Gene Hackman’s ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ Manse Just Shot onto the Rental Market at a Cool $20,000 a Month

The property boasts a seriously imposing edifice fashioned of red brick, stone cladding and a magnificent corner tower. Inside, the sprawling mansion contains six bedrooms and five baths spread across 6,190 square feet and an impressive five floors. (For prospective tenants leery of the prospect of venturing up and down that many levels, don’t worry – there’s an elevator on the premises.)

Though the place was subdivided into two units in the 1950s, the current owners, who purchased it in 1999, transitioned it back to a single-family residence, painstakingly restoring it to its original unmitigated glory in the process.

While dark wood features abound, the interior is open and light-filled thanks to the home’s 50 windows and three exposures. The abundance of living spaces include a family room, formal living and dining rooms and a paneled grand foyer complete with an incredible carved staircase.

Original detailing such as stained glass windows, decorative woodwork and mantled fireplaces can be found throughout, dotting virtually every room. The kitchen and baths, on the other hand, have all been updated, outfitting the property with the ultimate in modern and historic living – though dalmatian mice are (likely) not included.

While situated on a scant 0.05-acre lot, the residence does boast a rear patio and garden.

Considering all the bells and whistles, the estate is definitely befitting of a Royal! Though Wes Anderson initially toyed with the idea of shooting the Tenenbaum mansion scenes on a soundstage-built set, he ultimately decided that a physical location would more fruitfully serve both the cast and the storyline. In the production notes, he is quoted as saying, “The house contains the whole family history, and I wanted it to be as real and present as it could be. We didn’t have any time to rehearse this movie, so to help the actors with their parts, I wanted them to see the house their characters grew up in, and be able to walk through it. They wouldn’t have that sense of history if we had filmed on a soundstage.”

Anderson actually scouted the lavish property about a year before filming began, prior to the script even being completed. Location manager Tom Whelan told the Observer, “He got inside and realized that it was the exact sort of layout he needed for the house. It had all the original detail and character in it. But it had not been upgraded for a long time, which, for their purposes, was perfect.” In its disheveled state, the site exuded the vaguely retro quality the script required.

At the time, the pad had just been sold to the current owners, who were about to embark upon their lengthy renovation. But Wes convinced them to put the project on hold and lease the home out to his crew for six months. A full month was spent prepping and dressing the place for the shoot, during which quite a few cosmetic and structural changes were made. As such, the interior looks vastly different today from how it appeared onscreen, as evidenced by the still from the movie as compared to the MLS image above, which both show the family room.

One of the alterations included outfitting the home’s first level with a tiny phone alcove. Per the Observer, “Beneath the heavy wooden stairs, the script called for ‘a small room the size of a closet.’ The room had to be constructed out of the landing above the flight of stairs leading down to the basement.” The owners seem to have liked the modification as the enclave appears to still be intact in the MLS images.

Another alteration? Draping Margot Tenenbaum’s (Gwyneth Paltrow) bedroom with heavily stylized wallpaper. The Observer notes, “Margot’s room is reminiscent of a fancy African safari, with the script calling for walls ‘a vivid shade of red, with little running zebras painted all over them.’ In fact, Mr. Anderson wanted the very wallpaper that is the trademark of the Upper East Side Italian eatery Gino’s. Mr. Anderson contacted the restaurant, which had long ago made its own pattern so as to be able to replace the wallpaper. They gave Mr. Anderson permission to use it for the shoot.”

The rest of the residence was given new wall coloring, as well. Production designer David Wasco explained to Dazed, “We ended up repainting the whole house a couple of times to get it right. There wasn’t any heavy meaning with the color, it was just something Wes wanted to go with.” And vibrant the Tenenbaum home was! Deep pinks, reds and blues adorn every wall onscreen. Though most of the colorful backdrops have since been redone, the formal dining room still retains a deep crimson hue.

Filming on the premises itself took 22 days to complete, during which time the production made copious use of the house. Along with the dining room, family room, foyer and three bedrooms utilized as the Tenenbaum siblings’ rooms, the stairwell and hallways also appeared onscreen. Interestingly, scenes involving the Tenenbaums’ kitchen, fourth-floor ballroom and Etheline’s (Angelica Huston) study were lensed elsewhere, so if the new lessees are hoping to re-create those particular sequences, they will, unfortunately, have to improvise.

Disclaimer: Please remember this is a private home. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way.