London-based gangster George Thomason (Tom Georgeson) and his right-hand man, Ken Pile (Michael Palin), an animal lover with a bad stutter, plan a jewel heist. They bring in two Americans to help: an alluring con artist, Wanda Gershwitz (Jamie Lee Curtis), and “weapons man” Otto West (Kevin Kline), an Anglophobe who fancies himself an intellectual. Wanda and Otto are lovers, but hide this fact from George and Ken, pretending to be brother and sister, so Wanda can work her charms on them.
The robbery goes well: the thieves get away with a large sum in diamonds. However, they are briefly spotted during their getaway by an old lady walking her three dogs. The group then hide the loot in a safe in an old workshop. Soon after, Wanda and Otto betray George to the police and he is arrested. They return to collect the loot, only to find that George and Ken have moved it.
Wanda, who was planning to double-cross Otto as well, decides to seduce George’s unhappily married lawyer, Archie Leach (John Cleese), who must endure a vindictive wife (Maria Aitken) and a spoiled daughter, to find out where the diamonds are located. Otto becomes insanely jealous, and his interference, combined with instances of bad luck, lead Wanda and Archie’s liaisons to go disastrously wrong. Wanda reveals that she likes Archie but would only stay with a rich man. He eventually calls off their attempted affair.
Meanwhile, George gives Ken the task of killing the old lady, the Crown’s only eyewitness. During his various attempts to kill her, Ken accidentally kills off her three Yorkshire Terriers one by one. This causes him grief, as well as grave bodily harm as each attempt goes wrong. However, the witness suffers a fatal heart attack when her last dog is killed, so Ken is ultimately successful in his mission.
Director: Charles Crichton, John Cleese
Year of Release: 1988
Character to watch: John Cleese as Archie Leach.
Journal your answers to the following questions after you watch the movie.
- How does this particular character’s journey compare with yours?
- Did the character develop certain characteristics during the movie that you have or that you would like to have? If so, what are those characteristics?
- What obstacles did this character face? What was his or her biggest challenge?
- What would you have done differently if you had been in the same position as the character?
- Is this character the type of person you would be friends with? Why or why not?