Main Cast: Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, Dom DeLuise, Leo McKern
Release Year: 1975
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
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). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
With such a very promising idea and such an exceptionally talented comic cast, it's a shame that The Adventures 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 Adventures 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. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Roy Kinnear - Moriarty's Aide; John Le Mesurier - Lord Radcliff; 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
Credit
Alan Johnson - Choreography, Ruth Myers - Costume Designer, David Tomblin - First Assistant Director, Gene Wilder - Director, Jim Clark - Editor, John Morris - Composer (Music Score), Terence Marsh - Production Designer, Gerry Fisher - Cinematographer, Richard A. Roth - Producer, Peter Howitt - Set Designer, Simon Kaye - Sound/Sound Designer, William Hobbs - Stunts, Gene Wilder - Screenwriter
The hero is Sigerson Holmes (Wilder), the younger and smarter brother of Sherlock "Sheer-Luck" Holmes. Jealous of his more famous brother, Sigerson teams up with a Scotland Yarddetective (Feldman) and an opera singer (Kahn) to solve a case that Sherlock is incapable of solving, putting him up against both Moriarty (McKern) and blackmailer De Luise.
The film's title and premise are a joke referring to the little-known character of Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock Holmes' older brother, who was by both of their estimates a good deal smarter than Sherlock. He was, however, too lazy to become a detective, and did indispensable work for the British government. Mycroft was described by Sherlock in conversation with Watson:
“
One has to be discreet when one talks of high matters of state. You are right in thinking that he is under the British government. You would also be right in a sense if you said that occasionally he is the British government.
[...] Mycroft draws four hundred and fifty pounds a year, remains a subordinate, has no ambitions of any kind, will receive neither honour nor title, but remains the most indispensable man in the country.
Sigerson's name also refers to an alias used by Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Empty House. This film was unavailable for many years until it was released on DVD on April 4, 2006.
