classicsoncall Review of The Fisher King

The Fisher King (1991)

"Did you lose your mind all of a sudden, or was it a slow, gradual process?"

[8/10 · 12 July 2019]

There's no doubt the role of Parry was made for Robin Williams' boundless energy and manic personality. It's only when you learn the tragic circumstances of Henry Sagan's transformation into a seeker of the Holy Grail that you begin to understand that his trauma was caused by the indiscreet remarks of a radio shock jock who took things one step too far. I'm becoming fascinated by Jeff Bridges' range as an actor, having seen more recent films like "Crazy Heart" and "True Grit", but he goes full circle here through a range of emotions that will leave you stunned. In the story, Parry's mental illness hinges on a severely traumatic event, and Jack Lucas (Bridges) takes it upon himself to seek some measure of personal redemption by bringing Parry back to reality. While dealing with his own personal demons, Jack glides through his hellish existence with the comfort and understanding of a determined woman who's better instincts would have thrown the bum out long ago. Recognizing that the linchpin to Parry's salvation might be introducing him to an unattainable dream girl, Jack and girlfriend Anne (Mercedes Ruehl) concoct a scheme that brings all the parties together in a last ditch effort to achieve Parry's salvation. Though the plan is interrupted by a tragedy that puts Parry in a coma, it compels Jack to seek out Parry's mystical Holy Grail, and a satisfying conclusion to a tale of two couples who might have otherwise ended in oblivion. As much as I was intrigued by the story, what really put it over the top for me was when Robin Williams' character broke out with that rendition of 'Lydia, Oh Lydia', a song I thought I would never come across in a movie again, after first encountering it in the 1939 Marx Brothers picture, "At The Circus". With Groucho's zany rendition, I couldn't get that melody out of my head for about a week after hearing it.