The Fisher King (1991)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Terry Gilliam

Writer (WGA):

Richard LaGravenese (written by)

Release Date:

20 September 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A Modern Day Tale About The Search For Love, Sanity, Ethel Merman And The Holy Grail.

Plot:

A radio DJ, suicidally despondent because of a horrible mistake he made, finds redemption in helping a deranged homeless man who was a victim of it.

Plot Keywords:

Massacre | Friendship | Redemption | Holy Grail | Love

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 10 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Jeff Bridges	...	Jack Lucas
Robin Williams	...	Parry
Mercedes Ruehl	...	Anne Napolitano
Amanda Plummer	...	Lydia Sinclair
David Hyde Pierce	...	Lou Rosen (as David Pierce)
Adam Bryant	...	Radio engineer
Paul Lombardi	...	Radio engineer
Ted Ross	...	Limo bum
Lara Harris	...	Sondra
Warren Olney	...	TV anchorman
Frazer Smith	...	News reporter
Kathy Najimy	...	Crazed video customer
Harry Shearer	...	Sitcom actor Ben Starr
Melinda Culea	...	Sitcom wife
James Remini	...	Bum at hotel

MPAA:

Rated R for language and violence.

Runtime:

137 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Australia:M | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

101 Park Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The "castle" in New York is the facade of the Squadron A Armory, now part of the Hunter College Campus Schools building, located at 94th and Madison Avenue. When Robin Williams tells the story of the fisher king, he says, "I think I heard it at a lecture once... I don't know... a professor... at Hunter."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After the double date dinner at the Chinese restaurant Anne unlocks the door to the apartment and puts her keys in her purse. The next scene she is hugging Jack and you can clearly see the keys still in her hand.

Quotes:

Jack Lucas: I'm talking to the little people!
Parry: Are they here?
Jack Lucas: They're saying, "Jack, go to the liquor store and findeth the Jack of Daniels so that ye may be shitfaced!"

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Jeff Goldblum/Aerosmith (#19.3)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Lydia The Tattooed Lady

Wow! Sooooooooo overlooked. A mini-masterpiece

I've watched Robin Williams/Jeff Bridges in this "fairytale" more times than I count. Finally bought it. You have to watch it at least twice , in my opinion,because the first time all I could do was try to let it "settle in".

I love movies that hit me broadsided and then blind me! I keep trying to watch it with my daughter, who only likes love stories, but if I can keep her still long enough she'll find out that this IS a love story, of the most incredible kind. A love story for all mankind.

I hate to gush, but if it's ever called for, it's called for here.

The first time I saw it, I was soooooooo impressed with Mercedes Rhuel's performance and actually said to my friend in the theatre, "That woman's gonna get nominated for the Oscar for this performance", which of course she won for her performance. So, I'm not so unsophisticated after all.