(Bowles) A Fish Called Wanda

This British comedy opens during a jewel heist where our American leads (Curtis & Kline) have deceived their witting, British co-conspirators into assisting with the crime so they may depart with the prize and leave the British criminals to pay. (We later learn: Wanda (Curtis) has misled her romantic interest (Kline) and it is revealed she also wishes to deceive him and escape with the riches solo.) However, when the heist goes awry and an elderly woman witnesses the crime, the “team” shifts tactics—Wanda begins to seduce the barrister, Archie (Cleese) that’s defending her co-conspirator, George (Georgeson) so he might encourage his client to plead guilty. Meanwhile, Ken (Palin) attempts to murder the elderly witness but not before accidentally (and, devastatingly to him) murdering her three dogs. As Wanda seduces Archie, her feelings develop and Otto (Kline) becomes increasingly jealous. Archie, in turn, reciprocates Wanda’s interest and awkwardly attempts to disguise this new affair from his snobbish daughter and prickly wife. The film’s hilarity is credited to Kline’s over-the-top physical comedy, and outlandish, farcical “meanness” between the stuffy British propriety and Kline’s American, grotesque ridiculousness. While the film is shot like an eighties crime-caper, the performances are anything but and the writing will leave you breathless from laughter. In the end, love prevails, our barrister turns (slightly) criminal, and the bad guys get their due.

A farce of deceit and seduction when a diamond heist fails and our ensemble of characters manipulate their way to fortune.

Eighties, Farce, Comedy
Vanity, Lust, Deceit, Greed, Propriety