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

Royal encourages Ari over the intercom to be more reckless than his safety drills allow.

Scene 79 of 143 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Ari
Royal

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Begins 1:08 into a 1:59 film

The story so farBefore scene 79

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 76
Raleigh confides that he suspects Margot is having an affair; Richie reacts by smashing a window and asks who the man is.
Scene 77
Chas refuses Royal’s offer to take the boys for firecrackers and keeps them occupied with office work.
Scene 78
Royal tells Etheline that Chas is overprotective and should let the boys take risks; she rejects his advice.
Scene 79
This scene

79INT. RICHIE’S BEDROOM. DAY.

Royal listens to Ari over the intercom while Pagoda does yoga exercises in the corner:

ARI (V.O.)

We take boxing and self-defense class.

Royal pushes a button to talk.

ROYAL

I’m not talking about dance lessons.

I’m talking about putting a brick

through the other guy’s windshield. I’m

talking about taking it out and chopping

it up.

Silence. Ari says over the intercom:

ARI (V.O.)

What do you mean?

MONTAGE:

(Royal, Ari and Uzi laugh continuously throughout the following montage.)

Royal, Ari and Uzi jump off a high scaffold into the indoor pool at the 375th Street Y.

Royal, Ari and Uzi jaywalk through heavy traffic.

Royal, Ari and Uzi ride horses in the park. Royal leads them at a full gallop down a ravine and over a stone wall.

Royal, Ari and Uzi race go-carts up and down loading ramps and in between fork-lifts in a large warehouse.

Royal, Ari and Uzi throw water balloons at a gypsy cab.

Royal, Ari and Uzi hide cartons of chocolate milk under their jackets and walk quickly out the door of a bodega.

Royal, Ari and Uzi ride on the back of a speeding garbage truck.