The Fisher King (1991): Thoughts! Questions!
Come for the stellar acting. Stay for the meditations on life and love.
When Parry (Robin Williams) tells Lydia (Amanda Plummer) he loves her, he shares how he has observed her closely and for a long time – unbeknownst to her, and with the most intimate of inferences and extrapolations about who she is as a person. Yet, somehow, it comes across (to me, anyway; feel free to disagree!) as not creepy-stalker-time, but as the all-seeing, unbounded love of a higher power, one that loves us at our most vulnerable. That scene gets me every time.
Anyway, hello, welcome, and thank you for stopping by. For new visitors, here’s what this situation is all about:
With Savor the View, we’ll watch, think, and talk about movies and the things that matter. A special welcome and thanks to our regular crew!
Each Monday, I share brief, spoiler-free remarks and questions to frame viewing a movie on our own.
Each Thursday, I share post-viewing questions to poke at the issues, ideas, quandaries, inspirations...whatever...that movie might have summoned (spoilers, ahoy!).
Paid subscribers can talk it all out in a weekly Discussion Thread.
General thoughts?
The universal/general
What is faith? How does it work?
What is love? How does it work?
What does dignity look like? Whose dignity is acknowledged and respected and whose isn’t – and why?
Are people good?
The specific/unique
“Forgive me” is the catchphrase for the sitcom Jack Lucas (Jeff Bridges) wants, but never gets, to do to propel his career ambitions. In the context of this film, this isn’t just a throwaway line, is it?
Anne Napolitano (Mercedes Ruehl) clearly and explicitly loves Jack. What do you make of her character and her unconditional love of such a flawed partner?
What does responsibility look like? When does Jack finally show he takes responsibility for his choices and actions?
What does each character think they deserve or allowed to have or experience or hope for in life?
The viewer is always present
Parry (Robin Williams) calls himself the “janitor of God.” What do you take this to mean?
Parry sees the world differently than others – he really seems to see a different world. What do you make of this, beyond the specific task of characterizing his mental health?
How much of this film seems purely of its time – of the 1990s? How well has the film and its premise aged?
Worthwhile Reads
https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/3604-the-fisher-king-in-the-kingdom-of-the-imperfect
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/thefisherkingrhowe_a0b345.htm
Next Week’s Movie?
For August – the month of “Genre Grab Bag” – The Fountain (2006)
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