royal tenenbaums: who was dudley?
 

why can't he tell time?

his condition? whatever they called it. he wasn't all that funny, really. wouldn't have minded him not being there at all. but murray needed something to do. :)

Raleigh: Dudley has a rare disease combining symptoms of amnesia, dyslexia and color blindness, with an acute sense of hearing. My research-

Dudley Heinsbergen: [from two rooms away] I'm not color blind, am I?

Raleigh: I'm afraid you are.

I couldn't tell time during this movie either. I kept looking at my watch, and even though it felt like HOURS had dragged by, it had only been a few minutes!

I loved this movie, I thought he was hilarious.

Especially in the hospital scene...classic.

"That cab has a dent in it."

What was the line Seymour Cassel says at the end to another character? Hilarious, and it bothers me that I can't remember it...

That cracks me up every time. rotfl

I'll talk some jive.

Great film.

I was also wondering about Dudley, you don't really learn much about him other than he has some disabillities. Why is he always with Bill Murray? Even if he was writing a book about him, why is he still with him after he wrote the book? At first I thought he was his son, but I'm pretty sure that is not the case.

:lol:

"If it spreads to the other eye, call me." Or something like that. That is from memory, is that what you are talking about?

Dan

So the way I saw it was that Dudley was just some kid with really strange psychological disorders. Raliegh was studying him and writing a book - which considering Dudley's totally bizarre disorders would probably be of little to no use of anyone - and having finished the book, Raleigh took Dudley with him on a lecture circuit to promote the book.
Dudley's disorders are so bizarre, and the book's potential bordering on the edge of uselessness (just as is nearly every book mentioned in the film) that Dudley and Raleigh simply add more comedy.
But that's simply my own interpretation. :)

You could also look at it this way too:
Everyone in the film is messed up one way or another. Dudley is there to show that no matter what your problems are, there's always someone in a worse situation. He couldn't even tell tilme, yet he knows what time is?!? Still Dudley seems to maintain a positive attitude thoughout it all.