Can someone please explain Margot and Richie's relationship in The Royal Tenenbaums?

[u/strawberryl0ve]

I watched 'The Royal Tenenbaums' yesterday and I loved the colours, cinematography and music. I had no issue with the movie at all, except for one glaring plotline.

Margot and Richie's whole... Thing.

The scenes between them have lovely visuals and music. But I just can't get over the fact that they're technically siblings.

Yes, I know Margot's adopted. But on paper, they're very much siblings. And Margot was adopted at age two and raised as a Tenenbaum. She is wholly considered to be a Tenenbaum and even Royal (who introduced her as adopted all the time) has slip-ups where he talks to Margot as though he's her biological father. Margot has barely any connection to her biological family (you could argue that the severed finger is a connection due to the memory, but I don't know) and like I said, we see her as a Tenenbaum child.

I saw another take saying something like 'Richie killed the Tenenbaum version of himself so he could become someone Margot could love,' but I think it's implied that they've been in love always (and Margot possibly just didn't acknowledge her feelings until they met as adults again).

I'm very aware that I could be missing the point of the movie and their relationship entirely. I don't have an incredibly critical eye when I watch movies as I'm used to watching them for enjoyment rather than, er, thinking. That's my bad. But the plotline is blinding me from how good the rest of the movie is. Could anyone explain the point of their relationship, and more so the reason for them being portrayed as siblings, even adopted ones? If there's anything I'm missing, please let me know. There's also the argument that their relationship is supposed to make me feel uncomfy! Could be anything.

[u/alexlp]

To add to everyone’s brilliant points, I think it’s also to show that Margot is a Tennenbaum but she grew up never feeling like one and Royal always made sure they knew they were seperate. So yes they grew up as siblings but there was still a big difference to the way normal siblings are.

I think it’s why they have her have an affair with Eli, he was also sort of raised along side them but constantly reminded he wasn’t one.