The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Director:

Wes Anderson

Writers (WGA):

Wes Anderson (written by) &
Roman Coppola (written by) ...

Release Date:

26 October 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Three American brothers who have not spoken to each other in a year set off on a train voyage across India with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other -- to become brothers again like they used to be. Their "spiritual quest", however, veers rapidly off-course (due to events involving over-the-counter pain killers, Indian cough syrup, and pepper spray), and they eventually find themselves stranded alone in the middle of the desert with eleven suitcases, a printer, and a laminating machine. At this moment, a new, unplanned journey suddenly begins.

Plot Keywords:

Nun | Road Movie | American | Belt | Train

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Owen Wilson	...	Francis L. Whitman
Adrien Brody	...	Peter L. Whitman
Jason Schwartzman	...	Jack L. Whitman
Amara Karan	...	Rita
Wallace Wolodarsky	...	Brendan
Waris Ahluwalia	...	The Chief Steward
Irfan Khan	...	The Father (as Irrfan Khan)
Barbet Schroeder	...	The Mechanic
Camilla Rutherford	...	Alice
Bill Murray	...	The Businessman
Anjelica Huston	...	Sister Patricia Whitman
Mr. A.P. Singh	...	Taxi Driver (as A.P. Singh)
Kumar Pallana	...	Old Man
Dalpat Singh	...	Waiter
Trudy Matthys	...	German Lady #1

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Hindi | Sanskrit

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-11 | Portugal:M/12 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Hong Kong:IIB | Brazil:14 | USA:R (certificate #43707) | South Korea:15 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Sweden:11 | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:13 | Ireland:15A | Netherlands:12 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

India

Company:

American Empirical Pictures

Trivia:

In order to achieve a constant limp while filming, Owen Wilson placed a small lime in his shoe.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jack is smoking out the window of the train, Rita's cigarette changes lengths. When we first see her it is just a butt, but the next cut shows a full cigarette.

Quotes:

[first lines]
The Businessman: That's my train.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2007-09-29)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Typewriter Tip, Tip, Tip

Second only to "Rushmore"

I admit that arrogance is in the atmosphere of all of Wes Anderson's films and his style will probably never change, but I LOVE every single one of them (even the overblown "The Life Aquatic" gets me giddy). He knows how to push my emotional buttons and entertain the hell out of me, something that I find rare in most movies I watch. Usually if I want to be entertained, I feel the movie has to compromise the emotional value and vice versa. With Wes, I'm laughing, being entertained by the characters AND caring for them. The second that Adrien Brody ran past Bill Murray in slow motion running toward the train as The Kinks' "This Time Tomorrow" kicked in, my heart started racing at the idea that I was about to watch a new film by Wes, which I look at as something special that comes every few years. Wes' detractors complain that he is a pretentious one-trick pony, a true statement, but to me, not a negative one because I love his universe and I love being invited into it in every one of his films. While I love both of them, I occasionally wish that Tim Burton would make a film that wasn't some kind of Gothic fairy tale, or that Paul Thomas Anderson would make a film that didn't star his own ego. With Wes, I want him to just continue what he's been doing: keep using his same awesome style while taking baby steps of progress. The writing, acting, directing, soundtrack, production design and cinematography (okay, EVERYTHING) are top-notch in "The Darjeeling Limited". Hell, if "Rushmore" wasn't such a damn masterpiece, I'd say Wes has made his best film yet.