Fletch Lives (1989)

After receiving an inheritance in Louisiana, Los Angeles reporter Irvin Fletcher heads to the Belle Isle plantation where he gets himself into hilarious trouble.

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writers:

Gregory McDonald (character), Leon Capetanos

Stars:

Chevy Chase, Hal Holbrook, Julianne Phillips

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chevy Chase	...	Fletch
Hal Holbrook	...	Ham Johnson
Julianne Phillips	...	Becky Culpepper
R. Lee Ermey	...	Jimmy Lee Farnsworth
Richard Libertini	...	Frank
Randall 'Tex' Cobb	...	Ben Dover
Cleavon Little	...	Calculus
George Wyner	...	Gillet
Patricia Kalember	...	Amanda Ray Ross
Geoffrey Lewis	...	KKK Leader
Richard Belzer	...	Phil
Phil Hartman	...	Bly Manager
Titos Vandis	...	Uncle Kakakis
Don Hood	...	Tom Barbour
Dennis Burkley	...	Joe Jack

Storyline

Ailing Los Angeles newspaper reporter Irvin "Fletch" Fletcher, in debt, inherits from a aunt "Bell Isle", a sprawling 80-acre Louisiana plantation estate, quits his job and moves east expecting to live like a Dixie king. But he failed to inspect the run-down inheritance, leaving him only a shabby mansion with a shifty caretaker instead of reliable staff. Having celebrated anyway with an attractive lawyer in bed, he wakes up finding her mysteriously murdered and himself jailed, soon to be bailed, as prime suspect. Undaunted by a neighborly lawyer's warning to leave town, he waves foxy real estate agent Becky Culpepper's persistent offer well above the apparent value from a third party and starts snooping why with Becky. That proves a dangerous activity for him and almost anybody around, everything pointing to local magnate Hamilton "Ham" Johnson and his 'Confederate' circle of friends; including TV preacher Jimmy Lee Farnsworth and a dodgy chemical plant.

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Plot Keywords:

inheritance | louisiana | disguise | wisecrack humor | sequel | 

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Taglines:

When there's more trouble than one man can handle...there's more than one man for the job.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

When in the jail cell with Ben Dover, Fletch uses the alias Victor Hugo. Victor Hugo (1802-1885) was a French writer who strongly championed prison reform, particularly in his famous novel Les Misérables (1862).

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Goofs

Ben Dover claims to have a 78 XL, which is a Sportster. Unless he customized it, the tank and seat are wrong for an XL, We cannot see the engine, so it's impossible to be sure.

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Quotes

Jimmy Lee Farnsworth: [touring BibleLand] You don't suppose I used too many photographs of myself do you?
Fletch: No, no. Worked for the Ayatollah.

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Connections

Spoofs Deliverance (1972)

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Soundtracks

Fletch Suite (Instrumental)
Performed by Harold Faltermeyer

User Reviews

Chevy Chase = Fletch

What a sad world it is when people can sit back and gripe about "Fletch Lives". Tsk, tsk, tsk! First of all, how can anyone pick up a video with this sort of picture of Chevy Chase on the front and expect it to not be stupid--in the best possible sense! Indeed, I admit, the movie is stupid, but that is wholly what I love about it. Sure, if you want a more realistic mystery story, watch the first one. But for purely enjoying Chevy Chase's ridiculous antics, this one surpasses it. Though I can't imagine any other actor who could have pulled this script off and made it anything worthwhile! I generally end up watching this movie at least every few months and have yet to grow tired of it. And yet I have only recently added the first movie to my private collection.

Chevy Chase is one of the best out-and-out comedy actors available in my opinion. And you can't expect him to be serious in a movie that was intended to be anything but.

I think the best part about Chevy Chase as Fletch, is that he lives out those crazy ideas we sometimes get (such as convincing someone of invisible squealing bugs, simply telling someone their house is on fire, and marching into a corporation like you own the place), and he gets away with it when most of us don't dare in the first place. Perhaps the people who can't enjoy him simply don't get the same temptations, and therefore can't see why he appeals to those of us who have to repress the desire to introduce yourself as a famous sixteenth-century astrologer.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 March 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fletch Saved

Filming Locations:

Kaufman Astoria Studios - 3412 36th Street, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,045,760, 19 March 1989

Gross USA:

$35,150,960

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$39,450,960

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Cornelius Productions, Vincent Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1