Fletch (1985)

Irwin M. "Fletch" Fletcher is a newspaper reporter being offered a large sum to off a cancerous millionaire, but is on the run, risking his job and finding clues when it's clear the man is healthy.

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writers:

Gregory McDonald (novel), Andrew Bergman (screenplay)

Stars:

Chevy Chase, Joe Don Baker, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher, Los Angeles journalist, really lives for his profession. As Jane Doe, he publishes articles that have caused several heads to roll in the past. Now, Fletch is at it again: In disguise as a bum, he lives at the beach, researching drugs and their dealing. One day, Fletch is addressed by Alan Stanwyk, a rich man, who asks him, the bum, a favour. For the sum of $50,000, Fletch should kill poor cancer-ridden Mr. Stanwyk with a gun, so that his wife will get the insurance money. What the guy didn't think of was Fletch's real profession. Returning into normal life, Fletch instantly takes up research not only to find out that Mr. Stanwyk is healthy as life itself but he also runs into certain connections between drug dealing at the beach, Alan Stanwyk, his private jet, the police and a very expensive piece of Land in Utah.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to the godfather | reference to dirty harry | reference to cujo | lighter | tennis club | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

On the film's original Dolby Stereo track, only the film score and music has any stereophonic or surround sound. There is no left, right or surround activity on the basic film track.

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Goofs

Chevy Chase is 6'4". Tim Matheson is 6'2". Even with the same waist size, Stanwyk's pants should be way too short for Fletch. However, the height difference only applies to actors, while their characters, according to the plot, have the same height and build. If actors can play characters of age, race or even gender different from their own, they can certainly play characters of a slightly different height.

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Quotes

[During a proctological exam]
Fletch: You using the whole fist, Doc?

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Alternate Versions

The German DVD version (which has a "12" rating) omits Fletch's line "Yeah, go down to the gym and pump each other" - after Karlin asks the arresting officers, "Why don't you two leave us alone?", there is a cut and the two just leave the room.

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Connections

Referenced in A Guy Named Rick (2013)

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Soundtracks

Moon River
Written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer
Published by Famous Music Corporation

User Reviews

See it then see it again

Class! just pure class, nothing long winded just short and sweet, made at a time when chase was top of his class with others like steve martin, as for the film its a good story with many many jokes most of which you will have to see the film again to catch as some as they are very fast such as name changes he comes up with, it still stands up well today even if some jokes are lost on people to young to remember certain peoples names, its a shame people like chase don't get the films that made them so big in the 80s but times and tastes change, i myself am a chase fan and this film is him doing what he does best.

SEE IT

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 May 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fletch

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles International Airport - 1 World Way, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,022,970, 2 June 1985

Gross USA:

$50,612,888

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$59,612,888

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vincent Pictures, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1