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A delightful capitalist in this economy? Only in Wes Anderson’s ‘The Phoenician Scheme’

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Wes Anderson’s film “The Phoenician Scheme” starts with quite a spectacle: a gruesome explosion, a plane wreck, and an intense close-up of tycoon Zsa-zsa Korda (played by Benicio del Toro), whose swollen, purple face looks like it was made from eggplant Parmesan. Despite the crash, Zsa-zsa is resilient, combative, and unstoppable in business; his tireless drive is rivaled only by Alexandre Desplat’s exhilarating, time-ticking score.

He’s also a destructive force who causes calamities such as famine, enslavement, and an unusual number of deceased former spouses. Despite her claims that she never personally took a life, Zsa-zsa speaks with questionable sincerity. However, Anderson manages to make us cheer for this tycoon who robs people blind. We are the movie’s unwitting victims. It’s delightful to be so skillfully tricked.

The film’s title reveals Zsa-zsa’s elaborate strategy, which involves constructing a dam, tunnel, and canal in an area resembling Saudi Arabia but referred to as Modern Greater Independent Phoenicia, inspired by the historical empire that valued trade over war and religion. This empire can be seen as more like Amazon.com than Rome in its philosophy. Zsa-zsa has successfully persuaded key figures: a prince (Riz Ahmed), two American businessmen (Tom Hanks and Bryan Cranston), a nightclub owner (Mathieu Amalric), a sailor (Jeffrey Wright) and his cousin-turned-fiancée (Scarlett Johansson). However, due to price manipulation by her adversaries, Zsa-zsa now faces the challenge of persuading everyone to accept lower profits. She resorts to various methods such as intimidating speeches, bets on sports, and even offers a basket of grenades as inducements.

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Wes Anderson crafted ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ with a particular actor in focus. As its premiere at Cannes approached, we had an opportunity to chat with Del Toro about his most significant acting role yet.

Other characters admire his dedication, but they seldom get surprised. In a simple statement, Wright’s Marty describes Zsa-zsa’s charm: “I guess I’m touched by this strange act.” Del Toro’s charm perfectly fits the oversized role, overflowing with charisma. He communicates through threats, bluffs, and proclamations, and when he gets excited, his hair stands upright. The script is full of energy and courage, and every word from Zsa-zsa sounds like a witty remark, a riddle wrapped in mischief or deceit (“I’m ready to believe the opposite of my beliefs”), or arrogant self-reliance (“I will save myself,” he declares, as quicksand surrounds his waist).

1950 serves as the backdrop for these thrilling adventures, and they exude an authentic vintage charm with hues of white, gray, green, metal, and wood. The style is reminiscent of a bygone era, fitting since today’s world doesn’t produce many men like this one – only those who act as if they’re high-rollers. In the likeness of Zsa-zsa, battered from his recent brush with death, he staggered towards a news camera, holding his internal organs (he referred to it casually as a “vestigial organ”). The contemporary figure most comparable to him is perhaps Werner Herzog, who, when shot in the abdomen during an interview, regarded it as nothing more than a trivial bullet.

In simpler terms, it’s unclear exactly what Zsa-zsa’s main project aims to achieve, even though he demonstrates an intricate miniature model with flowing water and toy trains that is likely to be destroyed by someone. This ambiguity isn’t a flaw in the script; instead, it seems to suggest that completing the project is its own reward, and the objective itself serves as the goal. The project also involves significant financial gains, offering 5% of profits for the next 150 years. However, given Zsa-zsa’s frequent brushes with death throughout the movie (being shot at, bombed, exposed to poison gas, and beaten), it’s unlikely he’ll survive long enough to enjoy these earnings.

Zsa-zsa remarks with a sigh, “If something functions, it’s a miracle.” Fortunately, he’s accompanied by Liesl, his estranged daughter and an aspiring nun (played by Mia Threapleton), who firmly declares her disinterest in him or his wealth. Much like Zsa-zsa’s devotion to criminal activities, Liesl is equally devoted to her faith. The heart of the film lies in observing these stark contrasts as they gradually adapt and intertwine. Alongside them is Bjørn (portrayed by Michael Cera), a self-proclaimed bohemian who speaks with a melodious Swedish accent, emphasizing every syllable: “Beer is de-li-ci-ous.” With his round spectacles and theatrical manners, Cera appears tailor-made for Anderson’s style. He fits seamlessly into the film, just as perfectly as the meticulous production design or a smooth camera movement that aligns with a visual joke.

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This summer appears robust, offering a mix of major blockbusters from Hollywood, intelligent independent films, and a suitable dose of mindless entertainment – essential for any well-rounded summer movie experience.

Recently, Anderson has been passionately advocating for ambition through his meticulous artistic approach, celebrating the artists who produce masterpieces amidst an indifferent world. There’s nothing he appreciates more than a finely crafted piece of furniture, adorned with intricate hieroglyphics, and the artist who made it and the connoisseur who acquired it, rather than accepting something less durable. I never found Anderson appealing until “The Grand Budapest Hotel” revealed his true talents. It was surprising to doubt his understanding when his earlier works attempted to convey love between people. However, a hotelier’s affection for his linens – now that I can understand and appreciate.

Using “The Phoenician Scheme,” Anderson is praising the performance aspect of sales, the capitalism that often goes against the artists’ ideals. Zsa-zsa isn’t a common person who lacks taste. He’s an insatiably intelligent individual who appreciates the worth of a masterpiece in practical terms, acquiring numerous outstanding artworks. However, he seldom displays most of his oil paintings, instead keeping them piled up against the walls of his 16th-century palace, much like unsorted vinyl records at a flea market.

Despite its seemingly mundane nature, a financial contract can be a work of art indeed. After all, creating a movie involves negotiating numerous such contracts. As I watched Zsa-zsa dance with words, I reminisced about an old flame, an independent film producer, who assisted me in purchasing a new car and managed to reduce the price by $3,000. The salesman admired him as a ‘gentleman negotiator’. It was like presenting Ginger Rogers to Fred Astaire.

The movie is in honor of Anderson’s deceased father-in-law, Fouad Malouf, who was both a businessman and an engineer. Interestingly, the blueprints for Zsa-zsa are now kept in the same shoeboxes where Malouf hid his own plans. However, the character is loosely based on Calouste Gulbenkian, a historical oil baron who was the wealthiest man upon his death in 1955 and serves as a model for contemporary global magnates who prioritize their own ambitions above all else. Like Gulbenkian, Zsa-zsa eschews passports, while Gulbenkian declined a British knighthood. Additionally, both characters share the nickname “Mr. Five Per Cent” and have a rival: a half-brother named Nubar (portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch), who bears a resemblance to Gulbenkian’s son, a playboy who was outraged when his father wouldn’t allow him to charge for a $4.50 chicken meal and filed a $10-million lawsuit in response.

Liesl states emphatically, “This house lacks love and the presence of God.” There’s a mix of religious references that seem confusing. Over and over, Zsa-zsa claims that Nubar is not just human, but biblical in nature. It’s hard to decipher what she means by this. Perhaps it’s an ancient form of retribution? The symbolism ranges from Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead, to Liesl’s ostentatiously bejeweled rosary, which serves as a reminder of her inclination to emulate her father. Interestingly, we find ourselves more disillusioned when Mother Superior (Hope Davis) shows signs of greed than by Liesl’s father’s blatant fraudulence. Strangely enough, Zsa-zsa takes pride in his wrongdoings.

Is it always the case that he encounters death only to be confronted with visions of eternal judgment, depicted in black-and-white sequences where Bill Murray portrays God? Accompanied by Willem Dafoe, F. Murray Abraham, and Charlotte Gainsbourg, these heavenly troupe scenes are breathtaking, poetic, and reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman’s work. The combination of these intense sequences and our understanding that the ancient faiths have erected structures like pyramids and temples that will endure longer than any modern-day billionaire’s constructions leaves one with a profound feeling of divine reverence.

Instead of insisting that you must accept there’s something more potent than Zsa-zsa or wealth, it might be hard to argue against giving Anderson respect. After all, he’s managed to persuade top-tier actors to work for practically nothing in his film. He’s once again created a masterpiece, a testament to his aspirations and skills. Although some parts may feel somewhat empty, the achievement itself is substantial.

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2025-05-29 19:31

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