Main Cast: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, John Candy, Eugene Levy, Dody Goodman
Release Year: 1984
Country: US
Run Time: 111 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
"I'm in love with a mermaid!" read the opening line of Leonard Maltin's original review for Splash. And with the delightful Darryl Hannah in the lead, who could fault Maltin for his public declaration of ardor? The story begins in 1959, when a young boy is rescued from a watery grave by an adolescent mermaid. Twenty-five years later, the boy has grown up--and lo and behold, it's Tom Hanks. Meanwhile, the mermaid, likewise grown up, has surfaced in search of Hanks, her long-lost love. On dry land, the mermaid is able to walk about on legs; any contact with salt water, and she reverts to her half-fish form. Adopting the name of Madison from a New York street sign, the girl manages to win Hanks' heart. Alas, a secret government lab, populated by such smarmy types as Richard B. Shull and Eugene Levy, captures Madison for research purposes--and possible vivisection. Egged on by his brother John Candy, Hanks rescues his beloved, joining her in the ocean depths as a mer-man (mer-fellow? mer-guy?) A captivating confection from the peerless creative team of director Ron Howard and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, Splash was a winner all the way--especially at the box office, where the $11 million film racked up a huge profit. Historical sidebar: Splash was the first release from Disney's Touchstone Pictures division. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Splash, Ron Howard's bubbly romantic comedy fairy tale, marks Tom Hanks at his early screwball best, as light and buoyant then as he has since become serious and stately. In one of his first prominent film roles, Hanks effectively plays the loosey-goosey romantic idealist Allen Bauer. Darryl Hannah brings touching innocence to the role of the adult mermaid, hiding her identity from Bauer by never allowing her legs to get wet with saltwater -- which would transform them into her telltale fin. There are a lot of cute, (forgive the pun) fish-out-of-water set pieces in New York, the most farfetched of which is Hannah's character learning English after a day of watching TV at Bloomingdale's. While Hanks is quite funny, and sometimes as charmingly naïve and hopeful as his best moments in Big, the film's considerable laughs belong mostly to John Candy and Eugene Levy. Candy plays his typical loveable lout, a jokester with soul, and Levy is riotous as the oft-injured scientist villain, whose apropos refrain ("What a week I'm having!") is supported by a chain of slapstick scenarios that only Levy could play with such goofy frustration. At the helm, Howard strikes a sweet balance between humor and sentiment in one of the earliest of a string of directorial successes. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Shecky Green - Mr. Buyrite; Richard B. Shull - Dr. Ross; Royce D. Applegate - Buckwalter; Bobby Di Cicco - Jerry; Joe Cirillo - Sgt. Munson; Patrick Cronin - Michaelson; Lee Delano - Sgt. Lelandowski; Jack Denton - Man by Elevator; Tony di Benedetto - Tim the Doorman; Jeff Doucette - Junior; Darryl Edwards - Reporter; Pierre Epstein - Dr. Hess; Corki Grazer - Wife; Joe Grifasi - Manny; Jack Hallett - Reporter; Clint Howard - Wedding Guest; Rance Howard - McCullough; Amy Ingersoll - Reporter; Jodi Long - Reporter; David Knell - Claude; Ron Kuhlman - Man with Date; Tony Longo - Augie; Louisa Marie - Girl at Wedding; James Ritz - T.V. Dept. Manager; Bill Smitrovich - Ralph Bauer; Charles Walker - Michaelson's Partner; Valerie Wildman - Wedding Guest; Than Wyenn - Mr. Ambrose; Lowell Ganz - Stan the Tour Guide; Fred Lerner - Husband; Babaloo Mandel - Rudy; Howard Morris - Dr. Zidell; David Nelson - Lt. Ingram; Tom Toner - Parilli; Nora Denney - Ms. Stein; Jason Late - Young Freddie; Clare Peck - TV Reporter; Lou Tiano - Bartender; Richard Dano - Wedding Guest; Fil Formicola - Policeman; Ronald F. Hoiseck - Dr. Johanssen; Charles Macaulay - The President; Nancy Raffa; Eileen Saki - Dr. Fujimoto; Christopher Thomas - Wedding Guest; Nick D'Elia - TV News Truck Driver
Credit
John Mansbridge - Art Director, Bill Shepard - Casting, Mike Nomad - Choreography, May Routh - Costume Designer, Ron Howard - Director, Daniel Hanley - Editor, Michael Hill - Editor, Lee Holdridge - Composer (Music Score), Rita Coolidge - Songwriter, Lee Holdridge - Songwriter, Will Jennings - Songwriter, Jack T. Collis - Production Designer, Louis Mann - Production Designer, Brian Grazer - Producer, Norman Rockett - Set Designer, Phil Smith - Set Designer, Richard S. Church - Sound/Sound Designer, Jesse Wayne - Stunts, Nick D'Elia - Technical Advisor, Brian Grazer - Screen Story, Bruce Jay Friedman - Screenwriter, Lowell Ganz - Screenwriter, Brian Grazer - Screenwriter, Babaloo Mandel - Screenwriter, Wayne Allwine - Sound Effects Editor, Lowell Grazer - Short Story Author
Splash(South African group) is a music group from South Africa led by Dan tshanda and includes the work of Parnell Kunene
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