THE FISHER KING
US, 1991, 137 minutes.
Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges, Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer, Michael Jetter, Dan Futterman, David Hyde Pierce, Tom Waites, Kathleen Najimy, Harry Shearer, Richard la Gravanese.
Directed by Terry Gilliam.
Jack Lucas is a 'take no prisoners' radio personality who disparages his listeners, one of whom, a lonely man, follows Jack's rhetoric literally and massacres diners in a fashionable restaurant. Jack then opts out of life and lives with and works for a girlfriend who owns a video store.
One night, drunk, he his saved from being burned by thugs by a group of vagrants led by Parry who sees himself as a knight and takes Jack to a dirty basement where he lives. Jack discovers that Parry is a teacher whose wife was killed in the massacre and who has spent time in a mental institution.
Jack wants to atone and help, giving Parry money. He watches over the awkward Lydia with whom Parry is infatuated, his fair maiden, and listens to Parry telling him the story of The Fisher King. Parry shows Jack a picture of a cup owned by a millionaire which he envisions as the Grail. Parry also talks to invisible little people and is haunted and chased by a giant Red Knight.
Jack and Anne tell Lydia that she has won a membership to their store so that she will come and run into Parry. She returns to get her nails done by Anne and goes out to a meal with them. It is her first date and it goes well for Parry.
Jack, feeling better, wants to go back to work but tells Anne that she is too clinging and moves out. However, Parry is battered and knifed by street thugs and goes into a catatonic state having relived the trauma of his wife's murder.
Jack then decides to retrieve Parry's Grail and is able to revive Parry. With Anne and Jack together again, Parry with Lydia, they have fulfilled the fable of The Fisher King.
Writer Richard La Gravanese went on to write The Bridges of Madison County and The Horse Whisperer and to direct, Living Out Loud. He is interested in myths and romanticism. Director Terry Gilliam was the American cartoonist member of the Monty Python group who directed Monty Python and the Holy Grail. He also directed the mythic fantasy, Time Bandits. On his return to America, he made such intriguing movies as Brazil, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Twelve Monkeys and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Robin Williams draws on his capacity for mania and pathos as Parry, the would-be modern knight who has experienced grief and trauma. Jeff Bridges is fine as the world-weary media personality, self-absorbed but shocked at the consequences of his words and discovering some innate compassion. Amanda Plummer has no trouble with the role of the eccentrically direct and accident-prone Lydia. Mercedes Ruehl won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Anne. Comedienne Kathy Najimy has a moment as a video customer and Tom Waits is a vagrant.
Robin Williams recounts the story of the Fisher King, the young prince who had great ambitions but whose hand was burnt when he reached for the Grail and who then become a frustrated and self-deprecating King. The Fool offered him a cup of water which he then recognised as the Grail. Jack is the contemporary Fisher King whose life has been cut short and contaminated. Parry is the Fool who offers help so that Jack discovers he is holding the Grail in his hands.
1. The title? The mythology? Parry and his telling the story? The mythology of the Grail? Symbolism? The Christian connections? Jesus, the suffering, the Last Supper, blood? Redemption and salvation?
2. New York, the 1990s? Jack and his arrogant attitudes on radio, his mockery of his listeners and his egging Edwin on to destroy the yuppies - and his horror to learn that he has? Jack and his theme song, Hit the Road, Jack? Jack , contemplating suicide, about to be burned and rescued by Parry as a saving knight - and Jack's discovery of who he was?
3. Parry, his story, at Hunter College, lecturing? Being in the club, is wife’s death – and the later flashbacks visualising the massacre, the killer? Is grief, madness? His new identity? His visions of the Red Knight? The themes of the Grail? The rescuer of Jack, the range of the homeless with him? Jack spending the night with him?
4. The range of homeless people? And Parry and his singing “How about You�? The homeless outside, in the institution? The old man, the man explaining Parry story, Tom Waits is the veteran? Michael Jetter is the singer? His love for Gypsy? His madness, Jack caring for him?
5. Parry and his visions of the Red Knight? His calm when the vision had gone and his stripping and telling Jack the story of the Fisher King?
6. Jake, his life with and are, in the video store? Is an ability to say he loved her? Her loving him, patient with him? The strong personality and support?
7. Jack and sharing with Parry, Central Park, Parry being naked, lying and watching the clouds? The effect on Jack?
8. Parry, his mythologies, his idealising Lydia? Following her? Her lack of personality, awkwardness, clumsiness? The sequence in Grand Central station, the commuters, her entering, Parry imagining the station as a ballroom, the people dancing, 5 o’clock returning to normal?
9. Jack deciding to help Parry with Lydia? The idea of her winning the competition? Tracking her down, the phone call, her reaction? Getting the singer to dress up, gypsy-fashion, coming into the office, the medley of lyrics from Gypsy and adapting them to Lydia winning the competition? Her following through, the visit to the shop, Anna and her edginess, Jack and his being agreeable? Discussions about the card, the availability of videos, her clumsiness with the shelves, Parry helping her, wanting musicals? Her seeing and is nails, interested? Coming back, beginning of conversation with Anna, the bond between the two women?
10. Jack getting Parry ready to go out, sprucing him up, the clothes? The plan for the restaurant? The four going, Lydia and her eating, the range of swipes on the screen for the different stages of the meal? Jack and Anna happy with their success? Parry walking Lydia home, her imagining all that would happen and how at the end of it all, after the night together, she would be unhappy and asking why she should put herself through all this? Parry, the gentle kiss, reassuring her?
11. Jack, feeling redeemed, checking with his agent, the possibility of a television show, his spurning the homeless people? His going home, separating from an?
12. Parry, being attacked again, going to the hospital, in coma? Jack receiving the message, hurrying with Anna to the hospital? Parry in a coma? Lydia’s visits?
13. Jack and his response to Parry's reversion and his going on the quest to retrieve the trophy and find his and Parry's grail? The fulfilment of his quest? The experience of grace at the end of the quest, atonement and forgiveness, love and reconciliation? Parry and Jack naked, lying on the ground in central Park, and watching the clouds?
