Fletch Lives * (1989, Chevy Chase, Hal Holbrook, Julianne Phillips, R Lee Ermey, Richard Libertini) – Classic Movie Review 10,088

Fletch Lives… but the movie dies. Director Michael Ritchie’s 1989 comedy-thriller Fletch Lives is an irritating, abravive sequel to the very popular 1985 comedy-thriller Fletch, with Chevy Chase back as Irwin ‘Fletch’ Fletcher, the fast-talking Los Angeles reporter, into disguises and involved in Southern murder capers when he inherits a Louisiana mansion from his aunt.

Neither the yarn (screenplay by Leon Capetanos) nor Chase’s smug comedy makes it live, though the satire on TV evangelism is amusing if obvious.

Also in the cast are Hal Holbrook, Julianne Phillips, Cleavon Little, R Lee Ermey, Richard Libertini, Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb, George Wyner, Geoffrey Lewis, Richard Belzer, Phil Hartman, Titos Vandis, Don Hood, Dennis Burkley and Patricia Kalember.

Chase, Libertini and Wyner are the only returning actors from Fletch.

It cost the same as the first film, $8,000,000, but was a smaller hit in the US, grossing $35,150,960 against the original’s $50,612,888. Even so, it must have been profitable.

Fletch Lives is directed by Michael Ritchie, runs 95 minutes, is made by Universal Pictures, Cornelius Production and Vincent Pictures, is released by Universal, is written by Leon Capetanos, based on the character created by Gregory McDonald, is shot in colour by John McPherson, is produced by Alan Greisman and Peter Douglas, is scored by Harold Faltermeyer.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,088

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