---
title: "A Fish Called Wanda"
year: 1988
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-fish-called-wanda"
fi1m_id: "a-fish-called-wanda"
imdb_id: "tt0095159"
tmdb_id: 623
wikidata_id: "Q466186"
fi1m_score: 83
critics_score: 81
critics_reviews: 7
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:21.306039+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Directed by Charles Crichton · 1h 49m · MPA R · Comedy, Crime

## Identity

A Fish Called Wanda

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/a-fish-called-wanda
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** a-fish-called-wanda
- **IMDb ID:** tt0095159
- **TMDB ID:** 623
- **Wikidata ID:** Q466186
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095159/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/623, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q466186

**Fi1m score: 83** · Critics 81 from 7 reviews

*In a sentence:* Kevin Kline plays a man so busy defending his intelligence that he forgets to use it

> Charles Crichton’s crime farce is tightly timed, cheerfully malicious and carried by a cast who know how to irritate one another. A few jokes are pushed too hard, but the performances make the excesses easy to forgive.

## Synopsis

John Cleese plays Archie Leach, an uptight barrister, in a caper involving Wanda Gershwitz (Jamie Lee Curtis), Otto (Kevin Kline) and Ken Pile (Michael Palin). Greed, lust and revenge drive a story that mixes criminal plotting with romantic complications. British and American characters bring different manners and assumptions to their dealings with one another, while vanity makes those dealings harder. The ensemble also includes Maria Aitken as Wendy, Tom Georgeson as Georges Thomason, Cynthia Cleese as Portia and Patricia Hayes as Mrs. Coady.

## Review

*A Fish Called Wanda* is a funny, malicious crime farce, and we recommend it with a warning about its appetite for bullying. Charles Crichton directs John Cleese’s screenplay with a clear sense that getting these people close enough to annoy each other is half the job. Greed and lust make the criminal business harder to conduct with any dignity. The British-American friction is useful because both sides have ample opportunity to look foolish.

Cleese plays Archie Leach, an uptight barrister whose respectability makes him an inviting target for a comedy like this. He is good at making restraint look increasingly difficult to maintain. Jamie Lee Curtis, as Wanda Gershwitz, gives him someone worth the effort, and her timing prevents their exchanges from becoming a demonstration by the man who wrote them. She is alert to the other performers without surrendering a scene. Their chemistry gives the romantic comedy enough substance to survive all the competitive unpleasantness.

Kevin Kline’s Otto is the loudest attraction, and the film is right to give him room. We laughed hardest at his outrage at being thought stupid. Kline makes wounded vanity so consuming that Otto seems incapable of noticing how much further he is embarrassing himself. There are moments when the performance threatens to become too much, but his timing usually saves it. Michael Palin, as Ken Pile, deserves credit for remaining funny beside an actor who could easily overwhelm everyone else.

Crichton’s handling of dialogue is the most valuable piece of craft here. He allows exchanges to run long enough for the listener’s response to matter, a sensible choice with people who so rarely like what they hear. John Jympson’s editing respects that rhythm instead of treating every joke as a reason to cut. The film feels brisk without denying the actors time to make a situation uncomfortable. At 109 minutes, it rarely seems to be hanging about for the sake of another gag.

Alan Hume’s cinematography accommodates those sustained exchanges without fuss, keeping attention on the actors rather than seeking a separate visual joke. Roger Murray-Leach’s production design works in a similar supporting capacity; the settings are less memorable than the people misbehaving in them. That is sensible for this film, though neither contribution offers much independent pleasure. John Du Prez’s score helps maintain the pace, but the more satisfying changes of rhythm come from the cast.

The reservation is that Cleese sometimes keeps working a joke after its first, better laugh. A taste for cruelty can become an excuse to prolong someone’s discomfort, and there are stretches when the victim’s embarrassment has to do too much of the work. The film is less funny when it seems satisfied simply to be unkind. Curtis’s precision makes these lapses more noticeable, because elsewhere she gets the laugh without insisting on it.

By the standards of crime comedy, this is unusually good at giving its performers something to do besides explain the plot. The pleasure of the old-fashioned farce is that character and timing remain important even when the criminal arrangements grow complicated. Crichton trusts his cast to hold our attention through a conversation, and they repay him. Choose it when the company is in the mood for bad behaviour, rather than kindness.

*Fi1m score 83, published 15 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics warmly recommend A Fish Called Wanda, with praise clustering around its ensemble, tightly worked farce and comedy of British-American differences. Charles Crichton’s economical direction receives particular credit for sustaining the pace while allowing awkward encounters and character clashes enough time to become funny. The performances are another point of agreement: the cast’s chemistry makes the scheming enjoyable, while Kevin Kline’s manic Otto draws particular praise for giving the film much of its personality.

The reservations concern taste and comic payoff rather than the performers, though the spread runs from outright enthusiasm to a mixed response. Slant Magazine finds some of the humour dated in its poor taste, without treating that as a decisive weakness. The New York Times is the clearest dissenter, admiring the cast’s chemistry but finding the caper less funny in execution than in anticipation, with a central joke stretched too far.

## Straight answers

**Is A Fish Called Wanda worth watching?**

*A Fish Called Wanda* is worth watching for anyone who enjoys a crime farce built on people irritating one another, and we scored it 83. Kevin Kline's Otto and Jamie Lee Curtis's precise timing carry it, though John Cleese's script sometimes keeps working a joke after its first, better laugh. Choose it when the company is in the mood for bad behaviour rather than kindness.

**How long is A Fish Called Wanda, and what is it rated?**

*A Fish Called Wanda* runs 1h 49m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy and crime film.

**Where can I watch A Fish Called Wanda in the US?**

*A Fish Called Wanda* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, The Roku Channel and Apple TV in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. It leaves Tubi on 1 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is A Fish Called Wanda, and is it suitable for children?**

*A Fish Called Wanda* carries a 15 certificate in the UK and an R in the US, and it is a comedy of greed, lust and cruelty rather than of frightening violence. Its appetite for bullying and prolonged embarrassment is the main reason for the rating, alongside the adult romantic complications. It is not for younger children; older teenagers who enjoy malicious comedy should be fine.

**How does A Fish Called Wanda compare to Wild Tales?**

*A Fish Called Wanda* is a single, tightly timed British crime farce, while [*Wild Tales*](https://film.one/film/wild-tales) is an Argentinian anthology of six revenge stories that are nastier and more openly angry. Both are funny about bad behaviour getting worse, and both occasionally run a joke or a story past its useful length. The earlier film is the better choice for those who want an ensemble and a romance; the later one suits anyone who prefers their cruelty in short, escalating doses.

**What should I watch after A Fish Called Wanda?**

After *A Fish Called Wanda*, try [*The Lavender Hill Mob*](https://film.one/film/the-lavender-hill-mob) (1951, Fi1m 82): Another Crichton caper, with criminal ambition upsetting the habits of respectable people. Then [*Trouble in Paradise*](https://film.one/film/trouble-in-paradise) (1932, Fi1m 84): Two thieves discover that romance makes an already dishonest living more complicated; and [*The Last Seduction*](https://film.one/film/the-last-seduction) (1994, Fi1m 81): A colder crime comedy with a woman nobody should mistake for harmless.

### Reviews we read (9)

- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The critic calls it the funniest movie in a long time thanks to its meanspirited take on vanity, greed and lust, with eccentric characters and flawless mid-Atlantic teamwork. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-fish-called-wanda-1988)
- **The AV Club**, Noel Murray (A): The film is a cult hit that became a personal project for Cleese, shifting from an Ealing homage to a blackly comic study of American-British differences. Crichton lets scenes play out with minimal cutting to build comic rhythm, while Kline and Palin rework dialogue in rehearsal. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/a-fish-called-wanda-1798201934)
- **Empire**, Emma Cochrane (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film as a successful modern twist on Ealing comedies that became one of the most successful British comedies ever, with strong comic performances and lasting gags. They single out the fast pace from director Charles Crichton's economical style and the well-cast leads for particular praise. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/fish-called-wanda-review/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Sheila Benson (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the convulsively funny farce about cultural differences between Brits and Yanks, with Crichton’s masterful direction keeping the intricate plot spinning at high speed. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-07-15-ca-6950-story.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Ted Pigeon (80/100, inferred): The film channels Monty Python's wit with its own personality, thanks largely to Kline's manic, loveable twit performance as Otto that gives the movie its soul. Crichton's simple creative touches and sharp dialogue elevate the awkward character interactions, despite some dated poor taste. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/summer-of-88-an-american-in-python-a-fish-called-wanda/)
- **Time Out**, SGa (75/100, inferred): The critic calls it a perfectly old-fashioned romantic comedy that is never dull. They single out the tightly scripted yarn and very funny gags, along with the strong character work from the ensemble. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/a-fish-called-wanda)
- **The New York Times**, Vincent Canby (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the anticipation of the caper-comedy better than the execution, noting it plays like an extended lampshade joke despite strong cast chemistry. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/15/movies/review-film-four-misfits-and-a-gem-heist.html)
- **The Times** (★★★★☆): It is that rare thing, a properly funny Anglo-American comedy blending Oxbridge wit with Hollywood gloss. Cleese excels as the uptight barrister, with Palin and Kline stealing scenes in their roles. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/film-review-a-fish-called-wanda-1988-mxtxcb9g0)
- **Variety**, Variety Staff (**): The review finds the film wacky and occasionally outrageous in a distinctly British way, highlighting Curtis’s comic timing and the love-hate rivalry between Brits and Yanks. [Read](https://variety.com/1987/film/reviews/a-fish-called-wanda-1200427699/)

## Details

- **Director:** Charles Crichton
- **Director:** Charles Crichton
- **Screenplay:** John Cleese
- **Story:** John Cleese, Charles Crichton
- **Cinematography:** Alan Hume
- **Editor:** John Jympson
- **Music:** John Du Prez
- **Production design:** Roger Murray-Leach
- **Costume design:** Hazel Pethig
- **Producer:** Michael Shamberg
- **Cast:** Jamie Lee Curtis as Wanda Gershwitz; John Cleese as Archie Leach; Kevin Kline as Otto; Michael Palin as Ken Pile; Maria Aitken as Wendy; Tom Georgeson as Georges Thomason; Cynthia Cleese as Portia; Patricia Hayes as Mrs. Coady
- **Runtime:** 1h 49m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 15 July 1988
- **Genres:** Comedy, Crime
- **Also in:** [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 1988); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 1988)
- **Budget:** $8 million
- **Box office:** $189 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WTwVpEEMps

## Where to watch in the US

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming
- Amazon Prime Video: free
- Tubi: free, hd, leaving 2026-10-01
- The Roku Channel: free, hd, leaving 2026-10-01
- Apple TV: add-on, hd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd
- Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-15.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 1989: Best Director (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Lavender Hill Mob* (1951), Fi1m 82: Another Crichton caper, with criminal ambition upsetting the habits of respectable people. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lavender-hill-mob.md)
- *Trouble in Paradise* (1932), Fi1m 84: Two thieves discover that romance makes an already dishonest living more complicated. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/trouble-in-paradise.md)
- *The Last Seduction* (1994), Fi1m 81: A colder crime comedy with a woman nobody should mistake for harmless. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-last-seduction.md)
- *The Dinner Game* (1998): French farce in which smugness invites exactly the trouble it deserves.
- *Wild Tales* (2014), Fi1m 83: An Argentinian anthology for anyone who enjoys watching bad behaviour get worse. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wild-tales.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/a-fish-called-wanda