|
''Fletch'' is a 1985 comic action-thriller spy film directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Andrew Bergman and is loosely based on Gregory Mcdonald's popular ''Fletch'' novels. Tim Matheson, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Geena Davis and Joe Don Baker appear in supporting roles. The film revolves around Los Angeles Times reporter Irwin M. "Fletch" Fletcher (Chevy Chase), who is offered a large sum to kill a cancerous millionaire, to which Fletch is on the run, risking his job, and looking for clues when it turns out he is healthy as life itself. In the 1970s, Burt Reynolds and Mick Jagger were considered to portray Fletch but these suggestions were rejected by Mcdonald. The author agreed to the casting of Chevy Chase despite never seeing the comedian in anything. Chase reportedly enjoyed the role because it allowed him to play several different characters and work with props. In a 2004 interview with ''Entertainment Weekly'', Chase confirmed this was his favorite role. ''Fletch'' fared well from critics and performed well at the box office. It has since developed a cult following and was followed by a 1989 sequel, ''Fletch Lives''. A prequel, ''Fletch Won'', has been in development for over two decades. ==Plot== ''Los Angeles Times'' reporter Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher (Chase) is writing an article exposing the drug traffic on the beaches of Los Angeles. Posing as an addict during his investigation, he is approached by Boyd Aviation executive vice president Alan Stanwyk (Matheson) who mistakenly assumes Fletch is a junkie. Stanwyk claims to have bone cancer, with only months left to live, and wishes to avoid the pain and suffering. Stanwyk offers $50,000 for Fletch to come to his mansion in a few days time, kill him, and then escape to Rio de Janeiro, staging the murder to appear as the result of a burglary. Fletch is suspicious but reluctantly agrees to the plan. Along with his colleague Larry (Davis), he begins investigating Stanwyk instead of completing his drug trafficking exposé, much to the dismay of his stern editor Frank Walker (Libertini). Fletch endures a rectal exam from Stanwyk's doctor, Dr. Dolan (Walsh), in a failed attempt to talk Dolan into divulging medical information about Stanwyk. Later, disguised as a doctor, Fletch accesses Stanwyk's file at the hospital and learns Stanwyk lied about having cancer. Next, Fletch visits Stanwyk's wife Gail (Wheeler-Nicholson) at her tennis club and, pretending to be a tennis instructor and friend of her husband's, flirts with her during an impromptu tennis lesson. Looking into Stanwyk's finances, Fletch finds out that Gail recently converted $3 million of her personal stock in Boyd Aviation into cash for her husband to buy a ranch in Provo, Utah. Fletch breaks into the realtor's office and discovers the deed lists the sale price as only $3,000. Meanwhile, LAPD Chief Jerry Karlin (Baker) gets wind of Fletch's soon-to-be-published drug article and meets with him, saying the article will jeopardize his undercover operation on the beach. Chief Karlin threatens to kill Fletch unless he agrees to drop the investigation. Back at the tennis club, Fletch overhears a rude club member, Mr. Underhill, insulting a waiter and decides to use Underhill's tab to treat Gail to an expensive lunch in her private cabana. Fletch informs Gail of the details to her husband's murder scheme and the fraudulent ranch deal. Fletch spies Stanwyk making a suspicious briefcase exchange with Chief Karlin, but is unable to determine the nature of their relationship. He returns home to find LAPD officers lying in wait at his apartment and flees and manages to avoid being caught after a harrowing car chase. Forced to go into hiding, Fletch returns to Provo and, under the disguise of an insurance investigator, interviews Stanwyk's parents. Fletch discovers Stanwyk has been secretly married to another woman for eight years, having used Gail for her money. At the climax, Fletch arrives at Stanwyk's mansion on the night of the plotted murder only to find Stanwyk armed and ready to kill him instead. Fletch reveals he is aware that Stanwyk's real plan was to fake his own death by killing Fletch and burning his body beyond recognition. Stanwyk would then escape to Brazil with his other wife as well as Gail's $3 million. Stanwyk was also using his private jet to smuggle cocaine from South America to supply Chief Karlin who in turn profited by blackmailing ex-convicts like Fat Sam (Wendt) to peddle it on the beaches. Chief Karlin unexpectedly shows up and, upon learning of Stanwyk's intentions to flee with $800,000 of the Chief's drug money, kills Stanwyk. Chief Karlin and Fletch then indulge in a brief brawl over the gun until Chief Karlin is knocked unconscious by Gail. Some time later, Chief Karlin is indicted due to Fletch's investigation. Fletch begins dating Gail and, in the final scene, takes her on a vacation to Rio, again using Mr. Underhill's tab. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Fletch (film)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|