The Darjeeling Limited [Marathon Review - Final Draft]

Patricia Whitman: “Yes, the past happened. But it’s over, isn’t it?”

Peter Whitman: “Not for us.”

            The very idea of a spiritual journey that involves an itinerary makes no sense. A spiritual journey is normally a string of coincidences or of simple occurrences that affect one’s spirit. Unfortunately, the misconception of the three brothers that are the center of The Darjeeling Limited, Francis, Peter, and Jack Whitman, or perhaps simply the misconception of Francis, is that it can be planned. But incidentally, this misguided and intentional spiritual journey ends up being an indirect cause of an unintentional, genuine spiritual journey. That, along with the obvious and directly addressed metaphors, the powerful and engaging style, the lovely music, the enormously relatable characters, and the brilliant acting, is just some of what makes Wes Anderson’s fifth film great.

            After the critically ridiculed film, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Wes Anderson released his next inevitably misunderstood masterpiece, The Darjeeling Limited. It received somewhat greater critical approval, but didn’t come near the fantastic success he had experienced with Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. Nonetheless, it is an absolute gem. Highly underappreciated, it is an emotional, intelligent, witty and comic film, with tremendous visuals and traditional Wesisms.

            Wes Anderson’s style, instead of showing absence or extremity in this film, shows more growth. In more ways than one, this film feels like a definite step towards the Wes Anderson we know today. Whereas The Life Aquatic was heavily stylistic and used many long shots which complimented its creativity, and Rushmore worked in brilliant excess, The Darjeeling Limited seems to be more of a calm reflection on the past, allowing Wes Anderson’s style to advance in subtle leaps and bounds.

            The train that is the primary setting for the film as well as the title location is the perfect setting for a Wes Anderson film. It gives Anderson many opportunities to give the camera more energy, as the tight-knit nature of the rooms and cars of the train gives way to a huge number of lateral whip-pans. Where there were few in Bottle Rocket, now there are many. And of course, as is to be expected in a Wes Anderson film, there the bits of peculiarity, specifically a child holding a gun near the side of the frame while Peter Whitman prays, and the fact that Jack Whitman, played by Jason Schwartzman, goes barefoot for almost all of the film. 

In this nature, everything in the film feels homemade. This is a feeling that Wes Anderson has admitted he likes to put into films, as it adds a sense of nostalgia.

            The music of the film also reflects this nostalgia. For the first time, Mark Mothersbaugh does not contribute to the soundtrack at all, and instead we are subject to a compiled soundtrack, from the scores of the film of director Satyajit Ray, whom Wes has identified as a great influence on his films. In fact, a portrait of the director can be found near the end of The Darjeeling Limited, hanging on an interior wall of ‘The Bengal Lancer’. This music that is used is often very soft, and adds the right feeling to the environment and the relationships that are studies in the film. There are other pieces of music used in the film, such as Clair De Lune, which is used in a calm, melancholy scene of reflection. Of course, there are some songs from The Kinks, which are most often used in slow-motion shots.

            These relationships examined are some of the most intriguing and relatable Wes has ever put on the screen. The three brothers are all distinct, and a viewer can normally connect to one if not all of them in some way. Francis Whitman’s facial injuries are possibly a literal representation of the emotional injuries sustained from his father’s death and his mother’s abandonment. Despite the fact that his mother has left him and his brothers and therefore the entire remainder of the family, he still clearly loves her and is very close to her, seen clearly in the fact that he acts a lot like her. Jack Whitman is a lone wolf, both in sleeping preferences and in attitude. Like his mother, he seemingly yearns for separation from his overly trouble family, as he commands Francis, “Stop including me.” One can easily note that he was in fact the one with the return ticket, ready for his plans to change so that he could depart from his brothers before the arranged spiritual journey was complete. And Peter Whitman is the hardest to examine, as he appears to be the most hard headed member of the family, stubborn and determined in his ways. He has very odd ideas of marriage, possibly attained from his observance of his mother and father’s relationship (we do not know how the brothers’ parents’ relationship was). He has a family, but seems to dislike being forced to have one and the commitment that it entails. He is the one who is most resistant to Francis’ plans and generally to Francis himself. When Francis reminds Peter that he loves him, his only response is, “Thank you.” In addition, all of the characters are very stuck in the past.

            These characters are acted beautifully. I’d like to first address the oddity of Bill Murray’s role. This is his most minor role ever in a Wes Anderson film. If one were to start the film with absolutely no prior knowledge of it, they may easily presume that he was the main character. But instead, he serves as a reminder of the outside world, something that rarely enters many stories. Stories normally have their set of characters, and any one who is not affiliated with the story at hand is of course, and with good reason, ignored. This is part of what makes this thrilling opening so puzzling. As Peter Whitman stares after the devastated businessman played by Murray, it almost seems to set the idea that the message of this film is more diverse, to affect more.

             The actors who play the three brothers are incredible. Owen Wilson is back in his normal control-freak role, but the film’s heavy focus on the relationship between the three characters allows for more depth to build in his character. Adrien Brody, an excellent and well-known actor (The Pianist, King Kong), acts here in his first of three collaborations with Wes Anderson, the other two being Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The Grand Budapest Hotel. As always with Wes Anderson newcomers, he fits into the world perfectly. This makes one wonder, is the common denominator simply the excellent actors or the excellent direction? Jason Schwartzman is back in his second collaboration with Anderson. It’s surprising that Anderson didn’t use him earlier. It’s good that he appears in every one of Wes Anderson’s films after this, including his short films (see Castello Cavalcanti).

            This film about spiritual journeys and at its base about relationships and family ties, ends up being a sort of spiritual journey itself. It’s enlightening, it’s emotional, and it’s engaging. There are many things to love about this film, and those things also make it incredibly rewatchable, filled with laughs and some tears. As is a common theme in Wes Anderson films, it works well as both easy viewing, as well as a film to be deeply examined. This is a powerful move towards Wes Anderson’s style that many love today, both in its cinematography and in its attitude. The Darjeeling Limited, another emotionally complex film from Anderson, is a pleasure and a beautiful experience.