Splash (1984)
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A man in New York City falls in love with a woman who is secretly a mermaid.
The story
In 1964, a young man named Allen experiences a mysterious encounter with a girl in the ocean off the coast of Cape Cod. Twenty years later, while living in New York City, Allen finds himself reunited with the mysterious woman, who is revealed to be a mermaid. She is taken into his care after being apprehended by authorities. As the two begin to fall in love, they must navigate the complexities of her secret identity while facing the threat of discovery by a scientist who recognizes her true nature.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1964, young Allen Bauer encounters a girl in the ocean who allows him to breathe underwater; she is later revealed to be a mermaid. Two decades later, in New York City, Allen meets her again after she is caught by police and placed in his care. She takes the name 'Madison' and the two fall in love. However, a scientist named Walter Kornbluth recognizes her and alerts authorities. Madison is captured and taken to a lab where she is at risk of being dissected. Allen, along with his brother Freddie and Kornbluth, orchestrates a daring rescue. In the climax, they flee to New York Harbor. Madison reveals that Allen can only breathe underwater while with her. As soldiers close in, she dives into the water, and Allen joins her, finally embracing his destiny as they swim toward an underwater kingdom.
- First release year
- 1984
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ron Howard
- Writers
- Lowell Ganz · screenplay; Babaloo Mandel · screenplay; Bruce Jay Friedman · screenplay; Bruce Jay Friedman · story; Brian Grazer · story
- Cast and characters
- Tom Hanks · Allen; Daryl Hannah · Madison; John Candy · Freddie; Eugene Levy · Walter Kornbluth
- Themes
- forbidden love; identity; human-nature connection
- Tone and mood
- romantic; light; humorous
- Reception
- The film was critically and commercially successful, praised for its acting, humor, and chemistry between the leads.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 71 · scale: 100 · review count: 15
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · Nomination
- Production trivia
- First film released by Touchstone Pictures; Inspired the name of the Disney ride Splash Mountain
Genres
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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