A Fish Called Wanda

1988

1h 49m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

2.4K

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3 Videos

90 Images

Comedy

Crime

While a diamond advocate attempts to steal a collection of diamonds, troubles arise when he realises he’s not the only one after the collection.

Directors

Charles Crichton

Writers

John Cleese(story by)

Charles Crichton(story by)

John Cleese(screenplay by)

Stars

Jamie Lee Curtis

John Cleese

Kevin Kline

See production, box office & company info

Top cast

Wanda Gershwitz

Archie Leach

Otto

Ken Pile

Wendy

Georges Thomason

Portia

Mrs. Coady

Judge

Customer in Jeweler's Shop

Neville Phillips

Manager of Jeweler's Shop

Inspector Marvin

Mr. Ian Johnson

Hutchison

Bartlett

Warder

Locksmith

Davidson

Directors

Charles Crichton

Writers

John Cleese(story by)

Charles Crichton(story by)

John Cleese(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

**A light comedy that works reasonably well, but ends up being forgettable.** I saw this film when I was younger, fifteen or twenty years ago, and I really liked it. However, time passes, we change, and when I saw him last night I couldn't feel the same fun I had felt. It all starts with a robbery and the theft of a large amount of diamonds. The thieves are a team that doesn't know each other well, but where there is no honor: after betraying each other and one ending up in prison, the diamonds disappear. While trying to find out what happened to them, the group will have the difficult task of trying to elude the authorities and also kill the only witness who can incriminate them. The film has a strong cast, full of notable names: Jamie Lee Curtis, John Cleese, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin and Tom Georgeson. Although the leading role belongs to Cleese and Curtis, neither of them is in very good shape and this gave way to secondary actors. Let's be honest: Cleese still makes a worthy effort, but it's Kevin Kline who exceeds all expectations. He's funny, sharp and works wonderfully alongside Curtis without her having the breath to keep up with him. Despite the cast's honorable efforts, the film is largely uninteresting. In the most technical aspects, it is absolutely banal in all aspects, and I would even say that it seemed to me like a cheap film that goes for very economical, but functional, solutions. The humor is there, it still works minimally and the twists in the script, coupled with the speed at which everything happens, keep the story moving forward without allowing the audience to think about it. But it's not a kind of humor capable of making us laugh. This film was nominated for three Oscars in 1989 and deservedly won in the Best Supporting Actor thanks to Kline's "tour de force". But the truth is that, today, almost no one remembers him. It left no memory, even in the comedy context of that time.

FilipeManuelNeto12 Feb, 2024