Sleevenotes:

Fletch, based on a novel by Gregory McDonald, is a murder-for-laughs-thriller. Until last week, Fletch (Chevy Chase) was just another mild mannered reporter fighting for the truth, justice and a window office. But things change when he goes undercover as a minor league junkie to trace some drug traffickers. Whilst on this assignment he meets Stanwyk (Tim Matheson) who says he is dying of bone cancer and asks Fletch to murder him, so that his wife will benefit from the insurance. Stanwyk it seems has arranged the perfect crime - a feigned robbery, a getaway Jaguar and a first class ticket to Rio. But something doesn't seem quite right. And as he dons various guises in an attempt to discover the truth. Fletch finds himself being threatened, shot at, accused and arrested. and that's by the people he's trying to help!

Review:
This is Chevy's finest hour. From start to finish the one-liners just keep on coming in what is the greatest comedy ever. Backing up Chevy in full flow and a staggering number of quoteable lines we have a clever story (so often missing in comedies) and some superb support performances. Tim Matheson and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson are both excellent while Richard Libertini is just awesome as Chevy's boss and we also see nice cameos from George Wendt, Joe Don Baker and a very early outing for Geena Davis. This is often referred to as the most quoteable comedy of all time and in compiling the quotes below I could quite easily have re-written the script as it just does not let up. The fast-talking style is perhaps a little too fast for some but those who keep up with the dialogue will enjoy the finest comedy flick known to man.

Funniest scenes:
Fletch receives a full examination from Dr. Dolan - "Moon river..."

Fletch (as Dr. Rosenpenis, Dr. Rosenrosen, Dr. Rosen etc) seeks directions in his SNL fall-guy manner - "Where the hell's the records room?"

Fletch visits the tennis club to meet Gail Stanwyk - "I can't figure out what I was doing in Utah this morning."

Fletch (now as Mr. Poon) visits Stanton Boyd - "God, I admire you."

Arnold T. Pants Esquire seeks payment of Fletch's outstanding alimony debt - "Ah, open your raincoat."

The Lakers dream sequence - "Ah, Fletch - he truly defines grace under pressure."

Chief Karlin politely asks Fletch to leave the beach story alone - "So that's Karlin with a 'K' right?"

Fletch (Gordon Liddy this time) noses around Boyd Aviation's aircraft hanger - "There is a tremendous build up of guck!"

The police chase Fletch who has stolen his car from another car thief (John Boy, as it happens) while Dan Hartman lets rip with yet another great tune - "Get outta town.."

A man who needs no introduction, Fred "The Dorf" Dorfman - possibly Fletch's finest bluff.

Fletch blags it again at the Pan-Am desk in just about my favourite scene (good enough to warrant full coverage in the quotes section below).

Fletch (Harry S. Trueman) has a chat with Marvin and Velma - "You and your wife are currently alive I take it?"

A roller-skating Fletch (Baba au Rum) takes to the beach in his finest robes.

Top lines:
Fletch: "Are you on a scavenger hunt or did I just forget to pay my dinner cheque?"

Fletch: "Does this proposition entail my dressing up as Little Bo Peep?"

Fletch: "For an extra grand I'll let you take me out to dinner."

Fletch: "Oh, you've remodelled the garage. Must have cost you hundreds."

Alan Stanwyk: "You'll be wearing rubber gloves. Do you own rubber gloves?"
Fletch: "I rent them. I have a lease with an option to buy."

Fletch: "Well there we're in kind of a grey area."
Frank Walker: "Okay, how grey?"
Fletch: "Charcoal."

Dr. Dolan: "Isn't there a children's book about an elephant called Babar?"
Fletch: "I don't know. I don't have any."
Dr. Dolan: "No children?"
Fletch: "No elephant books."

Fletch: "Thankyou Doc. Ever served time?"

Fletch: "Aaarrrggghhh! Using the whole fist Doc?"

Dr. Dolan: "Well, I don't find anything wrong with you."
Fletch: "Well, I'm sure it's not for a lack of looking."

Fletch: "Where am I?"
Nurse: "You're in the records room. Can I get you something?"
Fletch: "Do you have The Beatles White Album? Never mind just get me a glass of hot fat and bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia while you're out there."

Waiter: "Excuse me Senor, are you a member of the club?"
Fletch: "No I'm not. I'm with the Underhills."
Waiter: "They are left Senor."
Fletch: "That's alright they'll be back. He went out for his urinalysis."
Waiter: "Would you like some drinks Senor while you wait? I will put it on the Underhill's bill."
Fletch: "Yes, very good. I'll have a Bloody Mary and a steak sandwich and a steak sandwich please."

Fletch: "Somebody's bucking for a promotion. It's probably that pederast Hanrahan."

Stanton Boyd: "Jesus H. Christ on a popsicle stick!"

Madeline: "I'm sorry - who are you again?"
Fletch: "I'm Frieda's boss."
Madeline: "Who's Frieda?"
Fletch: "My secretary."

Fletch: "If you're wearing rubbers leave them outside."

Fletch: "Frank, I need to go to Utah."
Frank Walker: "Utah?"
Fletch: "Yeah Utah. It's wedged in between Wyoming, Nevada. You've seen pictures."

Fletch: "Come on Frank, say yes. I'll buy you some new deodorant."

Fletch: "Look - defenceless babies!"

Cop: "Got a gun creep?"
Fletch: "Shamu's got one. Borrow his."

Fletch: "You fellas wanna read me my rights?"
Cop: "You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to have your face kicked in by me. You have the right to have your balls stamped on by him."
Fletch: "I'll waive my rights."

Police desk clerk: "You'll like Chief Karlin. He's a nice man."
Fletch: "Yeah I hear he's mellowed out a lot since he came out of the closet."

Chief Karlin: "So, what's your name?"
Fletch: "Fletch."
Chief Karlin: "Full name?"
Fletch: "Fletch F. Fletch."
Chief Karlin: "I see. And what do you do for a living Mr. Fletch?"
Fletch: "I'm a shepherd."
Chief Karlin: "Officers would you excuse us for a moment?"
Fletch: "Yeah - why don't you guys go down to the gym and pump each other?"
Chief Karlin: "Why are you doing this Mr. Fletch?"
Fletch: "I like men. I like to be manhandled. I like you."

Fletch: "You're serious?"
Chief Karlin: "Ask anybody."
Fletch: "Can I ask anybody now? How about can I call my mum - tell her how much I love her?"

Mechanic: "You're supposed to have been here over an hour ago boy."
Fletch: "Well, traffic was murder you know. One of those manure spreaders jack-knifed on the Santa Ana. God awful mess. You should see my shoes!"

Fletch: "Ah, that's a terrific wing. I love that shape."

Fletch: "Ah, come on guys it's so simple! Maybe you need a refresher course - it's all ball-bearings nowadays. Now you prepare that fetzer valve with some Three-In-One oil and some gauze pads. And I'm gonna need about ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No... no make that Quaker State."

Fletch: "Can I borrow your towel for a sec? My car just hit a water buffalo."

Gail Stanwyk: "Are you always this forward?"
Fletch: "Only with wet, married women."

Fletch: "Well, I saved his life during the war."
Gail Stanwyk: "You were in the war?"
Fletch: "No, he was. I got him out."

Pan-Am clerk: "Mr Stanwyk, you are confirmed on Pan-Am flight 441 to Rio de Janiero tomorrow evening eleven PM first class."
Fletch: "That's teriffic, thankyou."
Pan-Am clerk: "You re-confirmed this morning."
Fletch: "You bet I did. I'm a bearer for detail. I hope there's nobody sitting next to me. You see I always travel first class and I er, take both seats up. I'm in bridge-work, construction. These fold-outs take a tremendous amount of space up and I need the space."
Pan-Am clerk: "I'm afraid there is someone sitting next to you."
Fletch: "Oh for God darn, darn! Who is it? Mr Sininlinden?"
Pan-Am clerk: "No, the name's Cavanaugh."
Fletch: "Cavanuagh. Ah, is that Maurice or Pierre?"
Pan-Am clerk: "Sally-Ann Cavanaugh."
Fletch: "Sally-Ann? Well, teriffic."
Pan-Am clerk: "Infact, you purchased the ticket for Miss Cavanaugh."
Fletch: "Doesn't mean I want her sitting next to me does it?"

Fletch: "I'm afraid I'm gonna have to pull rank on you. I didn't want to have to do this. I'm with the mattress police. There are no tags on these mattresses."

Fletch: "I love your body Larry."

Marvin Stanwyk: "Boy, what in the hell's the matter with you?"

Gail Stanwyk: "She looks like a hooker. Look at her! Look at her! Could you love someone who looked like that?"
Fletch: " What are you talking about? Of course not. Five, ten minutes top maybe."

Fletch: "Sally-Ann and Alan were married eight years ago. Never divorced making Alan a bigamist. Even in Utah."

Fletch: "Curiously she said we had roughly the same build. From the waist up I imagine."

Fletch: "If you shoot me you're liable to lose a lot of those humanitarian awards."

Fletch: "The coroner had certified Stanwyk dead. Or extremely sleepy."

Fletch UK Rating: 10 out of 10

Links:
imdb.com
yahoo movies
laker jim's fletch won homepage
the official "unofficial" fletch page