A Fish Called Wanda | Rotten Tomatoes

A Fish Called Wanda

R

Released Jul 15, 1988

1 hr. 47 min.

Comedy

List

96%

69 Reviews

Tomatometer

84%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

British gangster George Thomason (Tom Georgeson) and his hapless aide, Ken Pile (Michael Palin), draft a pair of arrogant Americans, grifter Wanda Gerschwitz (Jamie Lee Curtis) and weapons expert Otto West (Kevin Kline), for a massive diamond heist. When the job goes badly, Wanda attempts to seduce George's stuffy lawyer, Archie Leach (John Cleese), to find out where George hid the diamonds. Meanwhile, Ken repeatedly attempts to kill an elderly woman (Patricia Hayes) who witnessed the robbery.

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Critics Consensus

Smartly written, smoothly directed, and solidly cast, A Fish Called Wanda offers a classic example of a brainy comedy with widespread appeal.

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fred f

Loved the acting, the story. Humor is 10 out of 10

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/12/24

Full Review

Audience Member

DOES NOT HOLD UP. I somehow thought it was funny when it first came out in the movie theater. Watched it the other night with my kids, and they bailed after 30 minutes. I bailed after 40. John Cleese is the only watchable character in the movie.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/24

Full Review

Gerry G

One of top five movie comedy's. Extremely clever plot and the actors are pitch perfect characters. Nearly every scene made my wife and I roar with laughter. Just thinking about makes me smile inside. Still holds up very well after thirty five years. Wow, Jamie Lee Curtis is the central character and kills it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/30/23

Full Review

Alec C

Hilarious slapstick and very comedic characters keep us drawn to this kooky crime-caper flick! As the characters struggle to get the goods by backstabbing and trying to find the jewels first, things only get funnier from their. Still leaves us all reeling long after the credits roll!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/04/23

Full Review

Milo M

It's witty, it's clever, and funny—maybe the MOST funny.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/07/23

Full Review

Jack t

Here you go guys, A fish Called Wanda. There are some funny moments in it and Kevin Kline is very funny. Well, I have seen the Oscars and also I've seen the deleted scenes in it. Yeah, might make it worth your watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/18/23

Full Review

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Charles Crichton

Director

John Cleese

Director

John Cleese

Archie Leach

Jamie Lee Curtis

Wanda Gershwitz

Kevin Kline

Otto West

Michael Palin

Ken Pile

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A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - Have You Got a Stutter?

2:25

A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - Fish and Chips

2:14

A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - Striptease Surprise

2:21

A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - Upside-Down Apology

1:27

A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - Ken's Revenge

2:31

A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - Apes Don't Read Philosophy

1:54

A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - He Doesn't Have a Clue

2:04

A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - The Language of Love

1:39

A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - Loosening Ken's Lips

1:28

A Fish Called Wanda: Official Clip - Otto Hates the British

1:56

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John Pym

Sight & Sound

To those who appreciate Ealing comedy (which is to say all right-thinking people), watching the film is like chancing on a Hogarth sketch in grandmother's attic, clearly and unmistakably signed by the Master.

Jan 16, 2020

Full Review

Peter Travers

People Magazine

Putting heart and heat into a film that could have easily slid by on silliness, Cleese proves himself a master actor.

Jul 30, 2013

Full Review

Desmond Ryan

Philadelphia Inquirer

Perhaps the most unusual aspect of what is surely the year's most original and daring comedy is that John Cleese is not the funniest performer in it. Believe it or not, that honor goes to none other than the usually somber Kevin Kline.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 30, 2013

Full Review

Eoghan Lyng

PopMatters

Best of all, A Fish Called Wanda showed that Cleese – closer to 50 than his character’s age of 40 – could tackle the intricacies of romance.

Feb 3, 2024

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... one of the funniest comedies of the eighties.

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The bright characterizations, vivid performances, and unexpectedly uproarious set-pieces have lost little of their luster over the ensuing decades.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 22, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

British gangster George Thomason (Tom Georgeson) and his hapless aide, Ken Pile (Michael Palin), draft a pair of arrogant Americans, grifter Wanda Gerschwitz (Jamie Lee Curtis) and weapons expert Otto West (Kevin Kline), for a massive diamond heist. When the job goes badly, Wanda attempts to seduce George's stuffy lawyer, Archie Leach (John Cleese), to find out where George hid the diamonds. Meanwhile, Ken repeatedly attempts to kill an elderly woman (Patricia Hayes) who witnessed the robbery.

Director: Charles Crichton, John Cleese
Executive Producer: Steve Abbott, John Cleese
Screenwriter: John Cleese
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Prominent Features
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 15, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 20, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $60.0M

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