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

Royal thanks Etheline for raising their children and admits his failures; Henry overhears him ask about her love life.

Scene 83 of 143 · ≈ 1 min on screen · Act two

Etheline
Royal

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Act oneAct twoAct three

Begins 1:11 into a 1:59 film

The story so farBefore scene 83

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 80
Royal tells Ari that Pagoda once stabbed him in Calcutta while working as a hired assassin.
Scene 81
Chas sees blood on Uzi’s forehead after the boys return with Royal, then pulls Royal into the closet.
Scene 82
Chas orders Royal to stay away from his children; Royal finds the missing stuffed boar’s head under a closet shelf.
Scene 83
This scene

83EXT. PARK. DAY.

Royal and Etheline walk along a path through the park. Royal rolls his hanging IV bag at his side.

ETHELINE

How are you feeling?

ROYAL

Oh, I’m having a ball. Scrapping and

yelling. Mixing it up. Loving every

minute with this damn crew.

(sincerely)

I’d like to thank you for raising our

children, by the way.

ETHELINE

(pause)

OK.

ROYAL

I’m not kidding.

Etheline shrugs.

ROYAL (CONT’D)

You always put them first, didn’t you?

ETHELINE

I tried to. Lately, I feel like maybe I

didn’t do such a great job.

ROYAL

Goddammit, don’t do that to yourself.

I’m the one who failed them. Or,

anyway, it’s nobody’s fault.

(pause)

Plus, it doesn’t --

ETHELINE

Well, then why didn’t you give a damn

about us, Royal? Why didn’t you care?

ROYAL

I don’t know, but I’m ashamed of myself.

I’ll tell you one thing, though. You’ve

got more grit, and fire, and guts than

any bob-tailed fox I ever damn hunted,

and if --

Etheline laughs. Royal smiles.

ROYAL (CONT’D)

What? What’s so funny?

ETHELINE

Nothing.

ROYAL

No, tell me.

ETHELINE

Nothing. Just these little expressions

of yours.

ROYAL

(pause)

I don’t know what you’re talking about.

But I’ll take it as a compliment.

They look at each other for a long minute.