Splash is on paper a movie that really should not work.

I remember being sent to review this for the student paper and rolled my eyes at the “man falls in love with mermaid” high concept. I was fully prepared for it to be terrible, but it turned out to be one of the best romantic comedies of the 80s.

As with most successful romantic comedies, much of it comes down to the casting. Darryl Hannah has never been better or lovelier as the mermaid, and Tom Hanks gives a sweet performance (pre-Sleepless in Seattle and his other rom-com leads) as the hero. This was also the first big hit for director Ron Howard (of Happy Days fame), who went onto make many Hollywood blockbusters. 

For trivia fans: one other minor legacy of the movie was that it popularised “Madison” as a girl’s name (which in the film the mermaid takes from a Madison Avenue sign). So now you know!

These images and the still are from the UK press kit, which I have held onto since reviewing the movie way back in 1984. The positive American reviews are plastered over the front, no doubt to persuade cynical British hacks to give the movie a chance!