A former radio DJ, suicidally despondent because of a terrible mistake he made, finds redemption in helping a deranged homeless man who was an unwitting victim of that mistake.A former radio DJ, suicidally despondent because of a terrible mistake he made, finds redemption in helping a deranged homeless man who was an unwitting victim of that mistake.A former radio DJ, suicidally despondent because of a terrible mistake he made, finds redemption in helping a deranged homeless man who was an unwitting victim of that mistake.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 14 wins & 39 nominations total
- Lou Rosen
- (as David Pierce)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFor the "waltzing commuter" scene in Grand Central station, the main hall of the terminal was shut down for the shoot from 8pm until the first commuter trains arrived at 5:30 am the next morning. Lighting effects outside of the large terminal windows made it seem to be 5:00 in the evening the entire night, and over 400 extras waltzed around the mirror-ball topped Information Booth again and again throughout the night. Now, on New Year's, an orchestra plays there and people waltz for real.
- GoofsParry has a bruise on his forehead for most of the movie. When he is in the hospital, it and his other injuries are gone. In the last scene, in Central Park, the bruise is back.
- Quotes
Parry: Did you ever hear the story of the Fisher King?
Jack Lucas: No.
Parry: It begins with the king as a boy, having to spend the night alone in the forest, to prove his courage so he can become king. Now, while he's spending the night alone, he is visited by a sacred vision. Out of the fire appears the Holy Grail, symbol of God's divine grace. And a voice said to the boy, "You shall be keeper of the Grail, so that it may heal the hearts of men." But the boy was blinded by greater visions of a life filled with power, and glory, and beauty. And in this state of radical amazement, he felt for a brief moment not like a boy, but invincible - like God... so he reached into the fire to take the Grail, and the Grail vanished, leaving him with his hand in the fire, to be terribly wounded. Now as this boy grew older, his wound grew deeper. Until one day, life for him lost its reason. He had no faith in any man - not even himself. He couldn't love, or feel loved. He was sick with experience. He began to die. One day, a fool wandered into the castle, and found the king alone. And being a fool, he was simple-minded; he didn't see a king. He only saw a man alone, and in pain. And he asked the king, "What ails you, friend?" The king replied, "I'm thirsty - I need some water to cool my throat." So the fool took a cup from beside his bed, filled it with water, and handed it to the king. As the king began to drink, he realized his wound was healed! He looked in his hands, and there was the Holy Grail, that which he sought all of his life. And he turned to the fool and said with amazement, "How can you find that which my brightest and bravest could not?" And the fool replied, "I don't know. I only knew that you were thirsty."
- SoundtracksHow About You?
Written by Ralph Freed & Burton Lane
Produced by Ray Cooper and George Fenton
Whistled & Sung by Harry Nilsson
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $24,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $41,895,491
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $311,662
- Sep 22, 1991
- Gross worldwide
- $41,895,736
- Runtime2 hours 17 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1