A Fish Called Wanda

Actors: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin
Director: Charles Crichton
Writers: John Cleese and Charles Crichton
Music: John Du Prez
Cinematography: Alan Hume
Released: July 1988

The brainchild of former Monty Python member John Cleese, A Fish Called Wanda was daring for a comedy at the time due to its twisted sense of humor involving things like stuttering and cruelty to animals. Today, after two decades of gross-out comedy, it seems much tamer - though no less funny.

This caper comedy is filled with colourful characters, wonderful dialogues and slapstick situations which work. The plot is an inspired bit of lunacy about the fallout among jewel thieves (two Americans and two Englishmen) after a multi-million-pound heist in London. Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) is the scheming vixen who uses her sexual charms to manipulate her three male partners and their lawyer Archie (Cleese).

One of the special delights of the movie is its satire on the cultural clash between the stuffy Englishmen and their uncouth American counterparts. Cleese is completely at home playing the straight man, and Jamie Lee Curtis is perfect in her seductress role. The unsung hero of the film is Palin, who has a minor role but manages to steal every scene he’s in.

Kevin Klein is superb as the bumbling, jealous Otto who pretends to understand Nietzsche but is actually so smart that he thinks the London Underground is a subversive movement. His Oscar for this performance is so very well deserved. A special note of appreciation is also reserved for Charles Crichton, the director and co-writer who knows how to keep his direction light and unobtrusive.

Overall, this movie is one of the most hilarious comedies ever, and is a must-see for all lovers of zaniness.