A FISH CALLED WANDA

Charles Crichton

Great Britain 1988

A Fish Called Wanda was directed by Charles Crichton and written by Crichton and John Cleese. It stars Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin. The film follows a gang of diamond thieves who double-cross one another to find stolen diamonds hidden by the gang leader. A barrister becomes a central figure as femme fatale Wanda uses him to locate the loot.The film has aged well and will still cause students to laugh. An audiologist is reported to have died of laughter while first seeing the film. The screenplay was co-written by John Cleese of Monty Python fame who brings to the film something of the sardonic humour of the iconic TV. If you like this movie, you should see the Python’s masterpiece the Meaning of Life.

Language level:

Compared to many comedy movies, the spoken language is accessible to students of English.

Mark

Key words and expressions:

a stutter

diplomatic plates

blunder

insensitive

I’m not into necrophilia

When I find the bastard who squealed…!

committla

Why on earth not?

vulgarian

forensic evidence

safe deposit box

commit perjury

spineless bimbo