- While not a great film, A Fish Called Wanda is much funnier than it has any right to be. By that, I mean that it somehow generates laughs from such suspect comedic devices as a pronounced stutter, Nietzsche references, several dead pets, and a woman aroused by faux spoken Italian. Key to the success of these gags are two truly dedicated performances by Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline. Curtis portrays a clever crook named Wanda Gershewitz who never hesitates to deploy sex appeal to get what she wants, much to the chagrin of her painfully clueless boyfriend Otto (Kline). Although the two swindlers pretend to be brother and sister, Otto's jealous rages and attempts at chaperoning Wanda's dalliances tend to thwart their own schemes. Oh, and don't call him "stupid." He doesn't like that.
- The targets of Wanda and Otto's machinations are varied indeed. Their initial plan is simply to double-cross two fellow thieves, criminal mastermind George Thomason (Tom Georgeson) and his stuttering partner Ken (Michael Palin). Thomason, however, doesn't trust Wanda or Otto with the location of the stolen diamonds, a policy that is quickly justified when they turn him in to the police. Naturally, Wanda moves on to seducing Thomason's barrister, Archie Leach (John Cleese), whose unexciting job and venomous wife (Maria Aitken) make him particularly susceptible to Wanda's electric charms. Trouble is, Wanda quickly realizes that Archie is one of the few sympathetic characters in this entire sordid affair. Sure, he may not have Cary Grant's looks (even if he does share his real name), but he is such an improvement over Otto that Wanda can't help falling in love. To be fair, Wanda's opinion of Archie is also helped considerably by his willingness to abscond with the diamonds and rush off to Rio de Janeiro with her.
- The best parts of A Fish Called Wanda are those in which Curtis and Kline are allowed to be as bizarre and wonderful as they want. This includes a lovemaking session in which Otto whiffs his own armpits and recites Italian that reads like a restaurant menu, all while Wanda sinks deeper into the throes of ecstasy. Crudely amusing, too, are Ken's attempts to assassinate an elderly witness (Patricia Hayes) that succeed only in wiping out her various fluffy dogs. As one might expect, the worst parts of the film are those that are annoying in the way that only Monty Python sketches can be. Although Charles Crichton is credited as the film's director, the Python influence is clearly present in both the cast and John Cleese's uncredited contribution as a director. Nonetheless, there is enough funny material in the film to make it a perfectly passable comedy, even if it is a little stupid. But don't use that word in front of Otto...
- Stephen Fry has a cameo appearance, and John Cleese's daughter Cynthia appears as his character's daughter.
