The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother

I really don't understand why this film isn't better-known. It's been a favorite of mine for years, and is very funny, if rather off-beat and quirky. Perhaps it's an acquired taste, and its nay-sayers haven't watched it enough; I don't know. It's full of some of the best comic talent ever to appear to the screen, and they do an admirable job. From the oddly reticent detective who has been forced to live in his brother's shadow, to the gorgeous music hall singer/compulsive liar, to the villain who must do something truly rotten every twenty minutes, the characters are very original and manage to surprise laughs out of audiences who never have any idea what to expect from them--a true rarity when put in the context of the modern comic film. Don't believe me, however; watch it yourself and form your own opinion.

The other reviewer on this site clearly doesn't understand the subtleties of the comic genius of Gene Wilder (Sigerson Holmes), Madeline Kahn (Jenny Hill, or should I say Bessie Besswood), Marty Feldman (Sgt. Sacker of Scotland Yard) and the rest of the cast of this too little known classic! It's pithy and witty and clever and tips its hat to Conan Doyle at every turn. The Kangaroo Hop, Hop will have you hopping around the living room, and Madeline Kahn outdoes herself. It's right up there with Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, and I'm waiting oh so patiently for it to be released on DVD! A must see for fans of the subtle and smart in comedy.

When papers of supreme importance to the crown are stolen, Sherlock Holmes gets involved in the case. However to divert attention he gives the case to his younger brother, Sigerson Holmes while he and Watson pretend to go away for a holiday. Sigerson takes up the case with the help of Sgt Sacker of Scotland Yard and follows a trail that begins with a mysterious, deceitful music hall singer and leads all the way to his brother's nemesis, Professor Moriarty.

I do enjoy the movies of Gene Wilder, while he has been in some real dogs, I do like his sense of humour and love some of his `classics' with Mel Brooks. So the couple of times I have sat down to watch this I have always assumed that it will be better than it actually is. The plot doesn't really matter but wouldn't stand up if it was put in a serious film, the film seems to be a lot more free flowing and just tries to touch on plot points to try and keep some sort of informal structure to it. While this sort of comedy can survive with a dodgy plot, it cannot survive without good jokes and regular laughs – neither of which it has in sufficient quantities.

There are very funny bits and it all has a comic feel but I didn't laugh out loud very often and too often was sitting waiting fore the next joke for too long. The general comic tone helps make it watchable but I suspect most people would be hoping for something a lot funnier considering some of the work of the cast before (and around this time period). In fairness the cast do do a good job. Wilder is his usual self and does the self-important-fool thing sort of like he did in Young Frankenstein (if you know what I mean). Feldman is OK but not hilarious and his `photographic hearing' gag doesn't really work. Kahn is good and her songs are quite amusing (but not compared to her effort in Blazing Saddles) and the support cast have a few good faces and characters (including an eccentric Moriarty).

However, overall this just isn't funny enough to cut the mustard for me. I had hopes for a good spoof but it only occasionally reached the level where it was funny and it couldn't sustain this. It does have moments where it sends up the Holmes legend well (especially the Rathbone/Bruce film versions) but not often enough. It passed the time for me but to be honest I felt let down that the film had failed to do more with the idea.

All right I take that back. This may not have been the first movie I ever saw (I think that was either "Return of the Jedi" or "The Rescue Rangers"), but this was the first movie I remember enjoying thoroughly. This is the bonding film for my dad and I. He used to quote Madeline Kahn's lines all the time while we were growing up ("I have a little dimple on my cheek ..."). Like my impassioned review of Wonka for IMDb, I'm again very partial to the acting of Gene Wilder, who I believe is one of American's all-time comic gems. He was a master of body comedy. Just look at him when he finds Zero Mostel kissing a client in "The Producers." I love this movie because it is so absurd. I remember thinking that as a child, but watching it now, do I really understand. I guess a lot of people didn't "get it" because the movie was so unconventional. Wilder's acting as Sherlock (or as he puts it "Sheer-Luck") Holmes's younger brother is funny as hell, but Marty Feldman as a cross-eyed detective? Even better. And the other casting is fantastic too - Kahn, Leo McKern, Dom DeLuise and Roy Kinnear all act brilliantly.

This movie will always mean more to me than most people. However, I urge you to see it if you always wanted to or never even heard about it, because I believe you will definitely take something positive away from it.

If you are a fan of Gene Wilder or Mel Brooks' comedies, you will love this movie! Within the first 10 minutes of watching this film, I was in tears. You might need to watch it a few times, as some scenes require multiple viewings in order to pick up on the layer upon layer of comic genius contained within. Absolutely hilarious. Not quite the classic that Young Frankenstein was, but in the same class, to be sure. I doubt it has any mainstream appeal these days, but then again... what does that tell you?