1989 - FLETCH LIVES, the sequel to Fletch

Let's take a look at the sequel to the 1985 Chevy Chase mystery Fletch, in my opinion one of the better roles that suited his wise ass persona.  The film was again directed by Michael Ritchie one of Hollywood's best satirists  and written by a decent comedy writer Leon Capetanos.  

The first Fletch film was a rather pleasant funny surprise with Chase donning various disguises and accents as he attempts to solve the mystery of a millionaire who wants Fletch to kill him as he is dying of a terminal disease. Chase smart asses him self through that mystery and the film made fairly decent money eventually a sequel was called for.

In this film Fletch travels to Louisiana to claim an inheritance from a deceased relative, he gets himself mixed up with a bike gang, a televangelist, the Klu Klux Klan and a black handy man right out of a Steppin Fetchit film. 

Fletch Lives doesn't measure up to the first film but it has it moments and probably some of the most outrageous Southern stereotypes ever put on screen since Gone With The Wind. Outrageous but at times pretty funny.

Michael Ritchie and Chase manage a few mild satirical shots at Southerners and I suppose the film is as good as a sequel can be while rehashing the best bits of the first film.  Still, I enjoyed Fletch Lives, the running time is a painless 95 minutes.