A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Charles Crichton

Writers:

John Cleese (story) and
Charles Crichton (story) ...

Release Date:

15 July 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

A tale of murder, lust, greed, revenge, and seafood.

Plot:

In London, four very different people team up to commit armed robbery, then try to doublecross each other for the loot.

Plot Keywords:

Barrister | Stuttering | Lawyer | Gun | Robber

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 7 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

John Cleese	...	Archie Leach
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Wanda Gershwitz
Kevin Kline	...	Otto
Michael Palin	...	Ken Pile
Maria Aitken	...	Wendy
Tom Georgeson	...	Georges Thomason
Patricia Hayes	...	Mrs. Coady
Geoffrey Palmer	...	Judge
Cynthia Cleese	...	Portia (as Cynthia Caylor)
Mark Elwes	...	Customer in Jeweler's Shop
Neville Phillips	...	Manager of Jeweler's Shop
Peter Jonfield	...	Inspector Marvin
Ken Campbell	...	Bartlett
Al Ashton	...	Warder
Roger Hume	...	Locksmith

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | Italian | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:PG | Spain:T | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:18A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | Ireland:15 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Clerkenwell Green, Clerkenwell, London, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The hymn that the choirboys sing at the dogs' funerals is: Miserere Dominus, miserere Dominus, Canis mortuus est, which translated into English is: Have mercy, Lord; have mercy, Lord; the dog is dead.

Goofs:

Continuity: Ken causes the death of the first dog by releasing an attack dog. The old lady is holding 3 leashes, colored red, yellow, and blue. The attack dog is obviously headed for a small dog attached to the red leash, but during a quick cut the attack dog grabs the one on the yellow leash.

Quotes:

Ken: Otto t-t-tried to k-k-kiss me.
Wanda: I thought he might.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the '80s Strikes Back" (2003)

Absolutely brilliant comedy

To make a comedy that can be lauded with the comment 'absolutely hilarious' isn't an easy thing to do. It's not so difficult, however, when you are one of the funniest men on god's green earth; and the extremely talented John Cleese has certainly managed to write a fine piece of comedy here. Teaming up with Monty Python buddy Michael Palin and Ealing studios director Charles Crichton, these talented comedians have managed to create a film that is most certainly one of the funniest; laugh per minute and lasting hilarity when it's over, movies ever made. The plot is taken straight from the classic Ealing comedy era (no wonder it works so well) and it follows four crooks that have stolen a bunch of jewels and now decide to double cross one another to take the loot solely for themselves. The plot thickens when the female of the bunch decides that the best way to get the loot would be to get close to a grassed-up co-conspirator's barrister; John Cleese.

Aside from an inch-perfect screenplay, A Fish Called Wanda also benefits from a fine cast of actors to deliver it. John Cleese steals every scene he's in, as you might expect, and he more than justifies his reputation as one of, maybe even the, finest British comedy actor ever. He is joined by a talented pair of Americans; Kevin Kline and Jamie Lee Curtis, along with, as mentioned, his fellow Python Michael Palin. Kline is certainly one of the most underrated actors working today, and his comic timing in this movie is right on the money. Makes you wonder how much better he could have been used over the years. "Scream Queen" Jamie Lee Curtis also does well in the title role; and Michael Palin obviously knows his way round a comedy script. The jokes in the film come thick and fast, and I can't think of a single one that didn't work. It's the big gags that are the real stand out of the movie, though, and one in particular that sees Kevin Kline trying to explain to Cleese's wife what he's doing in their home is absolutely priceless. I nearly fell of my chair laughing. This film is a must see.