The Phoenician Scheme – Wes Anderson Meets the Cold War

By Jack Douglas

If you are already a fan of Wes Anderson films, their sheer visual pleasure together with whimsical plots and settings, I can assure you the Phoenician Scheme will not disappoint. It’s a fast-paced experience, chilly yet also exciting picture. A fine film to spend an evening or a rainy overcast afternoon seeing. Although a second watch is in order, in my opinion, to fully get to grips with it.

The name had my attention from the outset. For those not in the know (History is half of my degree) Phoenicia was the ancient Greek name for the people of the modern Levantine coastlands of Syria and Lebanon, who from around 900 to 400 BC were the most powerful merchants and traders plying the waters of the Mediterranean [1]. Anderson uses the exonym ‘Phoenicia’ for two purposes in the film. Firstly to describe the titular business enterprise of the principal character, Anatole Zsa-Zsa Korda, whose scheme is indeed a vast, complicated venture encompassing a large geographic area. And secondly as the name for the fictional Ruritanian country the film is set in, Modern Independent Greater Phoenicia, which is supposed to be set somewhere in relation to the Middle East [2]. This is a favourite setting device of Anderson. Fans of The Grand Budapest Hotel may recall it is set in the equally fictional country of Zubrowka.

The Phoenician Scheme has a different feel compared to some of Anderson’s other beloved films, it is chillier, darker, the sinister is less comical. The very first scene involves a man being torn in half by a bomb on a plane, which causes the plane to blow open and this unfortunate individual to be sucked out and sent falling onto the mountains bellow. When discussing his operations in MIGP, Korda casually admits his plans require slave labour to be successful and that a famine in the region is of his doing. Yet faith, specifically Catholicism, plays a important role in redeeming the characters actions. Korda is plagued by divine visions in which he appears to interact with God and is judged for past actions. This, combined with his daughter’s influence, compels him to change tact at the film’s end – “the slaves will be paid!” he declares. Although Korda admits having faith is against his own personal convictions, practising the faith brings him and others good things. Some see this film as Anderson advocating the positives of practising religious teachings even if belief isn’t there [3].

The characters of the Phoenician Scheme were all fascinating, entertaining and well performed by their actors. Wealthy (in the extreme) businessman Anatole ‘Zsa-Zsa’ Korda, played by Benicio Del Toro, is supposed to embody the kind globe-trotting titans of industry who pervaded the European colonial empires. His grand ‘Phoenician scheme’ is a massive infrastructure project which includes a canal, railroad tunnel and dam which will enable the extraction of resources on a unprecedented scale. In exchange for funding all this Korda has secured legal entitlement to 5% of all revenues for more than a century. The plan is opposed by an ambiguous collection of enemies (the Unites States government amougst them, because why not) who throw a wrench in the works. They engineer a spike in the price of rivets (somewhat important to modern engineering they helpfully explain) which creates a ‘gap’ between the projected liability of the projects and the pledged investment. The film revolves around Korda desperately trying to raise further capital to cover ‘the gap’ which is astronomical. Korda is also plagued by assassination attempts, which prompts the summoning of his daughter.

Korda reminds me of Royal Tenenbaum, a previous Anderson character, in his poor showing as a father who comes to regret this. He is dogged by rumours of murdering his first wife, which turn out to half-true. the character I believe is supposed to represent the emptiness of vast wealth, with his mansion is a grey, cavernous, leaky structure. At the film’s end Korda does great good and wins the affection of his children by sacrificing his fortune.

Liesl, Korda’s oldest child, played captivatingly by Mia Threapleton, is set to become a nun in the convent her father left her in upon her mother’s passing but is named by Korda as his principal heir, on a trial basis. She reluctantly agrees, hoping to do some good along the way. Throughout the film the father-daughter relationship serves as a metaphor of the relationship between God and money [1]. Korda’s pursuit of ever greater wealth confronts Liesl’s sense of social justice and Christian morality. She seeks the truth of what happened to her mother and, after her abbess refuses to let her take vows as a nun, saying she could do more as a lay person, to redeem her father and care for her semi-abandoned brothers. Liesl interestingly admits that when she prays God’s voice is not there, she simply does what she thinks God would advise. And throughout she serves as the moral voice of the film.

Of the other characters of the Phoenician Scheme, Michael Cera’s performance as Professor Bjorn and then agent Carlson stands out (although Richard Ayoade as a revolutionary guerilla leader was also an enjoyable stand out for me). At first hired by Korda to tutor him on rare insects, Bjorn then becomes his personal assistant on his travels to plug the gap. A plane crash and Liesl’s suspicions reveal him to be agent Carlson, a CIA operative spying on Korda. Cera’s character transforms from an overly closeted academic to a more impressive intellectual of the shabby variety, who also practices a martial art. He develops affection for the Kordas (mostly Liesl) and tries to help them.

Zsa-Zsa has two main moments of moral redemption at the climax of the film. His half-brother, Uncle Nubar, reveals the likely uncertainty of Liesl’s paternity, to which Korda responds “I don’t care” fully affirming his desire to be a father to Liesl even if, biologically, she isn’t his daughter. The second is when, having failed to raise the necessary capital from others, Korda resolves to cover the gap himself, eroding the Korda fortune but bringing economic development to a desperately poor land. The film ends with Zsa-Zsa and Liesl running a café together and raising the other Korda children with the help of agent Carlson, who proposes to Liesl.
The Phoenician Scheme tells a typically whimsical Wes Anderson story which at the same time comments on the actions of ultra-wealthy tycoons and the utility of religious morality. I found it a very enjoyable film, the plot was entertaining and visuals, as always with Anderson, thoroughly beautiful and immersive, easily 4 out of 5 stars.

References

1) “The Phoenician Scheme is fantasy. It is also a remarkable engagement with real-life conflict in the middle eas.” By Tanjil Rashid in The Guardian. 17th June 2025 https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jun/17/the-phoenician-scheme-is-fantasy-it-is-also-a-remarkable-engagement-with-the-real-life-conflict-in-the-middle-east 

2) “Why Wes Anderson Changed His Mind About God in ‘The Phoenician Scheme’.” By Joseph Holmes in ReligionUnplugged. 30th June 2025 https://religionunplugged.com/news/wes-anderson-changed-his-mind-about-god-in-the-phoenician-scheme

3) “Is “the Phoenician Scheme” Wes Anderson’s most emotional Film?” By Richard Brody in The New Yorker. 29th May 2025 https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/06/09/the-phoenician-scheme-movie-review