LargerThe Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother
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Release Date: 2006-04-04
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
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Enjoyable but lacking that little extra
As a child, I thought this 70s Sherlock Holmes' parody, was brilliant. Sadly, now, decades later, I see and realize the tarnished elements to the film.
Gene Wilder, fresh from his brilliant performance in Young Frankenstein does do a fine job in the role of a bitter and pompous younger brother to the more known Holmes. However, outside of one case mentioned (that of the Three Testicles, a throw-away line), we have no idea how good of a 'consulting detective he is.' There are moments he is bumbling and then moments where he is clever. And this odd variation is endemic to the entire plot.
We have the wonderful and talented Madeline Kahn as the love interest and mystery lady. Unfortunately, her character never makes any sense - all her scenes are meant to elicit laughs but there is no depth behind her character. Why would someone who is a governess be working as a dance hall singer and an opera singer and be romancing the head of the household? It's a shame as she can only do so much with the material presented. And despite their friendship, the two lack romantic chemistry.
Then, there's Marty Feldman, who is never given enough to do. It's a shame as he's quite a good physical actor. And Dom DeLuise hams up every scene, often for a touch too long.
Fortunately, Leo McKern provides the silver screen with one more memorable Moriarity's filmed. A shocking claim? Not at all. McKern's character, at times whimsical, other times pathologically vicious, steals every scene. You can see that he is a man motivated by his (hilarious) curse to commit a heinous act every 24 minutes. He's not a bumbler (except at math) and his lines are the best written in the movie.
The plot wanders a bit. But generally this is a decent comedy of its era. Not on par with the best of Mel Brooks, or with the other Holmes spoof, Without a Clue, but worth a laugh.
However, what is not worthwhile at all are the extras. The film's original trailer is dull (a monotone voice narrating). And the most disappointing aspect of the entire DVD is Wilder's commentary.
I hate to read into his own narration, but there was the sense that Wilder had grown tired and distant from his early work. There is barely any effort to reference scenes, characters, to give the audience a real sense of what happened in the making of this movie. There are long pauses when he remains quiet, as if he's seeing the film for the first time again. There are moments where he states the obvious. I became so frustrated because I wanted to know why he did scenes this way and that, to hear the clever details. One would never know that Wilder is a comedy legend by the painful way he (barely) relates his commentary. Holmes boy
Very funny. Gene Wilder is up to form as usual. It turns out his older brother is actually smarter, but is kind enough to make his brother think he's the smarter one. Dom De Luise is funny as ever. A must see just for kicks.The Adventure of sherlock Holme's Smarter Brother
I didn't purchase this product for myself. I ordered it for a friend of mine. He says that it is a typical Gene Wilder movie. If you like Blazing Saddles , you'll probably enjoy this one.Sherlocks Smarter Brother
Took forever to locate this DVD. Thanks to Amazon, I found it and found the price to be right and the DVD good quality. This is a very funny movie. It's "old", but holds up well.Finally on DVD
This is a well written comedy that should have been out on DVD long ago. Marty Feldmand, Gene wilder and Madeline Kahn always worked well together. Fans of Sherlock Holmes will find this amusing.Product Description
Studio: Tcfhe Release Date: 04/04/2006 Run time: 91 minutes Rating: PgAmazon.com
After co-writing and starring in Mel Brooks' smash hit Young Frankenstein, Gene Wilder graduated to his own directing debut with another spoofy take on a cultural icon. The 1975 Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother gives Wilder some great trademark meltdowns, even if the movie doesn't sustain its initial comic energy. Wilder plays Sigerson Holmes, third (and bitterly resentful) brother to the more fabled Sherlock and Mycroft. Two Young Frankenstein co-stars help bring the game afoot: Madeline Kahn, as an opera singer with a problem in distinguishing truth from lies, and Marty Feldman, as a Scotland Yard man with "photographic hearing." The long early sequence that introduces all three characters to each other--and culminates in a lunatic song-and-dance number, "The Kangaroo Hop"--is truly funny, and Dom DeLuise summons up some broad yoks as a singer with a bad toupee. The British are represented by Leo McKern and Roy Kinnear, as well as a mysterious cameo by Albert Finney. (Mel Brooks isn't around, but you can spot his unmistakable pipes in a moment of voiceover.) Things become routine fairly quickly, and the last half-hour is something of a slog, so you'll have to be a Gene Wilder fan to love this one. Still, the rapport of Wilder and Kahn is something to behold: two expert comedians who always suggested an undercurrent of melancholy beneath their clowning. --Robert Horton
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