*** Welcome to piglix ***

The Fisher King

The Fisher King
The Fisher King Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Terry Gilliam
Produced by Debra Hill
Lynda Obst
Written by Richard LaGravenese
Starring
Music by George Fenton
Cinematography Roger Pratt
Edited by Lesley Walker
Production
company
Hill/Obst Productions
Distributed by TriStar Pictures
Release date
  • September 20, 1991 (1991-09-20)
Running time
137 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $24 million
Box office $41.9 million

The Fisher King is a 1991 American comedy-drama film written by Richard LaGravenese and directed by Terry Gilliam. It stars Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges, with Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer, and Michael Jeter in supporting roles. The film is about a radio shock jock who tries to find redemption by helping a man whose life he inadvertently shattered.

Jack Lucas, a narcissistic, misanthropic shock jock, becomes suicidally despondent after his insensitive on-air comments inadvertently prompt an unstable caller to commit a mass murder-suicide at a popular Manhattan restaurant. Three years later, Jack is working with his girlfriend Anne in a video store in a mostly drunken, depressed state. One night while on a bender, he attempts suicide. Before he can do so, he is mistaken for a homeless person and is attacked and nearly set on fire by thugs. He is rescued by Parry, a deluded homeless man who is on a mission to find the Holy Grail, and tries to convince Jack to help him. Jack is initially reluctant, but comes to feel responsible for Parry when he learns that the man's condition is a result of witnessing his wife's death during the earlier mass murder at the hands of Jack's psychotic caller. Parry is also continually haunted by a hallucinatory red knight, who terrifies him.

Jack learns that Parry's real name is Henry Sagan and he was a teacher at Hunter College. Following his wife's death, Henry slipped into a catatonic state. When he emerged, he took on the persona of Parry and became obsessed with the legend of the Fisher King. According to Parry, the Fisher King was charged by God with guarding the Holy Grail, but incurred an incapacitating wound for his sin of pride. A Fool asks the King why he suffers, and when the King says he is thirsty, the Fool gives him a cup of water to drink. The King realizes the cup is the Grail and asks, "How did you find what my brightest and bravest could not?" The Fool said "I don't know. I only knew that you were thirsty."


...
Wikipedia

...