Directing Comedy Is No Joke

Directed by Charles Crichton, "A Fish Called Wanda" is the perfect comedy! Not only is John Cleese's screenplay (with story by him and Crichton) the ideal example of how to write a hilarious and fast-paced story, but the director - helped by his long experience as a classical filmmaker - shot the whole film with enviable precision.
In this video essay you'll learn that what's usually called "invisible directing" is not really invisible when you know what to look for. In this case, watch the film looking for these 5 directing techniques: energetic blocking, wide shots, fluid camerawork, frame filling and background action.
We'll cap it off by analyzing one of the movie's greatest scenes shot by shot (almost) and pointing out how Crichton masterfully guides you through this hilarious bedroom farce.
00:00 A Fish Called Wanda
02:50 Energetic Blocking
03:56 Wide Shots
04:43 Fluid Camerawork
05:59 Frame Filling
06:53 Background Action
07:33 Synchronicity
09:01 Scene Breakdown
Master criminal George Thomason (Tom Georgeson, seriously) and animal loving stutterer Ken (Michael Palin) hire Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her "brother" Otto (Kevin Kline) for a diamond heist. After Wanda and Otto betray George, Wanda tries to seduce his lawyer, the uptight Archie Leach (John Cleese), for information. Otto is jealous.
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[@jerryschramm4399]

A small movie that just made me roar with laughter. And Kevin Kline's character of Otto was so perfectly realized. That a comic performance could garner someone an Academy Award is unheard of. And your analysis of how Crichton made the movie so funny was very perceptive. And that Crichton was pulled out of retirement at the age of 78, and produced this classic, is amazing on it's own. This and "Trading Places" shows that Jamie Lee Curtis is a consummate comedienne, especially when given a strong supporting cast.

[@achillesgeroko8714]

Kevin Kline is absolutely perfect in this.

[@UmbrellaGent]

It's interesting to compare this film with "Fierce Creatures"; the same cast, a script by John Cleese similarly filled with constant double-crosses, and yet it definitely doesn't work as well as "A Fish Called Wanda." I'd say the lack of Charles Crichton's direction played a considerable part. Btw, Kevin Kline must be the most under recognised comedic actor of all time. Every single scene of his in this film is gold.

[@GaudiaCertaminisGaming]

The problem with Fierce Creatures is that it’s based on a single gag that’s spread very thin. It would have made a great sketch, but is not strong enough to hold up a movie. I remember Cleese being quite defensive about it when it was in production. He must have known how weak it was turning out to be.

[@ingvarhallstrom2306]

Weak weak script, while the script alone of Wanda is a true masterpiece in itself.

[@greebo7857]

True. Of course, one of the things that let down Creatures was disappointment. After Wanda, Creatures was so dull. Without Wanda, it may have worked, perhaps, but to me, a dyed in the wool Python/Fawlty fan, it was a total let down. Sad, really, given the cast and the usual brilliance of the writers.

[@Tigerfire75]

That Archie character is the type of person that would run a hotel. Also he seems to have some comedic talent wonder if he ever thought to do other comedies.

[@goby009]

Yeah he kinda does look like someone who could run a hotel. He probably would change his name to Basil.

[@Visplight]

if he did, it would indeed be the holy grail of comedy.

[@of1300]

Your Videos are better than any film school. Trust me. I attended one.

[@jackstraton1]

All the rich experience the Director has was very much evident from the epic comedy here. I've never known any film "A fish called Wanda" in spite of being a cinephile myself. What a true masterpiece. Please keep posting such very very informative videos for all cinema lovers.

[@rpg7287]

Always been my pick for Best Picture 1988.

[@frenstcht]

KZbin recommended you to me for the first time a few hours ago; I've watched several of your videos; your videos have all been absolutely outstanding. On to my comment! Why would current directors screw up Otto's gun toss through security? I agree that they absolutely would ruin it. They'd add shaky cam, too, just to be sure the audience doesn't important information about Otto's character: Even pre-9/11, the move takes Otto's ability, cool, and confidence to an epic level. It's an incredible piece of character development. Why would they butcher it?

[@floydffrogfloydffrog7453]

There are few greater joys than revisiting an old favorite and it feel like you're watching it for the first time. Bravo!

[@oobrocks]

The best comedy ever is the brilliant Blazing Saddles

[@RyAnimator]

This is a pretty excellent video, really demonstrates the mastery. Nice work, Moviewise.

[@MelIssa-rb9mq]

Your Channel is so amazing!!!!!! Thank you very much for that🙏🏻🤗👑

[@Stepherner]

"Le due cupole grandi della cattedrale di Milano!"

[@thefunk2058]

Very underappreciated movie. Can't say how many times I've heard it was bad, and that discouraged me from watching it for years!

[@erinaltstadt4234]

Thank you

[@charlessmyth]

[11:34] Lucky for Archie that Wanda doesn't wear a distinctive perfume for his wife to notice :-)

[@joso7228]

Johnny English was extremely funny. Except it wasn't.... because of the Directing and Cutting. Because it was a James Bond type adventure every Scene was Cut straight after the Action or important Dialog or Punchline. And that meant there was no time to focus on Rowan Atkinson's facial afterthoughts and no time to soak in the joke before we raced off into the next Scene. Just poor wrong-genre Directing.

[@christopherdavis8248]

one of my favorite movies! I liked it because it blends perfectly american style comedy (which can be too stupid) and british style comedy (which can be to dry and odd) in equal measure.

[@jawswasnevermyscene4258]

Automatic like for not calling Otto the s word

[@krishnadevotee.]

How many movies do u watch in a day ? And how many times a scene before you analyze it?

[@Stepherner]

What's with: Te Be Or Not To Be by Lubitsch?

[@ianlarsen]

My family rented A Fish Called Wanda when i was 6 years old, and we watched it together on a Saturday afternoon. I think it was one of a number of influences that made me quite a confused child regarding sexual matters. Especially since i tended to take people's comments at face value, so all the double-crossing in the film was quite lost on me. My questions quite hindered my brother's enjoyment of the film, i think. "Why did she kiss her brother?" "He's not really her brother." "She said he was." "They're lying!" "Why? I thought the other man was her husband."

[@ianlarsen]

"Why's he bouncing up and down on her like that?"

[@cube2fox]

Great analysis, but I wonder how much it has to do with comedy specifically. Of course great blocking, framing etc helps. But it won't change much when the script isn't overly funny to begin with. Compare A Fish Called Wanda to another movie with John Cleese: Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I'm sure camera and blocking weren't very good. But I would still argue that the Holy Grail is much funnier than Wanda. It seems comedy is mostly in the screenplay rather than in the directing.

[@paul1780]

Comment for the algorithm.

[@LK041]

Ironically I think this proves that comedy really does have very few ruling principles (being effective only certain kinds of people) and is kind of a joke (or perhaps its best if it's approached that way by the comedian). I tried to watch AFCW once and found it unwatchable, and nothing in this video made me think that any of it would be funny to me in the context of actually watching it.

[@_gambetta_6438]

everything looks cool but it can't stand kevin kline

[@johnwatts8346]

its a great film, but its not the funniest comedy ever made, so its not the best.

[@Noodles1771]

Sorry a Fish Called Wanda is incredibly boring and perpetually pleased with itself while doing so. I’d rather re-watch The Big Lebowski, Office Space, Bowfinger, Death to Smoochy, the Hudscuker Proxy, I Heart Huckabees, Swingers or any number of other far better written, acted, and directed comedies from that period of time.

[@badinfluence3814]

The Big Lebowski is about as perpetually pleased with itself as any comedy - film, in fact - can be. A comedy with no jokes. The Hudsucker Proxy has some moments of brilliance but is too in love with its own homage to 40s screwball comedies and overly written dialogue. The joke gets old pretty quickly and It hasn't aged well. I ❤ Huckabees is terrible. Unfunny, boring and smug. O'Russell hasn't made a half decent film since the 90s. Office Space and Swingers are both okay, though hardly classics like A Fish Called Wanda.

[@GaudiaCertaminisGaming]

The Big Lebowski is so far up it’s own arse you’d have to send a 15 man rescue team with a week’s rations up there to drag out again. I remember liking Office Space.

[@johnwatts8346]

of the films you list only big lebowski is maybe a better film than wanda, hudsucker is rubbish, so is bowfinger,

[@nfb4027]

@@badinfluence3814 wtf are you on about? The Big Lebowski, Office Space and Swingers are all 90s classics. Instantly recognizable, quotable, iconic characters, etc.. Hell, The Big Lebowski spawned a yearly fan event called Lebowski Fest. A Fish Called Wanda is a niche film, nowhere nearly as adored, with amateur production design and typical brit humor where a raised eyebrow is considered hilarious.

[@badinfluence3814]

@@nfb4027You've got your terms arse about face. The Big Lebowski, Swinger's and Office Space are the very definition of niche films. They're made for small audiences and in 'Lebowski's' case it is made for an audience of two - the Coen's. That there's a 'Lebowski Fest' is the embodiment of 'niche', or of a 'cult' film. A Fish Called Wanda is anything but a 'niche' film, being that it was an international hit. The director was nominated for an Oscar and Kline won one - a rare achievement for a comedy film.