The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

One year after their father's funeral, three brothers travel across India by train in an attempt to bond with one another.

Director:

Wes Anderson

Writers:

Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola,

Stars:

Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

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

Storyline

A year after the accidental death of their father, three brothers -- each suffering from depression - meet for a train trip across India. Francis, the eldest, has organized it. The brothers argue, sulk, resent each other, and fight. The youngest, Jack, estranged from his girlfriend, is attracted to one of the train's attendants. Peter has left his pregnant wife at home, and he buys a venomous snake. After a few days, Francis discloses their surprising and disconcerting destination. Amid foreign surroundings, can the brothers sort out their differences? A funeral, a meditation, a hilltop ritual, and the Bengal Lancer figure in the reconciliation.

---

Plot Keywords:

train | journey | india | funeral | snake | 

---

Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [fr] Fox [uk]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hindi German Tibetan

Release Date:

26 October 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Darjeeling Limited

Filming Locations:

India

Box Office

Budget:

$17,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£435,198 (UK) (23 November 2007)

Gross:

$11,896,380 (USA) (22 February 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Collage Cinemagraphique, American Empirical Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Adrien Brody is the only one of the three leads to not have been in a Wes Anderson movie prior to this. Jason Schwartzman was in Rushmore while Owen Wilson has participated in some way to every Anderson feature film.

---

Goofs

During the preparation of the dead boy funeral, there's a scene when Francis is lying down with a boy in a blue shirt kneeling beside him, and the camera travels to Peter holding a baby between two Indian locals. During 13 seconds, a Muslim call-to-prayer ("adhan") is heard, very neatly during 5 seconds. However, the boy's body is cremated the Hindu way.

---

Quotes

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

---

Connections

References Teen Kanya (1961)

---

Soundtracks

"Powerman"
Written by Ray Davies (as Raymond Douglas Davies)
Performed by The Kinks
Courtesy of Abkco Music & Records, Inc. and Sanctuary Records

User Reviews

Saddest, Funniest Journey to the Most Beautiful Non-Destination

This is such a DAMN GOOD MOVIE.

It's this bright, expansive, random, happy, sad, funny, stupid, and wise trip that these 3 brothers take, and I'm not here to give you the play by play. Watch the thing, and you'll see how it's not something that adds up to the sum of its what-not. It's just Not One of Those kinds of movies.

Instead, it's one of those that has to be seen to be believed, and is worlds-better experienced than recounted. It's a Trip. Through the spaces between people, as well as within India.

And Yes, it has much in common with the rest of director Wes Anderson's stuff, visually and thematically and tonally, in the best ways, if you ask me. I think he was really hittin' his stuff on all cylinders in this one.

Just So Much that's implied rather than stated. So Much in the way that people and relationships can be both lamented And celebrated. He just brings So Much to the screen, but always leaves that space that demands the audience step up and meet him on the platform, with our own individual "baggage" we've brought along. It's Great.

And maybe it was the way it was shot and cut and directed and acted, all very subtly, vividly, kinetically...

Maybe it was the way the characters felt really REAL, fascinating and absurd and pathetic and majestic, all at the same time.

Maybe it was because India is so bright and beautiful and exotic, to the tourist's and movie-goer's eyes.

Maybe it was just random enough and specifically-rendered enough to really hit me RIGHT THERE, but IT DID.

I enjoyed this more than any movie I've seen in a long time.

Real Art made with Real Heart.

So Sad and Funny and Just Damn Beautiful.