Most actors dream of leaving behind a quarter of the legacy left behind inGene Hackman’s wake. There’s no getting around the sadness of losing one of the all-time greats,who died at 95 years old along with his wife,Betsy Arakawa, but the two-time Oscar-winner’s filmography will live on in history. On paper, Hackman did not walk off into the sunset in a blaze of glory, as his final film was theRay RomanocomedyWelcome to Mooseportin 2004. However,Hackman’s legendary canon will recognize a film from three years prior,The Royal Tenenbaums, as his true swan song.The film that certifiedWes Anderson’s credentials as one of the prominent filmmakers of his generation featured a triumphant career capstone from Hackman. His vulnerable performance as the titular patriarch, a troubled and neglectful father whose sins have been passed down to his dysfunctional family, poignantly reflected his screen persona.
Gene Hackman Was a Surprising Fit for Wes Anderson’s Style in ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’
When you unite two uncompromising artistic figures for one purpose, chances are that tension will arise. After two feature films, Wes Andersonestablished himself as an idiosyncratic voice, whose distinct visual cues and oddball characters were impossible to imitate. Hackman, a versatile actor equally capable of being the star or a sturdy supporting presence, is the consummate professional, treating his craft as a glorified form of mundane labor. Unsurprisingly, Hackman was often perplexed, if not irritated, by Anderson’s unique formalist approach and exacting vision.The director, describing Hackman as themost “challenging” actor he’s ever worked with, said he was “not a relaxed, comfortable person in my company,“but was still honored to work with such a legend, and he credits him for being the central source of inspiration for his co-stars.
Never has the tension between an actor and director been more auspicious than inThe Royal Tenenbaums. After previously unlocking anew side toBill MurrayinRushmore, Anderson deployed his quirky, whimsical, and twee tone and aesthetic on a grizzled star who symbolized a form of old-school toughness and edge.There’s something disorienting about Hackman as Royal Tenenbaum being placed within one of Anderson’s signature symmetrical dollhouse shots, but this jarring sensation parallels the film’s dramatic crux of a neglectful father stepping out of his comfort zone by being emotionally open and finally connecting with his kids, Chas (Ben Stiller), Richie (Luke Wilson), and Margot (Gwyneth Paltrow).
Gene Hackman Plays His Most Vulnerable and Emotionally Complex Character in ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’
Hackman, who had never displayed thislevel of unbridled vulnerability, perfectly captures a distant man trying to wrestle with guilt and regret without having the proper emotional wherewithal to process these feelings. His performance embodies the old adage that the most unnerving phenomenon to experience is seeing your dad cry. Through his appearance and the film’s opening flashback, Royal presents himself as the ultimate larger-than-life tycoon with enough charisma to light up a room. As the film progresses, Anderson whittles away this image, exposing him as an empty and lonely man. The film tracks how someone like Hackman, who represented idyllic masculinity and fortitude inThe French Connection, is actually concealing deep emotional scars, and this dynamic highlights the contrast between Anderson’s ironic Gen X roots and the actor’s old Hollywood traditionalism.
The stand-out scene inThe Royal Tenenbaumsand perhapsHackman’s entire oeuvreis a contentious meeting between Royal and his ex-wife, Etheline (Anjelica Huston), outside her apartment. Royal’s shallow insecurity reaches a new valley when he falsely claims that he has stomach cancer to buy sympathy from her and their kids. Blocked pristinely through Anderson’s symmetry, Royal desperately seeks reformation from his ex-wife, but Etheline is having none of it, walking away from her husband’s begging. However, she quickly stops in her tracks when he drops the cancer news. Disturbed by her hysterical reaction, Royal tells her he’s lying, prompting her to smack him in the face in the middle of broad daylight. Even amid the sudden chaos, Royal needs to insist to her that he’s dying, buying back some affection.Anderson’s visual kitsch effectively operates as a cover for the family’s ugly, repressed emotions, with Etheline’s slap being the release of years' worth of pent-up rage.
Wes Andersonwrote the part of Royal Tenenbaum for Gene Hackman, and it’s impossible to imagine anyone else in the part.Who else besides Hackman possessed the perfect balance between gravitas, charm, warmth, and fragility?The late actor could bedropped into any film, a drama, comedy, thriller, or Western, and his unofficial career send-off inThe Royal Tenenbaumsis the delicious confection created when you blend all his finest attributes into one performance.
