Search - Splash (1984) on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 6/15/2019...

A classic with original plotline but has alot of dated aspects to it. The movie has alot of funnyman actors that you know.

3 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.

Tom Hanks' Feature Film Debut

Mark J. Fowler | Okinawa, Japan | 06/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Tom Hanks had done a couple of TV shows and the producers of "Splash" really wanted a bigger name actor in their movie. Daryl Hannah had made a favorable impression in a bit part in "Blade Runner" but the big "name" in the announced cast of Splash was John Candy, who was probably paid as much as the rest of the cast combined in the role of brother Freddy.

It would have been very easy for the movie to become a broad farce with Candy and Eugene Levy in the love story of the man and the mermaid, but writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel found the right note between love story and comedy, and the cast pulls off both. The comedy varies between clever and slapstick, and seeing the film again 20 years later still made me laugh at parts. As expected, Candy and Levy do the heavy lifting in the comedy department, and they are both hilarious in their respective scenes. The whole movie wouldn't work at all, though, if we didn't believe in the central love story - and Hanks and Hannah make it work.

Hannah is a mermaid apparently not unlike Disney's Ariel. She has a tail when wet, and legs when dry. Hanks is Allen Bauer, who has inherited his father's wholesale produce business along with brother Freddy. As a child Allen suddenly jumped into the water off Cape Cod, where the child mermaid rescues him until the adults can fetch him from the water.

As an adult Allen has commitment issues and admits he doesn't love his girlfriend. After a friend's wedding he returns to Cape Cod for a little nostalgia. Another boating accident results in another mermaid rescue, but the "girl" runs away as Allen regains consciousness on shore.

The mermaid fetches Allen's wallet from the ocean floor and follows a map to track Allen down in New York City. She climbs onto dry land at the statue of liberty - lacking a tail and clothes - and is taken into custody by the police. They call the guy who owns the wallet she's carrying. (The mermaid, of course, can't speak English...)

So Allen and the Mermaid are united again, where the attraction is powerful and mutual. The Mermaid learns English watching television for an afternoon (this makes the rest of the movie easier!) and she decides to make her American name "Madison" while looking at a street sign for Madison Avenue. (Many Americans subsequently chose "Madison" for their daughters after this movie.)

Allen only knows Madison is "foreign". Madison's time on land is limited. (For reasons that aren't exposed in the film.) Levy portrays a renegade pseudo-scientist who has been searching for a mermaid his entire career. When one swims past while he's diving at Cape Cod he is startled. Then he sees a newspaper photo of a nude girl at the Statue of Liberty that looks a lot like the mermaid...

The plot isn't difficult to guess, but the performances are full of funny and touching flourishes that make you laugh and care about these characters. This isn't really a 5-star movie - but I couldn't choose 4 1/2. It's a pleasant way to spend some time with your own sweetie."

Excellent DVD extras

Michael Booker | Arnold, MO USA | 04/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The DVD extras really make this 20th anniversary re-release worth owning. This movie has been run repeatedly (in edited form) on television, so there probably aren't that many people who haven't had a chance to see this delightful fantasy. The "making-of" video and the commentary track give a fascinating glimpse into the way that Hollywood works. Why did Disney wind up making this film? How did Tom Hanks get the lead? How did they choose Darryl Hannah? Who was the film's "real" star? How did they pull off the underwater shots? What was the lobster that Madison ate in the restaurant? If you have a soft spot for this film, it's a joy to watch and a real treat to get to know better."

Splash is a beautiful, romantic comedy.

Michael Booker | 04/26/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Splash is a wonderful, romantic comedy about a man and a mermaid who fall in love for each other. This is one of Tom Hanks' earliest hits that made him a star. His co-star, Darryl Hannah, who plays Madison the mermaid, has never really had a hot film career away from this movie, sadly enough. The late John Candy and Eugene Levy provide some of the film's hilarious comedy as well. This film was directed by Ron Howard. A movie about a mermaid has to be good, and Splash does this so well. Tips off to the crew of this movie who made it so real. The underwater sequences are well done as well as Daryl Hannah herself as the mermaid. She is utterly believable as a mermaid! She is just so sexy in the rubber mermaid tail suit. She swims in it so well. This movie really brought a fairy tale type story to life. A must see for everyone. This film was followed by "Splash, Too", a Disney TV movie sequel in 1988 starring Todd Waring and Amy Yasbeck in the Hanks/Hannah roles. Unfortunately, this sequel is not on home video."