npr.org
The Phoenician Scheme": A Wes Anderson film exploring wealth, faith, and family
Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme" follows the reconciliation attempt of obscenely wealthy businessman Anatole "Zsa-zsa" Korda with his estranged daughter, Liesl, a novitiate, amidst his ambitious infrastructure project in Modern Greater Independent Phoenicia, during the 1950s, exploring themes of wealth, power, faith, and morality.
- What are the central themes explored in "The Phoenician Scheme," and how do they reflect contemporary societal issues?
- Wes Anderson's "The Phoenician Scheme" follows Anatole "Zsa-zsa" Korda, a wealthy businessman, as he attempts to reconcile with his estranged daughter, Liesl, and make her his heir. Liesl, a novitiate, is hesitant due to her father's questionable business practices and rumors of him murdering her mother. The film is a reconciliation story, centered around Korda's ambitious infrastructure project in Modern Greater Independent Phoenicia.
- How does the film's narrative structure contribute to its exploration of wealth, power, and the father-daughter relationship?
- The movie uses Korda's infrastructure project as a vehicle to explore themes of wealth, power, and faith. The father-daughter relationship serves as a metaphor for the conflict between Korda's pursuit of riches and Liesl's commitment to social justice and religious beliefs. The film's narrative structure parallels Korda's financial dealings, reflecting the complex dynamics of his business ventures.
- What is the significance of the film's visual style in conveying its themes, and how does it compare to Anderson's previous works?
- The Phoenician Scheme" offers a critical look at modern oligarchs, contrasting Korda's extravagant wealth with the human cost of his actions. The film's visual style, while maintaining Anderson's signature aesthetic, adopts a colder tone, reflecting the hollowness and potential danger associated with extreme wealth. The violence depicted in the film underscores the consequences of Korda's actions and the precariousness of his position.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing is largely positive, focusing on the film's artistic merits and strong performances. However, the description of Korda as a "dashing scoundrel" and the emphasis on his wealth and exploits could be seen as subtly framing his actions in a more glamorous or exciting light than a strictly neutral portrayal would allow. The review also highlights the film's "darker, angrier, more violent" aspects, potentially influencing the reader's perception.
Language Bias
The language used is largely descriptive and appreciative, but terms like "dashing scoundrel" and the repeated focus on Korda's wealth and "harebrained plan" could be considered slightly loaded. These could be replaced with more neutral terms like "wealthy businessman" and "ambitious project".
Bias by Omission
The review focuses primarily on the film's plot, characters, and directorial style, neglecting to discuss potential biases in the film's portrayal of wealth, power, and religion. While the review acknowledges the film's themes of wealth and faith, it doesn't delve into whether these are presented in a balanced or potentially biased manner. The omission of critical analysis regarding potential stereotypes or underrepresentation of certain groups is notable.
Sustainable Development Goals
The movie portrays a wealthy businessman exploiting workers and destabilizing governments for personal gain, highlighting the negative impact of extreme wealth inequality and the abuse of power. The film uses this narrative to implicitly criticize the widening gap between the rich and the poor and the resulting social and political instability.