Fish Called Wanda / Dirty Rotten Scoundrels / Throw Momma from the Train

Jamie Lee Curtis to Kevin Kline "The London Underground is not a political movement!" One of the best comedic lines you'll hear. I'll not spoil the plot. Suffice to say it is theatrical with a great many twists, all of which are easy to follow along with. Definitely a touch Pythonesque, but Kline's Oscar winning performance holds it's own against Cleese and Palin, as does Jamie Lee Curtis's portrayal.The film resulted in an equally good follow up movie with the same cast albeit an entirely different and unrelated plot. Break out the candy, the popcorn or whatever, sit back, and enjoy while you can.

I have many favorite comedy movies, so choosing a favorite is near-impossible. “A Fish Called Wanda” ranks highly on my list.I love a good farce, and if written well, can make for a healthy amount of belly laughs. I find complicated plots like this one to be a challenge to pull off, and I’m happy that this film does the job.All of the acting is great, and I felt that Michael Palin’s stutter (not a spoiler, it’s revealed early in the film) was not out of ill intentions, in fact, he played the most likable character in my opinion. His facial expressions reflect his sharp and deadpan delivery. I expect no less from a Monty Python veteran, which brings me to approve of John Cleese’s performance.The rest of the cast is silly and fun. Everyone’s timing is impeccable, in particular Curtis’ and Kline’s. They are funny in a subtle and equally ridiculous manner. I recommend it as an enjoyable flick on a boring, rainy Saturday.

When I first saw this I think I was 13. Everyone kept talking about what a great movie this was and all the accolades of movie of the year but when I finally sat down to watch it, I really didn't see what all the hype was about. I really didnt like the movie. What I did like about it was how beautiful Jaime Lee Curtis was in this film. It took me a while to warm up to her in Trading Places but this movie she was just drop dead gorgeous. The reason why I disliked this movie the first time because I didn't get the plot or the humor. After like 34 years later, I decided to watch this movie again, and I would have to say its a decent film. I think my only misgiving is Jaime Lee Curtis character Wanda, she reminds me of a sociopath who is manipulative and shady. Other then her sex appeal she's just not really likeable character due to the fact she uses people for her own benefit. It would have been nice if they explored her feelings with John Cleese character especially if they are real.

This movie is so entertaining. 10/10 recommend

I love this movie. Take a couple of ex-Pythons, add Jamie Lee Curtis, a mind-bending performance from Kevin Kline, and an old-school madcap caper plot and ... you can't lose? I had to buy it after stumbling over a YouTube documentary about the making of the film. John Cleese apparently wrote it, and thought of Kevin Kline for the Otto character after they worked together on Silverado (this led to my also buying Silverado, but let's not go down that rabbit-hole for the moment).Yes, Wanda's got a slightly dated 80's vibe -- the music cues are pretty on the nose, and there are couple of insensitive jokes that wouldn't fly today. But the cast is amazing top to bottom, anchored by Kevin Kline, who won a darkhorse Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his crazed portrayal of ex-CIA killer Otto. You can see Cleese's satirical mind at play, skewering Anglo / American relations left and right. Cleese's sober barrister character lives in mortal fear of embarrassment, so of course he falls for a pretty American criminal and finds himself dancing naked in front of a family on vacation. Kline's Otto is a pastiche of over-the-top American symbolism -- simultaneously a dangerous physical powerhouse, an egomaniacal pervert, and a self-styled intellectual who doesn't quite get there (Otto, having just been called an ape: "Apes don't read PHILOSOPHY!" Wanda: "Yes, they do, Otto. They just don't understand it."). Whenever confused or out of options, he whips out a gun and attempts to shoot the problem.And so on. Michael Palin brilliantly serves up some of the broadest comedy in the film as an animal-loving crook with a stutter (I mentioned the insensitive jokes? "It's K-K-Ken, c-c-coming to k-kill me!"). Jamie Lee Curtis has great (perhaps under appreciated) comedy chops of her own, and brings charm and intelligence to what could have been a by-the-numbers con-woman role. Maria Aitken as Cleese's character Archie's wife handily owns a scene with Kline, which (per the documentary) she partly ad-libbed.Quotes and scenes from A Fish Called Wanda still pop into my head unbidden on a regular basis. To a degree, the movie is a really string of brilliant comedic bits, but the caper story holds it together well enough, and I approve of the slightly sunnier ending that was apparently retrofitted when American audiences didn't care for the darker one Cleese had in mind. I bought it because it's worthy of regular re-watching, and I don't feel that way about many films.Five stars for a real comedy classic.

This film is old now but it has not aged with time. I bought it because I hadn't seen it for a long time but its a mad film Palin was brill in this Kevin kline as well and Jamie Lee Curtis was very beautiful in this film and how can you leave the Cleese was great in a wonderful funny movie it grabs you from the start. And keeps a smile on your face great film I loved it a second time and now its in my collection happy days. 😊

Parfait

Gran Película de los años 80, pero :- los idiomas estipulados no están disponibles (sólo Español e Inglés)- el trailer no está- el folleto de 8 páginas tampocoVersión barata dentro de una caja con carátula "deluxe"

This classic 1988 British comedy, which was written by and stars John Cleese (Fawlty Towers, Monty Python), has got to be one of the funniest films of all time, and it is certainly one of my favourites.Briefly, the story involves four criminals who steal a fortune in diamonds. One ends up in prison (having been ratted on by two of his not-so-loyal mates); ironically, just prior to his arrest he had secretly taken the jewels and rehidden them. So the film revolves around the attempts of the others to discover the location of the jewels.The plot is indeed a good one, but what really makes this film exceptional and so hilarious is the colourful cast of characters and the splendid performances of all involved. There simply isn't one weak performance here.The central character is a beautiful and spirited American woman named Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis), the lone female in the gang and the only intelligent one of the lot. Wanda's one weakness, however, is her penchant for hearing foreign languages--it's something that really turns her on! This makes for much hilarity between her and her fellow gangster, Otto (whom Wanda has been trying to pass off as her brother), as Otto rattles off every known Italian food dish, type of cheese, and so on, in his attempts to seduce Wanda. Otto (Kevin Kline), by the way, is a highly paranoid, Nietzsche-reading yet empty-headed, Anglophobic, trigger-happy lunatic who thinks he's an intellectual and enjoys sniffing his armpits. He's a flamboyant personality to say the least, and one which Kline manages to carry off wonderfully--I simply cannot imagine anyone doing a better job. These two are the real powerhouses of the gang.Then there's poor Ken (Michael Palin (Monty Python)), who's an avid animal lover--a fact which provides the basis for some extremely funny scenes. He's a humorously pathetic character--a little bit on the simple side with the worst stammer ever, and if there's a show-stealer (and I say "if" for they're all so good), for me it's Ken. He's simply hilarious, and the interplay between him and the nasty Otto is simply priceless. (It's a bit like watching a cat relentlessly toying with a poor, helpless little mouse). Lastly, one mustn't forget John Cleese, who portrays Archie, the rather reserved barrister representing George, the incarcerated gang member, and who, I just have to add, has Wanda in a fit of ecstasy (unbeknownst to himself) in one hilarious scene when he starts spouting Russian.In conclusion, the film (which has a running time of 108 minutes) is definitely a must-see for fans of British comedy or, for that matter, for anyone looking for a thoroughly entertaining not to mention hilarious film. I've seen it a number of times and certainly don't regret purchasing it. It's definitely one to watch and rewatch. And if you've enjoyed the film, by all means check out Fawlty Towers (also co-written by and starring John Cleese and also featuring an abundance of visual humour). You'll not regret it--it's simply one of the funniest shows ever made. And so is this film!Very highly recommended!

This is a very well written and often very funny film which doesn't let-up for a second. Cleese, Palin, Kline and Lee-Curtis are magnificent as Precarious, Sexy, Disconnected and Chaotic (you can probably match them up if you've never seen this film before). The fact that two are American and two are English gives the film a clashing, tasty quality that I can't remember seeing anywhere else. Though never all in the same room at the same time, they all rub up against each other at some point in brilliantly positioned scenes that frequently have me in stitches.The roots of this film come from the old English comedies of the 1950's but this is firmly set in the 1980's within the very ordinary and everyday. This all adds to the charm beneath the madness. Gone in 60 Seconds this is not - more bumbling motorbikes than shiny super cars and it is all the better for it.Standouts are too many to mention but I would have to say that Kevin Kline's Otto steals just about every scene he bursts into. He adds more than a bit to the out-of-control element throughout what feels like a series of set-pieces. All useful set-pieces though which flow together as one shimmering crime caper. Not a second is ever wasted.It has been said that someone died of laughter while watching this. If I was to die while watching anything, A Fish Called Wanda would be perfect. Classic English humor with an American twist, this continues to be my favorite comedy of all time.* 2 disc SE extras: audio commentary with John Cleese / 'Something Fishy' documentary / deleted and alternate scenes with John Cleese intros / 3 featurettes / easter eggs / photo gallery / trailer *