It was certainly about time we had another mermaid film (it being nearly 30 years since Glynis Johns splashed her way through the sequel to 'Miranda') when Splash rolled around.

That might help explain the huge success of this comedy, which heralded a profitable new era for Disney's Touchstone Pictures unit, now one of the most successful in the world.

This romp takes a while to get going (until the appearance of the mermaid, in fact), but when it does it has some funny lines, amusing characters and an engagingly funny (and finny) heroine in Daryl Hannah as the amorous Madison.

The thought of Tom Hanks and John Candy as brothers is a bit hard to swallow and insufficient thought is given to technical details, but the film is never less than fun to be with.

These days you can't ask for much more than that.

TAGLINE: She was the woman of his dreams: She had large dark eyes, a beautiful smile - and a great pair of fins.'