The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)

The younger brother of the consulting detective tries to steal Sherlock's glory by solving an important case assisted by an eccentric Scotland Yard detective and a lovely but suspicious actress.

Director:

Gene Wilder

Writer:

Gene Wilder

Stars:

Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Wilder	...	Sigerson Holmes
Madeline Kahn	...	Jenny Hill
Marty Feldman	...	Sgt. Orville Stanley Sacker
Dom DeLuise	...	Eduardo Gambetti (as Dom De Luise)
Leo McKern	...	Moriarty
Roy Kinnear	...	Moriarty's Assistant
John Le Mesurier	...	Lord Redcliff
Douglas Wilmer	...	Sherlock Holmes
Thorley Walters	...	Dr. Watson
George Silver	...	Bruner
Nicholas Smith	...	Hunkston
John Hollis	...	Moriarty's Gunman
Aubrey Morris	...	Coach Driver
Tommy Godfrey	...	Fred
Susan Field	...	Queen Victoria

Storyline

Sherlock Holmes' younger brother is annoyed that he has had to live in Sherlock's shadow for so long. When Sherlock goes to the continent, he sends a case to his brother who constantly tries with varying success, to imitate Sherlock's deductive and observational tricks.

---

Plot Keywords:

sherlock holmes | scotland yard | queen victoria | detective | opera | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Musical | Mystery

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 December 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jouer Films, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's title and story set-up are an in-joke referring to Sherlock Holmes' older brother, Mycroft Holmes, who is introduced in Arthur Conan Doyle's story 'The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter' and described as Sherlock's intellectual superior. In Doyle's short story 'The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans' Sherlock describes the British government's reliance on Mycroft's prodigious intellectual powers as follows: "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."

---

Goofs

During Sigerson's duel with Moriarty, the clock behind Moriarty strikes eleven, distracting him. However, the clock only chimes four times.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Royal Herald: The Foreign Secretary, Lord Redcliff!
Lord Redcliff: [rehearsing what to say under his breath] Your Majesty, being inside of your confidence is the greatest joy I've ever known. Ahem...
Queen Victoria: [handing him the document] Lord Redcliff, the fate of England is now in your hands.
Lord Redcliff: Your Confidence... being inside of Your Majesty is the greatest single joy I've ever known.
[realizing what he's said, he tosses the document away]
Lord Redcliff: Woof!
Lord Redcliff: It's alright, Your Majesty! I've got it! I've got it. All's well that ends well!
Queen Victoria:

---

Connections

References The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

---

Soundtracks

"Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball): Singing at the Party; I Want You Now; Very Sexy Wine"
Performed by Madeline Kahn, Dom DeLuise, Gene Wilder, and the opera singers

User Reviews

Unique classic comedy

This has Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn and Marty Feldman at their peak as a comedy team. The interaction between the main characters will make you laugh and cry.

The Sherlock Holmes fans among you will appreciate the irony and the relationship Wilder brings to life as Sherlocks brother and the way the movie ties the classic Baker St mystery into an extremely off beat and likable sexy comedy. I would recommend this movie to anyone with a sense of humour.