A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Charles Crichton
(more)

Writers:

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

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
Roger Brierley	...	Davidson
Llewellyn Rees	...	Sir John
Michael Percival	...	Percival
Kate Lansbury	...	Magistrate
Robert Ian Mackenzie	...	Copper (as Robert Cavendish)
Andrew MacLachlan	...	Eebedee
Roland MacLeod	...	Vicar
Jeremy Child	...	Mr. Johnson
Pamela Miles	...	Mrs. Johnson
Tom Pigott Smith	...	Child Johnson (13)
Katherine John	...	Child Johnson (10)
Sophie Johnstone	...	Child Johnson (8)
Kim Barclay	...	Nanny
Sharon Twomey	...	1st Junior Barrister (Defence Counsel)
Patrick Newman	...	2nd Junior Barrister (Defence Counsel)
David Simeon	...	Clerk of Court (Old Bailey)
Imogen Bickford-Smith	...	Stenographer
Tia Lee	...	Junior Barrister (Prosecutor Counsel)
Robert Putt	...	Police Officer (Old Bailey)
Waydon Croft	...	1st Prison Officer
John Dixon	...	2nd Prison Officer
Anthony Pedley	...	Irate Driver
Robert McBain	...	Hotel Clerk
Clare McIntyre	...	Airline Employee
Charu Bala Chokshi	...	Indian Cleaner
Stephen Fry	...	Hutchison
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Bird	...	Clerk of the Magistrate's Court (uncredited)
Robert Goodman	...	Street thug (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Crichton
John Cleese		(uncredited)

Writing credits
John Cleese		(story) and
Charles Crichton		(story)
John Cleese		(written by)

Produced by
Steve Abbott	....	executive producer
John Cleese	....	executive producer
John Comfort	....	associate producer
Michael Shamberg	....	producer

Original Music by
John Du Prez

Cinematography by
Alan Hume

Film Editing by
John Jympson

Casting by
Priscilla John

Production Design by
Roger Murray-Leach

Art Direction by
John Wood

Set Decoration by
Stephanie McMillan

Costume Design by
Hazel Pethig

Makeup Department
Lynda Armstrong	....	makeup artist (as Lynda Armstrong-Lawlor)
Paul Engelen	....	makeup supervisor
Barry Richardson	....	key hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jonathan Benson	....	assistant director
Melvin Lind	....	second assistant director
David Skynner	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Leon Apsey	....	head of construction
Bruce Bigg	....	property master
Roy Evans	....	construction manager
Kevin Phipps	....	assistant art director
Brian Read	....	production buyer
Alfie Smith	....	stand-by property supervisor
Micky Swift	....	stand-by propman (as Mickey Swift)
Bill Stallion	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	sound editor
Gerry Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chris Munro	....	sound recordist
Andrew Sissons	....	sound maintenance engineer
Colin Wood	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
George Gibbs	....	special effects supervisor
David Watson	....	special effects technician (as Dave Watson)
Terence J. Cox	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Alan Poole	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Alan Church	....	optical camera (uncredited)

Stunts
Romo Gorrara	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Neil Binney	....	camera operator
Bob Bremner	....	gaffer (as Bobby Bremner)
Graham Hall	....	clapper loader
Simon Hume	....	focus puller
David James	....	still photographer
Bill Thornhill	....	best boy
Jimmy Waters	....	grip
Jimmy Worley	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Stephen Cornish	....	wardrobe assistant (as Steve Cornish)
Jenny Hawkins	....	wardrobe assistant
Ray Usher-Cooper	....	wardrobe master (as Ray Usher)

Editorial Department
Kevin Phelan	....	unit projectionist: Mercury Theatres, London
William Webb	....	assistant film editor
David Barrett	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Jonathan Lucas	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Peter Holt	....	music editor
André Jacquemin	....	music producer
Dick Lewzey	....	orchestral recording
John Williams	....	musician: solo guitar

Transportation Department
Roy Clarke	....	driver: Jamie Lee Curtis (uncredited)
Mark White	....	production driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Andy Birmingham	....	production accountant
Peter Byck	....	assistant: Mr. Shamberg, USA
Sophie Clarke-Jervoise	....	assistant: Dr. Cleese
Pauline Clift	....	animal supplier
Robert Conway	....	legal advisor
Nick Daubeny	....	location manager: Oxford
Diana Dill	....	continuity
Bill Edwards	....	unit publicist
Yvonne Heeks	....	assistant accountant
Ralph Kamp	....	production assistant
Christopher Knowles	....	assistant location manager: London
William Lang	....	location manager
Liz Lehmans	....	production assistant
Janine Lodge	....	production coordinator
Ian Miles	....	financial controller
Alexandra Stone	....	assistant to producer
Mark Birmingham	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Yvonne Eastmond	....	assistant production accountant (uncredited)
Richard Morrison	....	title designer (uncredited)
Kimberley Vashiell	....	choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Prominent Features
• Star Partners Limited Partnership

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1988) (worldwide) (all media)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Columbus Film (1989) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Distribution Company (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1989) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1989) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1988) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1989) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (France) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Italy) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vidéo (1997) (France) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vidéo (1999) (France) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• British Airways  special thanks
• Damson Studios  title sequence
• Lee Electrics  lighting
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Plume  titles
• Redwood Recording Studios  music produced at
• Studios CTS  music recorded at
• Twickenham Film Studios  re-recording facilities
• Wet Pets  fishes provided by

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 British Airways plane that can be seen at the airport is a Boeing 747-236 called "City of Manchester", registration G-BDXC. It was scrapped in 2002 after about 25 years of service.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: At the beginning of the movie when Wanda tells Ken that Otto's dad used to beat him up, Ken says "good" but his lips don't match his voice.

Quotes:

[Archie has put his gun down to fist fight with Otto]
Archie: I used to box for Oxford.
Otto: Oh, yeah?
[Otto quickly picks up Archie's gun, and points it at him]
Otto: I used to kill for the CIA.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Doogie Howser, M.D.: A Stitch Called Wanda (#1.3)" (1989)

Molto pericoloso, signorina, molto

'The Fish Called Wanda' and 'Some Like It Hot' are the two best comedies that I have ever seen. They're both very unique films and represent one complete story and manage at same to be devastatingly funny films. They don't need sequels because they are both 'perfect' in their own right. I have seen these films so many times but they always surprise me again and again when I find out how good they are.

'The Fish Called Wanda' is not only well made but also happens to be funny. I call this movie 'the best', which may sound ironical, because Cleese and Palin have even been more funny as Pythons. Also ironical is that Jamie Lee Curtis says only one joke (Aristotle was not...) in the whole film. Kevin Kline is hysterically funny without one-liners and slap-sticks. It is the overall situation that makes the film complete. This is to say, that the film is not at all stuck up with gags but has absolutely right timing for every event. This feature makes the film even better than anything what Monty Python and the Marx Brothers have done. Or at least reaches the same level with them. This film proves that a movie can kill you in laughter using only everyday realism.

A Masterpiece from John Cleese, who proves here that he can be funny even without Pythonity. He actually did the same with 'Fawlty Towers', but as a single film is this the very best. It just works.