Misery (1990)

After a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writers:

Stephen King (novel), William Goldman (screenplay)

Stars:

James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth

Won 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
James Caan	...	Paul Sheldon
Kathy Bates	...	Annie Wilkes
Richard Farnsworth	...	Buster
Frances Sternhagen	...	Virginia
Lauren Bacall	...	Marcia Sindell
Graham Jarvis	...	Libby
Jerry Potter	...	Pete
Thomas Brunelle	...	Anchorman (as Tom Brunelle)
June Christopher	...	Anchorwoman
Julie Payne	...	Reporter #1
Archie Hahn	...	Reporter #2 (as Archie Hahn III)
Gregory Snegoff	...	Reporter #3
Wendy Bowers	...	Waitress
Misery the Pig	...	Herself

Storyline

Best-selling novelist Paul Sheldon is on his way home from his Colorado hideaway after completing his latest book, when he crashes his car in a freak blizzard. Paul is critically injured, but is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes, Paul's "number one fan", who takes Paul back to her remote house in the mountains (without bothering to tell anybody). Unfortunately for Paul, Annie is also a headcase. When she discovers that Paul has killed off the heroine in her favorite novels, her reaction leaves Paul shattered (literally)...

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Plot Keywords:

obsessed fan | female psychopath | broken leg | brutality | small town | 

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Taglines:

Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now, he's writing to stay alive.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 November 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Miseria

Filming Locations:

Truckee, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,076,834, 2 December 1990, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$61,276,872

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castle Rock Entertainment,Nelson Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Paul Sheldon's (James Caan's) novels are published by Viking, the same publishing company that published Stephen King's books at that time.

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Goofs

When Paul types the line of profanity before starting work, and then looks at it, the last letter he typed is about ten characters to the right of the place on the typewriter where the keys hit the paper. Paul didn't touch the carriage return.

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Quotes

Paul Sheldon: You know I never tasted meatloaf quite like this, what's your secret?
Annie Wilkes: My secret is, I always use fresh tomatoes, never canned. And to give it that extra zip, I mix a little Spam with the ground beef!
Paul Sheldon: Can't get this in a restaurant in New York.
Annie Wilkes: Oh, no.

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Crazy Credits

Misery the Pig - Herself

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Connections

Referenced in The King of Queens: Papa Pill (2001)

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Soundtracks

LOVE CONNECTION
Written by Larry Grossman
Published by Fiddleback Music Co., Inc., New Start Music and Eric Lieber Music, Inc.

User Reviews

Shining, shocking dark comedy in the Hitchcock mold

Writer William Goldman and director Rob Reiner do Hitchcock proud with this one. It has all the elements: a seemingly innocent place and situation invaded by a growing sense of sinister dread until a breathtaking climax. The intelligent script is peppered with moments that will either make you cringe or make you laugh, depending on how morbid your sense of humor is. It is a harrowing movie to watch the first time around. The crew has done a good job of making you feel Paul Sheldon's pain. Few films torture the audience like this one. In fact, I venture to say this is the best film of its kind since "Psycho" thirty years earlier.

The acting is good all-round. Farnsworth steals every scene he's in with his sardonic and relentless sheriff - he did not get enough accolades for what would have been a routine part in a lesser actor's hands. Caan is solid and underplays beautifully, and the inimitable Kathy Bates carries the film with her alternately hysterical or ridiculously-sappy Annie, the psychotic Sheldon fan. Her performance is a throwback to Hollywood's old days - it's not subtle, not quiet, and borders on over-acting. This is not method acting, this is showing off. But Bates makes it work, investing Annie with enough pitifulness to make the character complex and, thus, hold the role together. This movie is famous, of course, for making Kathy Bates an overnight sensation as everybody went into the movie wanting to see what Sonny Corleone looked like as an older man, but left with accolades for Kathy Bates on their lips. She is absolutely terrifying and unforgettable in this role and perfect for it.

Brilliant performance that elevated a 7-star thriller to 9-10 classic status.