A Fish Called Wanda [VHS] [1988]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
This 1988 comedy starred and was scripted by John Cleese and directed by Charles Crichton, veteran Ealing Comedy director. After 1986's IClockwise/I--in which he played a manic loser similar to Basil Fawlty--IA Fish Called Wanda/I saw Cleese opting for a more sympathetic lead role. Cleese plays Archie Leach (Cary Grant's real name), a barrister living a typically English life of quiet desperation, who falls prey to the American charms of Jamie Lee Curtis. Posing as a law student, she's actually involved in a diamond robbery with psychotic but occasionally clueless Kevin Kline ("The London Underground is not a revolutionary movement!") and Michael Palin, an animal rights' activist. IA Fish Called Wanda/I is, typically of Cleese, well constructed but the romantic heart of the movie softens it a little. It was intended as a satire on Anglo-American differences but most people remember it for a running joke involving squashed dogs, the chips up Palin's nose and the scene where Cleese is hung out of a window by his ankles. The same cast reassembled for 1997's vastly inferior IFierce Creatures/I.--IDavid Stubbs/I

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Amazon.co.uk Review
IA Fish Called Wanda/I was the blockbuster which proved that John Cleese could be a movie star in his own right. Directed by the Veteran Charles Crichton, who made the 1951 Ealing Comedies classic IThe Lavender Hill Mob/I, IWanda/I combined Ealing-comedy capers and Basil Fawlty-esque farce with contemporary big-screen swearing and black comedy. The plot develops in classic Ifilm noir/I style as Cleese's lawyer, Archie Leech, gets sucked into the double-crossing aftermath of a London diamond heist. pFor sound box-office reasons, British comedies often sport an American star and here Cleese delivers not only Jamie Lee Curtis as a smooth operating Ifemme fatale/I, but Kevin Kline as her idiotic, and insanely jealous lover (for which he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar). Pushing the limits of bad taste is Michael Palin's animal-loving Ken, who in the film's best running gag attempts to murder an old lady, only to slay her beloved pet dogs. Other highlights include Palin as a man with two chips up his nose and Cleese showing the world a different sort of "Full Monty". One of the funniest British films ever made, IA Fish Called Wanda/I was followed by IFierce Creatures/I (1997), which reunited the lead cast and claimed to be an "equal" not a "sequel", but sadly wasn't. --IGary S Dalkin/I

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Customer reviews

review by: Piran date: 2009-05-21 rating:
Don't call me stupid!
An idea struck John Cleese, the writer and star of this film. He thought people were bored with slow moving British comedies with characters that were brilliant, yet didn't have anyone quite mad enough to interact with and create huge laughs. How do we break out of this streak? Throw in two of the most colourful, sexy and (one in particular) insane characters but they need that huge self confidence that only comes with Americans; introducing Jamie Lee Curtis and Academy Award winner Kevin Kline, in roles that immediately turned them into fully capable comic actors. br / br /Barrister Archie Leach (John Cleese) becomes obsessed with the enticing charms of Wanda. She's also manages to allure the stuttering Ken Pile and the completely insane and surprisingly dangerous Otto. Is it possible for Archie to make an honest woman out of Wanda before she gets caught or will the magnetism of riches and love force Archie to dramatically change his life. br / br /There are many wonderful moments that will have you on the floor and I'm sure most of you remember some special scene you'll never forget. A few of my choice scenes are that should start the many images of joy flooding back: When Otto is holding Archie out of a high window convincing him that he shouldn't call him stupid. The scene where Ken is trying to recall the name of the hotel Wanda and Otto are heading to, it's difficult to get the words out when under pressure he could try to sing it. How can I not mention the moment where Archie and Wanda are on the verge of consummating their relationship Archie discovers the house they're in is not the best place to undress. br / br /This two disk edition has plenty of special features from audio commentary to deleted scenes and original featurettes. The soundtrack is available in English and German with subtitles in English, German, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Hungarian, Turkish and Croatian. For any fan of the film this is definitely the best release so far and a must have. br / br /With such fresh characters and an ensemble cast this film was unlikely to fail. It didn't it triumphed and is known to be one of the funniest films of all time mainly thanks to the superb script by John Cleese. Don't make the mistakes. You may also be surprised to learn; "Aristotle was not Belgian, the principle of Buddhism is not "every man for himself", and the London Underground is not a political movement."

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review by: manfromsurrey date: 2008-02-15 rating:
Twists, turns, and squirms...
Every so often this one comes out of the collection and like fine vintage wine never fails to surprise and delight! It is simply fabulous. Cleese, Palin, Kline, and of course La Curtis wearing tight jeans! Doesn't she look fabulous? The story is very good, the plot twists,turns, and squirms its way to the finale. There are so many good punchlines, so many good scenes, so many memorable moments that it is too much to describe here. It would spoil it too. Quite simply one of the all time great movies.

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review by: mccanns23 date: 2007-02-09 rating:
put simply-a true english classic comedy
A fish called wanda is a real classic,a film that new generations will take too with ease,the key here is that all the stars are on top of their game and they should be with a script as sharp and witty as this film which is essentially a heist movie with loads of great scenes and the laughs to match all else. br /

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review by: real_metal_listener date: 2005-12-07 rating:
Classic...
We've all heard of it, we've nearly all seen it (if you havn't, where have you been?) and we all like it! John Cleese is himself, doing what he does best, Michael Palin and others join him for a decent comedy worth purchasing.


review by: date: 2005-06-09 rating:
Delightfully brilliant
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.pAside 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.

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Video . DVD Blu-ray . Categories . Comedy . All Comedy
Video . DVD Blu-ray . Categories . Crime, Thrillers Mystery . All Crime, Thrillers Mystery
Video . DVD Blu-ray . Refinements . Format (binding_browse-bin) . VHS
Video . DVD Blu-ray . Refinements . BBFC Rating (intended_use_browse-bin) . 15
Video . DVD Blu-ray . Refinements . Editions (feature_two_browse-bin) . Standard Edition
Video . DVD Blu-ray . Refinements . Release Date (feature_three_browse-bin) . 1980 - 1989
Video . DVD Blu-ray . Refinements . Language (theme_browse-bin) . English
Video . VHS . Categories . Comedy . General
Video . VHS . Refinements . Condition (condition-type)

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