Comedies involving John Cleese

John Cleese was credited as writer, director and actor in the following film.
At the time, he would have been about 48 years old.
A Fish Called Wanda
      1988 | U.K. | Laughs: 8.7 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.5
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Two robbers scheme to discover where their now imprisoned leader has hidden the diamonds. This film is a timeless classic, and not just for fans of John Cleese (the barister): all four lead actors shine on their own, as do some of the supporting cast. You might remember Wanda as a laugh-a-minute movie, but you may find yourself cringing as much as laughing, not least because of the sadistic brand of humor that animates the relationship between Wanda's "brother" Otto and stammer-afflicted Ken. Unlike many comedies, this film has an engaging plot with plenty of dramatic tension. In 1997, its winning foursome was reunited in Fierce Creatures, which deserves to be watched at least once. (Last viewed: April 2012)

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John Cleese was credited as writer and actor in the following film.
At the time, he would have been about 57 years old.
Fierce Creatures
      1997 | U.K. | Laughs: 6.8 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.4
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Nine years after A Fish Called Wanda, the same four lead actors were reunited in this John Cleese movie. It's not a sequel—the plot has to do with the staff of a zoo defending their animals after a media moghul acquires their employer. If you need to compare the film to Wanda, you won't be happy: individually, each of the main characters is less than its 1988 counterpart, apart perhaps from John Cleese, who might be even better as a zookeeper than he was as a barrister. The plot is cute rather than twisted, the humor is straight rather than sadistic. Nevertheless, it's a good effort by a great crew, and if you forget comparisons for a while, you are sure to enjoy the movie and to laugh more than once. (Last viewed: April 2012)

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John Cleese was credited as actor in the following film.
At the time, he would have been about 46 years old.
Clockwise
      1986 | U.K. | Laughs: 6.1 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.6
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An English headmaster's misadventures on his way to deliver a speech at the headmaster's conference. Many funny moments, but a little slow for the 21st century. Still, it's John Cleese and you want to watch because you don't want to be rude to him. (Last viewed: August 2009)

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John Cleese was credited as writer and director in the following film.
At the time, he would have been about 43 years old.
The Meaning of Life
      1983 | U.K. | Laughs: 4.2 (Broken Comedies) | imdb: 7.5
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Ah, Monty Python… They've produced the best and the worst of comedy. This is one of those movies where the team travels so far down the path of caricature, gross and grotesque that it's simply not funny—unless you're equipped with a "subtle" British sense of humor. John Cleese and Eric Idle manage to make us chuckle, of course, and we're grateful for that. Rather than waste your time, watch Fawlty Towers instead to see John Cleese in a production that achieves a perfect comic balance. (Last viewed: Feb 1984 July 2010)

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John Cleese was credited as writer and actor in the following film.
At the time, he would have been about 31 years old.
And Now for Something Completely Different
      1971 | U.K. | Laughs: 4.2 (Broken Comedies) | imdb: 7.6
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A compilation of early Monty Python skits and animations. I love John Cleese, but Monty Python rarely makes me laugh—we must be on a different channel. I dislike most of the animations in this film. It does include The Dead Parrot, one of the Pythons' best skits, but you hardly need to sit through this 90-minute montage just for that. (Last viewed: July 2010)

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John Cleese was credited as writer and actor in the following film.
At the time, he would have been about 39 years old.
Life of Brian
      1979 | U.K. | Laughs: 2.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 8.1
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The story of Brian of Nazareth, who had a parallel though more obscure life than a celebrated contemporary prophet. The movie has funny and perhaps clever moments, but I don't think you will laugh. It quickly loses points in the opening scenes by featuring a man who uses a shrill voice to play the role of a woman, a device I always find irritating—and hard on the ear. What's the point? Is that funny? On the more pleasant side, there's a lot of John Cleese to be seen, as well as pretty Tunisian landscapes. There's an animated Star Wars sequence, and the movie ends on the now classic song Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Eric Idle. The movie was banned in some places, which speaks less for the movie itself than about a rampant disease, human idiocy. If only for cultural reasons, it is worth a watch. (Last viewed: Jul 1995 October 2012)

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John Cleese was credited as writer and actor in the following film.
At the time, he would have been about 35 years old.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
      1975 | U.K. | Laughs: 1.0 (Broken Comedies) | imdb: 8.2
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King Arthur and the knights of the round table go searching for the holy grail. Many people rate this as the funniest movie ever. I take that as proof that collective hallucinations do happen. In fact what people remember as being funny may well be the experience of watching this film in a drunken group. After forcing myself to watch it again on my own, I can assure you that the funniest part of the movie is the opening credits. To be sure, there are scenes that will bring you a smile, but they are all stretched out for so long that you'll want to yawn. That, some worthless musical scenes, and some boring animation, combine to make this 90-minute movie feel like two hours and a half. Oh, and let's not forget the amazingly bleak colors, which cannot all be put on account of English weather as some English movies are beautiful, but must be the result of appalling cinematography. Burn me at the stake, but it has to be said: This is a boring movie. If you want to laugh, watch Fawlty Towers, also featuring John Cleese. (Last viewed: Nov 1991 October 2012)

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