A Fish Called Wanda sets out with the objective of being a romantic comedy playing on familiar themes of American/British differences and the gangsters girlfriend being tempted away to a better crime free life. It succeeds in much of its aims in as much as it has amusing moments and there are some distinguishable elements of romance. Alas as a whole though it is disappointing as it fails often to achieve true originality or brilliance. Perhaps with John Cleese we just expect more.
The film was co-written by Cleese and director Charles Crichton. It is therefore creditable that the best comic role went to and the performance came from Kevin Kline as the cruel and paranoid gangster who switches in roles from Jamie Lee Curtis lover or brother. Kline won an Oscar for his protrayal and Cleese was also nominated. You can only guess it was a weak cinema year in 1988. Jamie Lee Curtis appears as his moll (or is it sister) who falls for Cleese. Curtis proves convincingly again that her acting career has depended on just 2 assets, her figure and her father. Curtis stays just the right side of credible but sometimes her mannerisms are confusing.
Michael Palin appears as a stuttering animal lover who suffers at the hands, or more truthfully the mouth, of Kline who tries to torture information from him by eating the contents of his tropical fish tank. One of the fish is the title character Wanda but sadly she does not retain a lot of screen time. The film begins with a diamond heist but thereafter is a fairly predictable romp and chase but with some good comedic moments. There are hunts for missing keys, chases to find where the gems are
Ultimately though Palins stuttering begins to annoy, either you think stuttering is a comedic gem or you do not. Cleese too is funnier in shorter staccato pieces. As with Clockwise seeing him manically run about for nearly 2 hours is too much. Cast as the gangster bosses lawyer he is soon going through the usual motions of exasperation, misguided love and manic anger. All familiar to Basil Fawlty fans then.
Cleese and Palin won BAFTA awards which says more about the British bias in that organisation than the film does. There are some good supporting performances from Patricia Hayes and Geoffrey Palmer who at least would give the watching US audience the insight that there is more to British comedy than Monty Python. All things considered though if you seek a bit of escapism and your expectations are not too high then it is harmless enough. The script is quite strong and there are many good comic set-pieces including a climax at the airport which would not have disgraced a Buster Keaton finale.
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good review i've not seen it sounds like one to miss if i can find something better :]
Rosie
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xandress 05.06.2004 20:17
good op and thanx for not giving the whole story away as i hav not seen all of the film yet............was pregnant 1st time i sat down to watch it and my waters broke!!!! no, i didnt call my daughter wanda!! lol
This 1988 comedy starred and was scripted by John Cleese and directed by Charles Crichton, ... more
veteran Ealing Comedy director. After 1986'sClockwise--in which he played a manic loser similar to Basil Fawlty--A Fish Called WandasawCleese opting for a more s...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Barrister Archie (John Cleese) falls in love and tosses off more than his wig for sexy ... more
thief Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) - who can charm the pants off anyone! To make things worse, Wanda is already using her charms on fellow partner-in-crime Otto (Kevin K...
![A Fish Called Wanda [DVD] [1988]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78542081.jpg "A Fish Called Wanda [DVD] [1988]")
Oct 8th, 2001
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