Fish & Bird

Rushmore (1998)

Rating: R

Runtime: 93 minutes

Box Office (in today’s dollars): 25 million (approximately)

Characters: Max Fischer, Herman Blume, Rosemary Cross, Dirk Calloway, Margaret Yang, Magnus Buchan, Dr. Nelson Guggenheim, Bert Fischer, Dr. Peter Flynn, Donny Blume, Ronny Blume, Mrs. Calloway, Mr. Little Jeans

Favorite Quote: “I like your nurse’s uniform, guy.” “These are O.R. scrubs.” “Oh, are they?”

Favorite Scene: When Blume hands Rosemary Max’s letter and then runs away

Favorite Character: Herman Blume

Other need-to-see nineties movies directed by Wes Anderson: Bottle Rocket

“She’s my Rushmore, Max.” A great quote and a great conversation starter. But more on that later. Rushmore is probably a movie that you either love or hate. There are characters that you probably love: Rosemary, the teacher that enjoys aquariums and carrots, and Margaret Yang, the girl who is right in front of you the whole time. There are characters that you probably don’t love: Max Fischer, the boy who enjoys whiskey sours and hand-jobs from Mrs. Calloway, and Herman Blume, the millionaire who was in the shit during Vietnam. Herman Blume was my favorite because it is Bill Murray, and Herman does many small things throughout the movie that if you are paying attention are hilarious.

The first time I heard my favorite quote from the movie I am sure I laughed out loud, and 20 years later it still makes me laugh. It is during the dinner scene with Max, Herman, Rosemary, and Dr. Peter Flynn. Max obviously hates Peter, so the sarcastic “I like your nurse’s uniform, guy.” “These are O.R. scrubs.” “Oh, are they?” is so uncomfortably awesome that it has to be everyone’s favorite. That was almost my favorite scene too, but like I said earlier, Herman has some simple actions that add up to him being my favorite and when he hands Rosemary Max’s letter and runs away it gets me every time.

Max is really into writing/acting in plays, from Serpico to Heaven and Hell. Me, it’s basketball. Which brings me back to the “She’s my Rushmore, Max” quote. What is my Rushmore? And by that, I mean which four basketball players would I choose as the best I have ever seen? The first three are easy: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan. The fourth took some thought. I ruled out anyone I never saw play, like Wilt Chamberlain or Bill Russell, anyone I saw play but when they were old and not in their prime, like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Julius Erving, and anyone that I saw play in their prime but after I stopped caring about pro basketball, like LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. That left two choices: Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon. In 1995 (when I was still watching and still caring), Hakeem beat Shaq in the NBA Finals, so I give Hakeem the edge . . . and there is my Rushmore.

Next movie to review: The Matrix