


Screenplay by
Richard
LaGravenese
Music Composed by
George
Fenton
Theatrical Release Date
September 20, 1991
(limited)
September 27, 1991
(wide)
DVD Release Date
February 16, 1999
Production Company
Columbia Pictures Corp.
Distribution Company
TriStar Pictures

Jack Lucas, a talk show DJ, inadvertently convinces a psychotic to blow away restaurant patrons and himself when the psycho calls in for advice. After 3 years of wallowing in his remorse, Jack is attacked and almost set on fire, but a crazy street person rescues him. Jack finds out the transient is on a mission to find the Holy Grail, and tries to repay his kindness with money, but the transient has more hands-on assistance in mind, and tries to convince Jack to help him find the Holy Grail.


Robin's genius fit Parry's insanity like a glove. His ability to go off on a thousand creative tangents infused Parry with an electrically charged sense of awe, as if he had a nonstop fireworks display going on inside his head. And when he stops to take off the fool's mask, it breaks your heart. He also inspired the filming itself. I remember one night in particular, filming the Chinese restaurant scene. It was about five in the morning, and we'd been there since seven the night before. Everyone's energy was drained. Suddenly Robin did twenty minutes of nonstop impersonations and comedy. I remember one of the grips turning to me with tears in his eyes, he was laughing so hard. Everyone was rejuvenated and juiced. Then Terry turned to me and said: "Thank God for him."

Parry
Hold, varlet...or feel the sting of my shaft! In the
name of Blanche de Fleur, unhand that errant Knight! Do you speak
English?! Let the bum go, dipshit!
Mendacity. Why are two attractive city squirrels like you abusing a
knight like this?
City squire
You a faggot too?
Parry
Faggot? No, but I do believe in fairies. Oh, not
without dinner.
City squire
Are you fucking nuts?
Parry
Voila! Let's show him what he's won. I advise you to
let us go.
City squire
You advise us, huh?
Parry
Yes. You're outnumbered, son. You see?
Parry
Oh, look, it's show time. You know, boys... there's
three things in this world that you need. Respect for all kinds of life,
a nice bowel movement on a regular basis and a navy blazer. Oh, one more
thing. Never take your eye off the ball!
City squire
You don't leave me tied up here alone, you fucking
faggot!
Parry
Oh, you're not gonna be alone. Huh. Yo, come and get
i-i-i-i-t!
Parry
Hey, I know a fabulous place with great ambiance.
Parry
These are raisins or ratshit. You can't tell
sometimes. Oh! How about a fruit pie? You're right, I was off a couple
of months.
Parry
They came to me about a year ago. I was sitting on
the john having one of those satisfying bowel movements. You know, that
ones that border on mystical. Where you're like--And there they were.
Hundreds of the cutest little fat people floating right in front of me.
It was wonderful. And then...they spoke.
Parry
I love this guy! You hear me?! I love this guy!
Jack
I gave you the money. You wanna keep it, fine. You
wanna give it away, fine. I just want You to know I did give him the
money, okay? Are we clear?
Parry
Who are you talking to, Jack?
Parry
Heaven be praised giving soon the opportunity to
fulfill the duties of my profession. These cries proceed from a
miserable male or female in need of my aid and my protection.
Jack
Where would King Arthur be without Guinevere?
Parry
Happily married, probably.
Parry
I'm in love with you. And not just from tonight, I've
known you for a long time. I know that you come out from work at noon
every day and you fight your way out that door and then you get pushed
back in and three seconds later you come right back out again. And I
walk with you to lunch, and I know it's a good day if you stop and get
that romance novel from that bookstore. I know what you order, and I
know on Wednesdays you go to that dim sum parlor, and I know that you
get a jawbreaker before you go back into work. And I know you hate your
job and you don't have many friends and I know sometimes you feel a
little uncoordinated and you don't feel as wonderful as everybody else
and feeling as alone and separate as you feel you are... I love you. I
love you, and I think you're the greatest thing since spice racks. And I
would be knocked out several times if I could just have that first kiss.
And I won't... I won't be distant. I'll come back in the morning and
I'll call you if you let me. But I still don't drink coffee.
Parry
Holding my penis... what a wonderful way of saying
how much you like me.


Robin Williams
Parry/Henry Sagan
Jeff Bridges
Jack Lucas
Amanda Plummer
Lydia
Sinclair
Mercedes Ruehl
Anne
Michael Jeter
Homeless
cabaret singer

A modern day tale about the search for Love, Sanity, Ethel Merman and the Holy Grail.

Dates
May 21, 1990 -
August 16, 1990
Locations
New York
City, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Shooting in and around New York took place on Park Ave., in Central Park, Grand Central Station, Manhattan Bridge, Manhattan, and the Metropolitan Life Tower.

Argentina
February 6, 1991
Italy
September 1991
(Venice Film Festival)
Canada
September 13, 1991
(Toronto Film Festival)
France
October 2, 1991
Sweden
October 11, 1991
Germany
October 31, 1991
Australia
November 7, 1991
UK
November 8, 1991
Netherlands
November 15,
1991
Finland
November 22, 1991
Spain
January 17, 1992
Argentina
February 6, 1992
Japan
April 11, 1992

Austria / Germany
König
der Fischer
Spain
El rey pescador
France
Fisher King - Le
roi pêcheur
Serbia
Kralj ribara
Slovenia
Kraljevi ribic
Italy
La leggenda del re
pescatore
Canada
Le roi pêcheur
(French title)
Brazil
O Pescador de
Ilusões
Portugal
O Rei Pescador
Greece
O vasilias tis
monaxias
Argentina
Pescador de
ilusiones

This title is available on:


Budget
$24,000,000
Gross
$41,895,491 (USA)
N/A (international)
$41,895,491 (total)
Opening Weekend
Limited:
$311,662 (10 theaters)
Wide: $7,067,908 (1,214 theaters)
Widest Release
1,551
theaters

Academy Awards
Nom - 1992
- Best Actor (Robin)
Won - 1992 - Best Actress (Mercedes Ruehl)
Nom - 1992 - Best Art Direction
Nom - 1992 - Best Music, Original Score
Nom - 1992 - Best Writing, Screenplay
Golden Globes
Won - 1992 -
Best Performance by an actor in a motion picture - Comedy/Musical
(Robin)
Nom - 1992 - Best Performance by an actress in a motion picture -
Comedy/Musical (Mercedes Ruehl)
Nom - 1992 - Best Director (Terry Gilliam)
Nom - 1992 - Best Motion Picture
British Academy Awards
Nom
- 1992 - Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Amanda Plummer)
Nom - 1992 - Best Screenplay - Original