Archie Leach (John Cleese, who also provides the script) is a repressed English barrister charged with defending gangster George (Tom Georgeson), who has just pulled off a multi-million jewel heist with the aid of the beautiful Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis), her psychotic 'brother' Otto (Kevin Kline) and stuttering animal rights activist Ken (Michael Palin). George was captured before he could tell his cohorts where he had hidden the gems, so Wanda sets out to seduce Archie in order to discover their secret location. However, Otto's objections to her relationship with the up-tight lawyer ensure that the process is not a smooth one. Kline won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and Cleese (who borrows Cary Grant's real name for his character) managed to persuade veteran Ealing director Charles Crichton out of retirement to helm the film.