Splash (1984)

A young man is reunited with a mermaid who saves him from drowning as a boy and falls in love not knowing who/what she is.

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers:

Brian Grazer (story), Bruce Jay Friedman (screen story)

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hanks	...	Allen Bauer
Daryl Hannah	...	Madison
Eugene Levy	...	Walter Kornbluth
John Candy	...	Freddie Bauer
Dody Goodman	...	Mrs. Stimler
Shecky Greene	...	Mr. Buyrite
Richard B. Shull	...	Dr. Ross
Bobby Di Cicco	...	Jerry
Howard Morris	...	Dr. Zidell
Tony DiBenedetto	...	Tim, The Doorman (as Tony Di Benedetto)
Patrick Cronin	...	Michaelson
Charles Walker	...	Michaelson's Partner
David Knell	...	Claude
Jeff Doucette	...	Junior
Royce D. Applegate	...	Buckwalter

Storyline

Allen Bauer is rescued from drowning as a young boy off Cape Cod by a young mermaid. Years later, he returns to the same location, and once again manages to fall into the sea, and is rescued once more by the mermaid (Allen isn't sure what he has seen and what he has imagined). Using maps from a sunken ship, the mermaid decides to search for Allen in New York City, sprouting legs when her tail dries. On finding Allen, they fall in love, but she has a secret, which will no longer be a secret if she gets her legs wet.

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Plot Keywords:

mermaid | new york city | public nudity | saved from drowning | naked in public | 

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Taglines:

Two days ago, this girl showed up naked at the Statue of Liberty. For Allen Bauer, it was love at first sight. Now, everyone is chasing her... trying to prove she's a mermaid. From the first laugh you'll be hooked.

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Swedish

Release Date:

9 March 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Splash: Jungfrau am Haken

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Hotel - 506 S. Grand Avenue, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,174,059, 11 March 1984, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$62,100,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Stereo (as Dolby Stereo) (Dolby Stereo) (Stereo) Dolby Digital (re-release) Dolby Atmos (2012) (re-release) DTS (2012) (re-release)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Steve Guttenberg auditioned for the lead but did not get the part. However, Ron Howard did give him a role in his next picture, Cocoon (1985).

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Goofs

Allen hails a cab without his tuxedo jacket on, or in his hands, yet he has it by the time he arrives at Cape Cod. If you look closely, you can see the jacket tied around his waist; a buttonhole rests against his hip.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mary Bauer: [catches Freddie looking up women's skirts] Freddie!
Young Freddie: I dropped something.
Mary Bauer: Ralph, talk to him.
[Ralph smacks Freddie upside the head]
Mary Bauer: Listen to your father. Come on, from over there we can see Cape Cod.
Ralph Bauer: We were just on Cape Cod. We could have stayed there, I would have saved twelve dollars.
Mary Bauer: Allen, sweetheart, don't you want to see Cape Cod?
[Allen shakes his head]
Mary Bauer: All right, darling, you know where we are if you change your mind.

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Crazy Credits

Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah swimming and coming to an underwater city.

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Alternate Versions

Some versions cut out the part where Freddie talks in Swedish to the guard.

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Connections

Featured in Biography: To John with Love: A Tribute to John Candy (1995)

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Soundtracks

She Works Hard for the Money
Written by Donna Summer and Michael Omartian
Performed by Donna Summer

User Reviews

Cheap, vulgar comedy

Unlucky-in-love Tom Hanks falls for a beautiful blonde with a secret...she's a mermaid. Hanks is very young and very green in this movie, his voice has no range and he's whiny instead of appealing (and the jokes he's given, such as having "sex on top of the refrigerator", don't work because who wants to picture Hanks in such a situation?). Tom's transformation into a heel at the midway point is another liability (he's so cold to Daryl Hannah's mermaid that it's tough to forgive him even at the end). Witless antics with third-rate humor, leering overtures by John Candy as Hanks' slob brother, leaden pacing and ugly photography. The only saving grace is Hannah, who is enchanting in a role she was born to play. Too bad she's not in a better picture. ** from ****