Misery (film)

Misery is a 1990 American psychological thriller film about a novelist who is saved from a car wreckage and trapped by a maniacal fan who forces him to write a novel for her. Directed by Rob Reiner. Wriiten by William Goldman, based on the novel by Stephen King. Paul Sheldon used to write for a living. Now he's writing to stay alive. Paul Sheldon I love you, too. And you're right, we are meant to be together. And I know we must die. But it must be so that Misery can live. We have the power to give Misery eternal life. We must finish the book. It's almost finished. By dawn, we'll be able to give Misery back to the world. Remember how, for all those years, nobody knew who Misery's real father was? Or if they'd ever be reunited? It's all right here. Does she finally marry Ian, or will it be Winthorne? It's all right here. Here you want it, you want it?! Eat it! Eat it till ya choke, you sick, twisted fuck! I'm delighted the critics are liking it and I hope the people like it, too. But... I wrote it for me. I don't think I'm completely nuts, but... in some way, Annie Wilkes... that whole experience... uh, helped me. I don't know if anyone could ever totally get over something like that. It's weird. Even though I know she's dead, I still think about her once in a while. Annie Wilkes Anyway, my favorite was Rocketman, and once it was a no-breaks chapter. The bad guy stuck him in a car on a mountain road and knocked him out and welded the door shut and tore out the brakes and started him to his death, and he woke up and tried to steer and tried to get out but the car went off a cliff before he could escape! And it crashed and burned and I was so upset and excited, and the next week, you better believe I was first in line. And they always start with the end of the last week. And there was Rocketman, trying to get out, and here comes the cliff, and just before the car went off the cliff, he jumped free! And all the kids cheered, but I didn't cheer. I stood right up and started shouting, "This isn't what happened last week! Have you all got amnesia? They just cheated us! This isn't fair! He didn't get out of the cock-a-doodie car!" [to Paul Sheldon] I am your number one fan. There is nothing to worry about. You are going to be just fine. I am your number one fan. I thought you were good, Paul, but you're not good. You’re just another lying old dirty birdie and I don't think I'd better be around you for a while. And don't even think about anybody coming for you. Not the doctors, not your agent, not your family, because I never called them. Nobody knows you're here. And you better hope nothing happens to me, because if I die, you die. WHAT'S THE MATTER? I'll tell you "what's the matter!" I go out of my way for you! I do everything to try and make you happy. I feed you, I clean you, I dress you, and what thanks do I get? "Oh, you bought the wrong paper, Annie, I can't write on this paper, Annie!" Well, I'll get your stupid paper but you just better start showing me a little more appreciation around here, Mr. MAN! I know I left my scrapbook out. I can imagine what you might be thinking of me. But you see, Paul, it's all okay. Last night it came so clear. I realized you just need more time. Eventually you'll come to accept the idea of being here. Paul, do you know about the early days at the Kimberly diamond mines? Do you know what they did to the native workers who stole diamonds? Don't worry, they didn't kill them. That would be like junking your Mercedes just because it had a broken spring. No, if they caught them, they had to make sure they could go on working, but they also had to make sure they could never run away this operation was called "hobbling". [while talking a drugged Paul to the basement to hide him from Sheriff Buster] I don't think I'll ever understand you. I cook your meals. I tend to you practically 24 hours a day, and you continue to fight me. When are we going to develop a sense of trust? [after killing Sheriff Buster with a 12 Gauge Double Barreled shotgun] Don't feel bad, Paul. It was bound to happen sooner or later. It's a sign. You see, I've known for some time why i was chosen to save you. You and i were meant to be together forever. But now our time in this world must end. But don't worry, Paul. I've prepared for what must be done. I put two bullets in my gun: one for you, and one for me. Oh, darling, it'll be so beautiful. [returns with a syringe and a Colt Cobra] Now, don't be afraid. I love you. [last words] I'M GONNA KILL YOU, YOU LYING COCKSUCKER!!! Dialogue thumb|There is nothing to worry about. You are going to be just fine. I am your number one fan. thumb|I don't know if anyone could ever totally get over something like that. It's weird. Even though I know she's dead, I still think about her once in a while. Annie Wilkes: I know I'm only 40 pages into your book, but... Paul Sheldon: But what? Annie: [shaking her head] Nothing. Paul: No, what is it? Annie: Well, it's ridiculous! Who am I to make a criticism to someone like you? Paul: It's all right. I can take it. Annie: Well, it's brilliantly written, but then, everything you write is brilliant. Paul: Any rough stuff? Annie: The swearing, Paul. There, I said it. Paul: The, uh, profanity bothers you? Annie: It has no nobility. Paul: These are slum kids, I was a slum kid. Everybody talks like that. Annie: They do not! What do you think I say when I go to the feedstore in town? "Oh, now Wally, give me a bag of that F-in' pig feed, and ten pounds of that bitchly cow corn"? And at the bank, do I tell Mrs. Bollinger, "Oh, here's one big bastard of a check, give me some of your Christ-ing money?" [spills soup on Paul's bed] There! Look there! See what you made me do? I'm sorry. Annie Wilkes: You— You dirty bird, how could you? Paul Sheldon: What? Annie: She can't be dead! Misery Chastain cannot be dead! Paul: Annie, in 1871 women often died during childbirth. But her spirit is the important thing, and Misery's spirit is still alive. Annie: [shaking Paul's bed violently] I DON'T WANT HER SPIRIT!!! I WANT HER!!! AND YOU MURDERED HER!!! Paul: No I didn't. Annie: Who did? Paul: No one, she— she died. She just slipped away. Annie: Slipped away? Slipped away? She didn't just slip away! You did it! [grabbing a bedstand and raising it over Paul] YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT! YOU MURDERED MY MISERY!!! Paul: Annie! Annie! Annie: [smashing the bedstand against the wall] I thought you were good, Paul, but you're not good, you're just a lying ol' dirty birdy. And I don't think I better be around you for a while. And don't even think about anybody coming for you. Not the doctors. Not your agent. Not your family, because I never called them. Nobody knows you're here. And you better hope nothing happens to me, because if I die, you die. Annie Wilkes: Here's your pills. Paul Sheldon: Annie? Annie, what is it? Annie: The rain. Sometimes it gives me the blues. When you first came here, I only loved the writer part of Paul Sheldon. Now I know I love the rest of him, too. I know you don't love me. Don't say you do. You're beautiful, brilliant, a famous man of the world and I'm not a movie star type. You'll never know the fear of losing someone like you if you're someone like me. Paul: Why would you lose me? Annie: Book's almost finished. Your legs are getting better. Soon you'll be wanting to leave. Paul: Why would I leave? I like it here. Annie: That's very kind of you, but I'll bet it's not all together true. [pulls out a gun] I have this gun. [pulls the trigger] Sometimes I think about using it. [looks at Paul] I'd better go now. I might put bullets in it. Annie Wilkes: Paul. [Paul awakens to see Annie] I know you've been out. Paul Sheldon: [sees that Annie has tied him up to the bed] What? Annie Wilkes: You've been out of your room. Paul Sheldon: No I haven't. Annie Wilkes: Paul, my little ceramic penguin in the study always faces due South. Paul Sheldon: I don't know what you're talking about. Ceramic penguin? [searches under the bed for the kitchen knife he snuck in earlier] Annie Wilkes: [pulls out the knife, revealing she secretly took it out from under his bed after drugging him] Is this what you're looking for? I know you've been out twice, Paul. First, I couldn't figure out how you did it. But last night, I found your key. I know I left my scrapbook out. I can imagine what you might be thinking of me. But you see, Paul, it's all okay. Last night it came so clear. I realized you just need more time. Eventually you'll come to accept the idea of being here. Paul, do you know about the early days at the Kimberly diamond mines? Do you know what they did to the native workers who stole diamonds? Don't worry, they didn't kill them. That would be like junking your Mercedes just because it had a broken spring. No, if they caught them, they had to make sure they could go on working, but they also had to make sure they could never run away this operation was called "hobbling". [Annie places a piece of wood between Paul's ankles] Paul Sheldon: Annie, whatever you're thinking about doing, please don't do it. [Annie picks up a sledgehammer] Annie, for God's... Annie Wilkes: Shh darling, trust me. Paul Sheldon: God's sake... Annie Wilkes: It's for the best. Paul Sheldon: Annie, please! [Annie swings the sledgehammer at Paul's left ankle, breaking it; Paul screams in agonizing pain] Annie Wilkes: Almost done. Just one more. [Annie swings the sledgehammer at Paul's right ankle, breaking it; Paul again screams] God, I love you. Sheriff Buster: [Hears a rattling noise coming from inside the house as he's about to leave] Ms. Wilkes. [goes back into the house] Ms. Wilkes, are you alright? Paul Sheldon: [from the basement] Here! Here! I'm down here! Down here! [Buster opens the door and finds Paul reaching his hand out for him] Sheriff Buster: Mr. Sheldon? [Annie shoots Buster through the chest with a 12 Gauge Double Barreled shotgun] Annie Wilkes: [puts the shotgun aside and walks down the steps] Don't feel bad, Paul. It was bound to happen sooner or later. It's a sign. You see, I've known for some time why i was chosen to save you. You and i were meant to be together forever. But now our time in this world must end. But don't worry, Paul. I've prepared for what must be done. I put two bullets in my gun: one for you, and one for me. Oh, darling, it'll be so beautiful. [She goes back upstairs. Paul looks around the basement for something. Annie returns with a syringe and a Colt Cobra] Now, don't be afraid. I love you. [Annie walks down the steps] Paul Sheldon: I love you, too. [Annie stops] And you're right, we are meant to be together. And I know we must die. But it must be so that Misery can live. We have the power to give Misery eternal life. We must finish the book. Annie Wilkes: But the time is now. Soon others will come. Paul Sheldon: It's almost finished. By dawn, we'll be able to give Misery back to the world. Paul Sheldon: [holding a rolled-up page of his manuscript] Remember how for all those years, nobody knew who Misery's real father was, or if they'd ever be reunited? It's all right here. Does she finally marry Ian, or will it be Winthorne? It's all right here. [lights a match and with it, lights the page] Annie Wilkes: Paul, you can't! [drops her glass] Paul Sheldon: [Still holding the burning page] Why not? I learned it from you. [Puts the burning page down onto his manuscript, already on the floor, burning it] Annie Wilkes: No! Not my Misery! No, no, no! Not my Misery! [Paul the grabs the typewriter and hits her violently in the head, causing that Annie's sleeve catches fire. Annie puts out the fire, moves the typewriter aside and gets up to grab Paul by his throat] I'M GONNA KILL YOU, YOU LYING COCKSUCKER!!! Marcia Sindell: [as Paul is looking at the first copy of his newest novel: The Higher Education of J. Philip Stone] This is it. The very first copy. And the word I'm getting is the Times' review is going to be a love letter. Paul Sheldon: That'll be a first. Marcia Sindell: And my contacts at Time and Newsweek tell me they're both raves. And don't laugh. For the first time, I think you've got a shot at some prizes Paul Sheldon: Great. Marcia Sindell: I thought you'd be thrilled. You're being taken seriously. Paul Sheldon: I'm delighted the critics are liking it and I hope the people like it, too. But... I wrote it for me. I don't think I'm completely nuts, but... in some way, Annie Wilkes... that whole experience... uh, helped me. Marcia Sindell: Paul, since you brought her up, I have to ask you this or I'll be drummed out of the Agents' Union. How would you feel about a Non-Fiction book about what went on in that house? Paul Sheldon: Gee, Marcia. If I didn't know you any better, I'd think you were suggesting I drudge up the worst horror of my life, just so we can make a few bucks. Marcia Sindell: [as Paul imagines Annie Wilkes approaching] I thought you were over it? Paul Sheldon: I don't know if anyone could ever totally get over something like that. It's weird. Even though I know she's dead, I still think about her once in a while. Waitress: [as the waitress is now table-side next to Paul, looking like a completely different woman] Excuse me. I don't mean to bother you, but are you Paul Sheldon? Paul Sheldon: Yes. Waitress: I just want to tell you I'm your number 1 fan. Paul Sheldon: That's very sweet of you. Cast James Caan as Paul Sheldon Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes Richard Farnsworth as Buster Frances Sternhagen as Virginia Lauren Bacall as Marcia Sindell Graham Jarvis as Libby Jerry Potter as Pete Rob Reiner as Helicopter pilot J.T. Walsh (uncredited) as State Trooper Sherman Douglas External links 0100157 Misery Category:1990 films Category:1990s American films Category:Drama films Category:Films based on novels Category:Films based on works by Stephen King Category:Psychological horror films Category:Psychological thriller films Category:Medical films Category:Films about authors Category:Screenplays by William Goldman Category:Films about abduction Category:Films about psychopaths Category:Films set in Colorado Category:Films directed by Rob Reiner Category:Films set during snowstorms