Product: The Fisher King [VHS] (1991)
Rating: 5.0
Parry: "I'm a knight on a special quest."
Terry Gilliam's THE FISHER KING (1991) stars Jeff Bridges, Robin Williams, Mercedes Ruel and Amanda Plummer (with a major assist from Michael Jeter). Although there's some genuine belly laughs in it, the story is primarily a melancholy one of two men tortured by a tragedy that affected both their lives in very different ways.Bridges is a popular NYC radio show host whose denunciation of yuppies to a regular caller pushes the man to kill people at an upscale eatery. As a result, Bridges loses his job, his GF and a fabulous Manhattan apartment, is alcoholic and now lives with (and preys on the affections of) the owner of a video rental store (Ruehl).Williams, in perhaps his greatest screen role, is a college professor who saw his wife murdered by a shotgun blast from the crazy talk show caller. After some months of hospitalization for catatonia, he becomes a delusional street person, and a self-appointed do-gooder knight named Parry (for Parsifal) who hallucinates that little people tell him where the Holy Grail may be found.These two meet by accident when a suicidal Bridges is being attacked by street thugs and Williams rescues him. They become unlikely friends. Thus, the former celebrity learns first hand about homeless people and mental illness. He also discovers why his new friend is often so deranged, and feels he caused the death of this unfortunate fellow's wife.Plummer, who's always great at playing quirky characters, is a klutzy working gal that Williams admires from afar. Bridges believes that if he can bring Williams and Plummer together, somehow he can also help himself. He tries "awarding" a skeptical Plummer some free rentals at Ruehl's video store, plus the use of a VCR. To convince her to accept this prize, Bridges enlists the help of Jeter, another street person who was once a stock theater actor.This leads to a great elevator scene with Bridges and Jeter, who's all decked out like a showgirl. He warms up to sing for mousey Plummer at the office where she works by hitting these impossibly squeaky high notes, which annoys Bridges, who tells Jeter to stop. Instead, he responds with a line and some behavior that is so funny, you just may continue laughing through the rest of the scene. Leaving the elevator, Jeter triumphantly exclaims "I made you laugh!"He surely did. I really miss Michael Jeter.Despite an often dark plot, THE FISHER KING is ultimately a story of hope, redemption and second chances. I so love this movie. It's one of my favorites.