Misery (1990)

 

In Rob Reiner's film adaptation of Stephen King's Misery (1990), Oscar-winner Kathy Bates' lunatic fan Annie Wilkes rescues her favorite author, Paul Sheldon (James Caan), from a car wreck in her snowy Colorado town.

While he recuperates in her guest room, Annie, a nurse, insists Paul continue his series of romance novels featuring Misery Chastain, whom he intends to kill off.

Paul isn't thrilled by the prospect of continuing the series, but fears Annie is unstable and might harm him if he objects. He agrees but tries to find a way to get help while she is out of the house one day. When Annie discovers Paul's tried to get away, she takes a sledgehammer to his ankles, hobbling him.

When I first saw that scene, I thought it was stomach-turning though clearly animated for maximum visual effect. In the book, Wilkes hacks off Sheldon's foot with an axe and cauterizes the stump with a blowtorch. Reiner chose to dial back the gore. (Good call.)

I didn't fully appreciate the irony of a profanity-eschewing Christian woman swinging a mean hammer. Her most prominent feature -- aside from the modest hairstyle and clothing -- is the gold cross around her neck. How fitting for her to wear a symbol of torture and suffering while she brutalizes and imprisons to get her way.

According to published reports, King's relationship to religion is complicated. Though raised a Methodist and describing himself as a believer, King says he leaves religious certainty to others. He is open to change his mind.

And based on the movie's made from his fiction, I would say King has little tolerance for hypocrisy or those who would use religion to control others. They will eventually get what they deserve. (Remember what happened to Carrie's mother? Ouch!)

I would also say that were Annie Wilkes real and alive today, she would be at home in MAGA "cockadoodie" nation.