Terry Gilliam's Movie The Fisher King
1991 Film Starring Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges and Mercedes Ruehl
Jun 7, 2009
While this movie might have failed to make billions or earn countless awards like many Hollywood productions, The Fisher King is arguably Robin Williams' best role and the narrative structure serves as an ideal structure for aspiring screenwriters.
The Fisher King's Main Narrative Structure and Conflict
The Fisher King demonstrates narrative at its best through opposite characters who influence each other to change from extremes to mediums. Throughout the larger part of the movie, Jack (Jeff Bridges) keeps trying to teach Parry (Robin Williams) structure and sanity while Parry tries to teach Jack beauty and freedom.
Both characters desperately need to learn from each other, but they seem blinded by the state they are in and their own vision of what life should be. As Jack discovers what, or more accurately who, Parry wants, he becomes desperate to set Parry up on a date with her. Jack is allowing his compassion for other people to seep through his cold exterior.
The Fisher King's Substories and Setup
Lydia, who is Parry’s love interest (or even better yet stalker interest), is a quirky woman who holds a “normal” day job, but sticks to such a strict static schedule, that she seems even crazier than Parry. If she can fall for Parry, there would be the perfect opportunity for change in both Lydia and Parry’s lives. While the everyday woman would be terrified, Lydia is flattered that Parry noticed her and knows her schedule by heart.
By the middle of the movie, we can see that the characters will evolve in some way, but we do not know how or what will happen to cause their transformation. One of the funniest scenes leads every character at the table into a better state.
The Fisher King's Memorable Scenes and Turning Point
While dining at the Chinese restaurant, Jack shows more compassion toward Anne through laughing, talking, and the simple act of leaving her bra strap on the edge of her shoulder when earlier in the movie he had made fun of her for it. Anne’s attitude and relationship is improving as she works alongside Jack to help Parry. Anne may realize at this point that this is what will help Jack overcome his past.
The two who are influenced most by the scene, however, are the people the scene was primarily created for: Parry and Lydia, the two “crazy” people on a date. Parry slowly sees things more realistically while Lydia allows her routine barrier to be broken in to.
After this scene, more complications intervene, but these complications only create more reasons for the characters to change for the better and for each other. By the end of the movie, Jack has grown compassionate, Parry has gained a “normal” status and dealt with his wife’s death, and the women have broken their schedules and one-track minds.
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