The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother [Blu-ray]

Director: Gene Wilder Gene Wilder

Overview

Comic actor Gene Wilder made his debut as a writer and director in this period comedy in which he plays Sigerson Holmes, the older bother of famous detective Sherlock Holmes. For years, Sigerson has been living in his little brother's shadow, and he is convinced that he must constantly prove his superiority to his brother in all things at all times. Of course, he often fails, but one can't argue with his determination. In this story, Sherlock (Douglas Wilmer) and his faithful assistant, Watson (Thorley Walters), are called away from England on an assignment, and Sherlock asks Sigerson if he wouldn't mind looking into a case for him. With typically misguided enthusiasm, Sigerson is hot on the trail of a cache of missing government documents, whose theft may be the dirty work of the wicked Moriarty (Leo McKern). Sigerson is assisted in his investigation by Olville Sacker (Marty Feldman), a bumbling Scotland Yard detective who claims to have photographic hearing, and the mysterious and seductive Jenny Hill (Madeline Kahn). Gene Wilder rose to fame in the offbeat comedies of director Mel Brooks, so it was fitting that, for his first film as a director, Wilder cast Brooks in a cameo role (he's heard but not seen after discovering that the door he chose had the tiger, not the lady).

Product Details

Release Date:	09/06/2016
UPC:	0738329206529
Original Release:	1975
Rating:	PG
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Language:	English
Time:	1:31:00

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Gene Wilder	Sigerson Holmes
Madeline Kahn	Jenny
Marty Feldman	Olville Sacker
Dom DeLuise	Gambetti
Leo McKern	Moriarty
Roy Kinnear	Moriarty's Aide
John Le Mesurier	Lord Redcliff
Douglas Wilmer	Sherlock Holmes
Thorley Walters	Dr. Watson
George Silver	Bruner
Susan Field	Queen Victoria
Tommy Godfrey	Fred
John Hollis	Col. Von Stulberg
Nicholas Smith	Hunkston
John Morris	Composer

Technical Credits

Gene Wilder

Richard A. Roth	Producer
Gene Wilder	Screenwriter,Director
William Hobbs	Stunts
Simon Kaye	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

With such a very promising idea and such an exceptionally talented comic cast, it's a shame that The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother doesn't turn out to be a much better film. This is especially true due to the fact that there are a couple of moments when Brother is screamingly funny, and another half dozen when it at least approaches the brink of being screamingly funny. There are also a good number of chuckles, one or two guffaws, and a handful of giggles. Unfortunately, there is also more than a fair share of groaners, as well as unfortunate stretches where every joke just falls flat. This would matter a little less if the story that surrounds these jokes and would-be jokes were stronger, or at least more cohesive. That is definitely not the case, as Brother has a screenplay that seems to have been created with "slapdash" in mind. Unlike better Mel Brooks efforts, which it very clearly resembles, Brother doesn't know how to lay a strong, solid foundation on which to base its hopefully wild excursions into humor. Writer Gene Wilder also suffers from the work of director Gene Wilder, who doesn't know how to properly shape the scenes and how to save them in the editing room. As a result, scenes meander, lose their focus or go on too long, dissipating their comic impact. Fortunately, writer/director Gene Wilder is saved by actor Gene Wilder and by a sterling cast that does wring every possible ounce of humor out of the script. Madeline Kahn is in peerless form, Marty Feldman and Wilder demonstrate the same chemistry they shared in Young Frankenstein, and Leo McKern and Dom DeLuise provide robust support. It's a shame The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother isn't more successful, but it's worth watching for its cast (at all times) and for those moments when things really do come together and create the kind of inspired zaniness that is all too rare.

All Movie Guide - Craig Butler