by David C. Terr

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Title: Splash

Director: Ron Howard

Starring: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, John Candy, Eugene Levy

Release Date: Mar. 9, 1984

Running Time: 111 min

Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

 

Commentary
Splash is a fantasy romantic comedy starring Daryl Hannah as a mermaid and Tom Hanks as her lover. Despite the plot being rather ridiculus, Splash is very funny and romantic. Daryl does a terrific acting job, as does Tom Hanks. John Candy is also very good as Freddie, the brother of Allen Bauer (Hanks).

Plot Summary
Splash begins in 1964, when Allen Bauer was eight years old. While taking a boat trip with his family off Cape Cod, he discovers a young girl in the sea, who turns out to be a mermaid. He jumps into the water and nearly drowns, but she saves him.

Now 20 years later, Allen lives in New York City along with his brother Freddie. Allen is depressed because he just broke up with his girlfried and he feels like he can't fall in love. He decides to take a trip to Cape Cod, where he meets the mermaid again. She saves his life once again and kisses him on a beach without saying anything to him, then swims away. She hides her tail from him while in the water.

Allen left his wallet on the beach, so the mermaid looks up New York City in an old atlas on an old abandoned boat underwater. She arrives on Liberty Island naked (with no tail out of the water). She gets arrested for indecent exposure, but the police call Allen, who's wallet she has, and release her into his custody. She learns English by watching TV at Bloomingdale's for several hours and also buys some new clothes. She tells Allen that she only has six days to spend with him. Allen ends up giving her the name Madison, which she sees and likes while walking down Madison Avenue.

Meanwhile, Dr. Walter Kornbluth (Levy), who had seen her on Cape Cod with her tail, is trying to prove that she's a mermaid by following her and trying to get her wet. Eventually he succeeds outside a Presidential dinner, whence Madison and Allen get sent to a secret laboratory for observation. Eventually they release Allen when they decide he's just an ordinary man.

Allen at first is heartbroken when he realizes that the only woman he'd ever really loved had turned out to be a mermaid, but his brother convinces him to pursue her anyway. Thus, Allen, Freddie, and Dr. Kornbluth, now with a change of heart, decide to rescue her. They do, but the authorities catch up to them. Eventually Allen and Madison realize that their only way out is to jump into the ocean, where Madison assures her that he can be safe with her. They do so and life happily ever after underwater.

Cultural Significance
The name Madison for girls was practically unheard of in 1984 when Splash was released. However, due to the movie's popularity, Madison became a very popular girl's name, becoming the third most popular first name for girls in the USA in 2000.  

Movie Clips

Here's a clip of Allen and Freddy at the bar.

Here's a clip of the scene in which Madison looks up Allen's address after meeting him.  

Here's the famous bathtub scene.