The Fisher King (1991) is a film by Terry Gilliam, starring Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges and several other actors of note.
When Jack - a radio host for a subversive morning show - gives an ambiguous message to a disgruntled and disturbed listener, a terrible series of events unfolds: the listener goes to a 'yuppie' bar and kills several people, before turning the gun on himself.
This controversy spells the end for Jack's career. He spirals into a life of bitter self-loathing - although he still has a wonderful girlfriend and a job (at her video store).
One night, guilt takes hold and Jack takes a drunken walk. In his stupor, he finds himself lost in either Brooklyn or Manhattan and is set upon by two young men who mistake him for a homeless man. Out of nowhere, a knight in dulled armour appears: a homeless man named Perry. Perry sees off the attackers and takes in Jack for the night.
When Jack is rested, Perry tells him that he needs him to fulfill a particular purpose: Perry is working for God and needs Jack to steal the Holy Grail from a wealthy entrepreneur's house. (Perry also occasionally thinks fairies are present and perpetually sees a so-called 'Red Knight' who roams Central Park trying to get at him.)
Jack leaves, but soon sees Perry again - and decides to get to know him. After seeing brilliance behind his madness - and often delusional behaviour - he decides to help him in whatever way he can. And there's another reason: it turns out that Perry's wife was one of the victims killed in the shooting three years earlier.
Wrecked with guilt and overcome by the power of his new-found friendship, Jack goes on to help Perry find love. Whilst helping Perry, though, Jack is losing his way. The film is about redemption and recognition - and finding love and wonder where one can.
The title is derived from a story Perry tells Jack one night when they're both lying on a green in Central Park at night - Perry is nude in this scene. Whilst sleeping in a forest, a young boy destined to be king awakes to be greeted with a vision of a fire containing the Holy Grail - a symbol of "God's divine grace".
With wonder, the boy tries to retrieve the grail but is terribly badly burned. With time, his wounds grow deeper. One morning, a simple fool enters the king's chambers and sees him sitting alone, looking pained.
The fool doesn't see a king - merely a man in pain. He asks him if he can help soothe him. The king tells the fool that he's thirsty. The fool finds a cup and gives him some water. Through this simple act, the king's wounds miraculously disappear and he is healed.
When the King looks into his hand, he sees not a cup, but the grail for which he's been hunting his life entire. 'How could you have found that which my brightest and best have failed to find all these years?' enquires the King. 'I don't know,' replies the fool, 'I only knew that you were thirsty.' The story is an interpretation of an Arthurian story - of King Arthur. My interpretation of it is that grandeur is often found in the simplest of things - but that's just me.
When the King looks into his hand, he sees not a cup, but the grail for which he's been hunting his life entire. 'How could you have found that which my brightest and best have failed to find all these years?' enquires the King. 'I don't know,' replies the fool, 'I only knew that you were thirsty.' The story is an interpretation of an Arthurian story - of King Arthur. My interpretation of it is that grandeur is often found in the simplest of things - but that's just me.
The movie is streaked with themes of love and pain. When Perry enters a state of catatonia after re-living the nightmare that unfolded three years previous, Jack finally endeavours to get the grail in hope that it might bring Perry out of said state. I won't spoil the ending - although I've probably already given it away. It ends on a high note; it left me feeling enchanted. Watching it again wouldn't be as much of a pleasureable experience, but it's a real gem.
No comments:
Post a Comment