I’d forgotten just how funny A FISH CALLED WANDA was. Yes
I’d seen it when it was released, watched it on both video and disc but it had
been a while. With this new releases I’d thought about the film as being funny
but didn’t remember how funny it was. I found myself having to pause the film
on occasion because I was laughing so hard…and then backing up moments to watch
and laugh at them again.
The story revolves around a group of thieves who have successfully
pulled off one of the biggest armed robberies of all times. Georges Thomason
(Tom Georgeson) is the head of the gang, Ken (Michael Palin) his stuttering
relative, Wanda Gershwitz (Jamie Lee Curtis) his girlfriend and Otto (Kevin
Kline) the muscle of the group and Wanda’s brother. Except that he isn’t really
her brothers but her boyfriend who’s there to help her steal the entire haul.
Setting up Georges to take the fall he is arrested.
Unbeknownst to the pair he took precautions and moved the jewels from the safe
they were in and passed on the key to its new location to Ken. Ken hides the
key but Wanda finds it. The only problem is she has no idea where the safe
deposit box is that the key belongs to. To find out she decides to seduce the
barrister handling George’s case, Archie Leach (John Cleese).
While all of this is going on Georges tells Ken he must help
by taking out the witness who claims she saw him commit the robbery, an elderly
lady who owns three yorkies she holds dear. His attempts and failures at trying
to follow through with this leads to some of the funniest moments in the film
though the dark comedic nature of what happens will undoubtedly upset some
viewers.
Wanda’s seduction of Archie goes as planned with a few
hitches thrown in thanks to Otto. Otto is one of the funniest characters in the
film. Not quite a dim witted as some might think but definitely close, Otto
considers himself an intellectual because he reads things like Nietzsche and
takes high offense to anyone calling him stupid. His jealousy of anything
involving Wanda leads to some more hilarious moments.
As the movie progresses you begin to wonder just who will
end up with the jewels by the final credits. Characters found to be living in
situations they’re unhappy with (both Wanda and Archie) will find resolution
while others will be left to face the consequences of what they do. None of
them will come out unscathed in one way or another and along the way all will
provide so much laughter you’ll find yourself like me, pausing to recover from
time to time.
Fantastic acting is found by all here with special note to
both Kline and Palin who create two memorable characters that will make you
laugh when remembering them. Cleese has written a comedy masterpiece here and
was even nominated for an Oscar for this work. Curtis displays a flair for not
only playing the femme fatale but showing she has the acting chops to pull it
off. In all the movie shows that the right combination of wit and slapstick can
be combined to make one of the best comedies of all time.
Once again Arrow Video has outdone itself offering a 4k
restoration of the film for the cleanest look possible. Extras abound here and
include a commentary track with writer and star Cleese, an appreciation by Vic
Pratt of the BFI National Archive, interviews with composer John Du Prez,
production designer Roger Murray-Leach, executive producer Steve Abbott and
makeup supervisor Paul Engelen, a 1988 documentary on the making of the film
called JOHN CLEESE’S FINAL FAREWELL PERFORMANCE, SOMETHING FISHY a 15th
anniversary retrospective documentary featuring numerous interviews, FISH YOU
WERE HERE a documentary on the film’s locations hosted by Robert Powell, 24
deleted and alternate scenes with introduction by Cleese, A MESSAGE FROM JOHN
CLEESE a hilarious short recorded for the film’s original release featuring
Cleese, a gallery of stills, a trivia tack, the theatrical trailer and for the
first pressing only a booklet with writing on the film by Sophie Monks Kaufman.
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