Fletch (1985)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writers:

Gregory McDonald (novel)
Andrew Bergman (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 May 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery

Tagline:

Meet the only guy who changes his identity more often than his underwear.

Plot:

Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher, Los Angeles journalist, really lives for his profession. As Jane Doe, he publishes...

Plot Keywords:

Fletch | Drugs | Beach | Disguise | Reporter

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Chevy Chase	...	Irwin 'Fletch' Fletcher
Joe Don Baker	...	Chief Jerry Karlin
Dana Wheeler-Nicholson	...	Gail Stanwyk
Richard Libertini	...	Frank Walker
Tim Matheson	...	Alan Stanwyk
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Dr. Joseph Dolan
George Wendt	...	Fat Sam
Kenneth Mars	...	Stanton Boyd
Geena Davis	...	Larry
Bill Henderson	...	Speaker
William Traylor	...	Ted Underhill
George Wyner	...	Marvin Gillet
Tony Longo	...	Detective #1
Larry Flash Jenkins	...	Gummy
Ralph Seymour	...	Creasy

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:L | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Australia:M (Cable TV rating) | Netherlands:6 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (1985) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The award banquet Fletch interrupts is in honor of Fred Dorfman. Fred Dorfman the name of Kent "Flounder" Dorfman's brother in Animal House (1978), which was originally going to feature Chevy Chase as Eric "Otter" Stratton. Otter was eventually played by Tim Matheson, who also appears in this movie as Alan Stanwyk.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Fletch takes a picture of the phony deed, there is no flash from his camera. Yet the picture he shows Mrs. Stanwyk has a flash visible in it.

Quotes:

Fletch: This little proposition doesn't entail me dressing as Little Bo-Peep, does it?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Watching the Detectives (2007)

Soundtrack:

Bit By Bit

Classic Chevy

Chevy Chase's finest comedy. It's the part that he really sunk his teeth into. It's a perfect blend of humor, mystery and drama. Although Chase gets more mileage out of it because of the laughs, it's an intriguing character in all respects.

Michael Ritchie directs nicely and the supporting cast works well, particularly Libertini as Fletch's noisy and brassy editor in chief. This is a film that is filled with more classic one liners than any film in the 1980's. It's one that makes us miss the old Chase and wonder why he's planning to make yet another "Vacation" movie.

We miss you, Chevy!