I Watch Films: The Phoenician Scheme

 

The Phoenician Scheme

In 1950 controversial industrialist and arms-dealer Korda (Benicio del Toro) survives an assassination attempt and has a near-death experience. He decides to try and reconcile with his daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) who is a novice in a nunnery. She is reluctant as she was sent away at the age of 5 and it is rumoured Korda killed her mother. She meets Bjorn, who is the tutor for Korda’s other children, nine boys. As Korda’s administrative assistant is killed, Korda appoints Bjorn to the position.

Korda uses his arms dealing to manipulate international affairs. However he has over-reached himself; a scheme in his native Phoenicia is vulnerable so government agent Excalibur increases the cost of building materials to bankrupt him. Korda visits each of his eccentric partners in the scheme to try and raise the funds needed, by persuasion, trickery, violence and other means.

Korda and Liesel attempt to understand each other. Some secrets are revealed; when Korda is shot, taking a bullet meant for investor Marseille Bob, he has a vision of Liesl’s mother who informs him he is not Liesel's father. It turns out she was having an affair with Korda’s half-brother Nubar; Korda faked evidence she was having an affair with Nubar’s assistant so Nubar killed her.

As the film continues in more odd and bizarre encounters, Korda realises that there are more important things than money – Liesel and the other children, his friends and family, the scheme itself which may benefit all of Phoenicia. It ends of course with a set of confrontations – with Bjorn’s secrets, Liesl’s novitiate and Korda with his half-brother.

If I say that this is a Wes Anderson film that will tell you much of what this film is like if you’ve seen a Wes Anderson film this decade. And if you haven’t, then maybe try this one? It’s pretty fun.

Watch This: A Wes Anderson film with the whimsy and style you’d expect from that
Don’t Watch This: A Wes Anderson film with the whimsy and style you’d expect from that