m utterly devastated. I don’t know

where else to turn. Will you advise me?

RICHIE

I don’t know. What do you want to do?

RALEIGH

Well, I thought, perhaps --

RICHIE

Find the guy and get him?

RALEIGH

(pause)

Well, no. I thought we might --

Richie punches his hand through the attic window. He kicks it. Raleigh looks shocked. He stares at Richie’s bloody hand.

RICHIE

Who do you think it might be?

RALEIGH

(hesitates)

I don’t know, at the moment.