1001 Movie Club - Fish Called Wanda, A (1988)

#783. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Why It's In The Book: "A caper comedy of manners and not so subtle Anglo-American cultural disconnects, the success of Charles Crichton's A Fish Called Wanda lay in its treatment of stereotypical gangster types... laughs aside, A Fish Called Wanda offers a triumphant reappraisal of one-time scream queen Curtis as a comic actress while providing a launch pad for Kline's ascent into critical circles as an awards-worthy performer. Effortlessly, but most of all humorously, the film elevated the careers of Monty Python alums John Cleese and Michael Palin and made them Hollywood stars in the genre." -1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

Member Ratings

Siochembio - 10/10
"I am sitting here, literally giggling to myself, as I watch the opening credits of A Fish Called Wanda for the hundred billionth time."
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Chip Lary - 9/10
"I consider it one of the funniest films I have ever seen."
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Kurosawa_Lover - 9/10
"This is one of the funniest films I have ever seen. The laughter is nearly constant. Not a scene goes by without at least a chuckle, and some scenes had me laughing so hard I had violent coughing attacks afterward."
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Movie Guy Steve - 9/10
"How funny is it? Allegedly, in Scandinavia, a man literally died laughing while watching."
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Nicolas Krizan - 9/10
"Mixing loads of British peculiarities with just as much American screwball antics, this turned out to be a huge hit."
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Tim Burrow - 9/10
"There is plenty of American humor for most viewers to get enjoyment out of it. But Python fans will be plenty satisfied as well, thanks to a madcap script and performance by John Cleese, and Michael Palin's hapless, stuttering Ken."
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Klaus Ming - 8/10
"Irreverent and often bawdy humor, this screwball comedy redefines and the British caper with a little help from the Americans."
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Kim Wilson - 7/10
"Overall, A Fish Called Wanda is a passable 1980s comedy.  Unfortunately, to watch it you must hear and see everything that makes the decade one of the worst of the Twentieth Century."
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Squish - 7/10
"Otto... becomes increasingly jealous, dangerous and recklessly stupid, but doesn't take it well when he's called on it. Unfortunately Otto's a professional killer with a sociopathic streak."
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Overall Rating: 8.8/10