The Phoenician Scheme
Wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda appoints his only daughter, a nun, as sole heir to his estate. As Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists and determined assassins.
Working with a moderate budget of $30.0M, the film achieved a steady performer with $40.3M in global revenue (+34% profit margin).
1 nomination
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
The Phoenician Scheme (2025) exhibits precise narrative design, characteristic of Wes Anderson's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 55 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.6, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The meticulously symmetrical world of a small coastal town is introduced. Key characters arrive for a mysterious philanthropic gala at the local museum.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when A rare Phoenician artifact goes missing during the gala, triggering suspicion, panic, and a scramble to figure out who is involved.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to The investigation deepens. Characters split into groups, searching the museum and surrounding town for the missing artifact. Secrets and backstories are revealed., moving from reaction to action. The emotional journey here reflects 2.
At 52 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 45% of the runtime—arriving early, accelerating into Act IIb complications. Notably, this crucial beat The artifact is recovered — or believed to be — but a major revelation shocks the characters: someone they trusted orchestrated the theft., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional state shifts to 2, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 68 minutes (59% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The antagonist gains the upper hand, the artifact appears lost again, and relationships are strained or broken. Hope seems minimal., shows the protagonist at their lowest point with -6. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 76 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 66% of the runtime. The main characters devise a clever, meticulously staged plan to expose the culprit and recover the artifact using wit and teamwork., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey. The emotional culmination reaches -2.
Emotional Journey
The Phoenician Scheme's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression from -4 to 6. The narrative's emotional pivot at the midpoint—2—divides the journey into distinct phases, with the first half building toward this moment of transformation and the second half exploring its consequences. With 6 core emotional states, the narrative maintains focused emotional clarity, allowing sustained thematic development.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping The Phoenician Scheme against these established plot points, we can identify how Wes Anderson utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Phoenician Scheme within the action genre.
Wes Anderson's Structural Approach
Among the 12 Wes Anderson films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.3, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Phoenician Scheme represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Wes Anderson filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Wes Anderson analyses, see The Darjeeling Limited, Moonrise Kingdom and Asteroid City.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The meticulously symmetrical world of a small coastal town is introduced. Key characters arrive for a mysterious philanthropic gala at the local museum.
Theme
Through initial interactions, the film hints at secrecy, betrayal, and the consequences of misplaced trust among the wealthy elite.
Worldbuilding
We meet the ensemble: the enigmatic heiress, the quirky museum curator, a pair of eccentric security guards, and a curious journalist. Relationships, tensions, and minor secrets are established.
Disruption
A rare Phoenician artifact goes missing during the gala, triggering suspicion, panic, and a scramble to figure out who is involved.
Resistance
Characters debate whether to report the theft, search covertly, or manipulate each other. Alliances shift, and the journalist begins piecing together clues.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The investigation deepens. Characters split into groups, searching the museum and surrounding town for the missing artifact. Secrets and backstories are revealed.
Mirror World
A romance or friendship develops between the journalist and the curator, providing an emotional anchor amid the intrigue.
Premise
Chases through hallways, secret passages, and humorous misunderstandings abound. Wes Anderson’s signature visual symmetry, quirky props, and meticulous set pieces are highlighted.
Midpoint
The artifact is recovered — or believed to be — but a major revelation shocks the characters: someone they trusted orchestrated the theft.
Opposition
Suspicion and paranoia spread. Characters scramble to protect secrets, prevent exposure, and confront antagonists in comedic and tense sequences.
Collapse
The antagonist gains the upper hand, the artifact appears lost again, and relationships are strained or broken. Hope seems minimal.
Crisis
Characters reflect on their misjudgments and the importance of trust. The journalist pieces together the true motives behind the theft.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
The main characters devise a clever, meticulously staged plan to expose the culprit and recover the artifact using wit and teamwork.
Synthesis
The antagonist is revealed and confronted. The artifact is secured, relationships are repaired, and the gala concludes successfully with comedic flair and visual symmetry.
Transformation
The town is calm again, characters have grown through their experiences, and the quirky, whimsical world of Wes Anderson endures.