Without a Clue

19881988
PGPG
1h 47min

Michael Caine, Lysette Anthony, and Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

Comedy Crime Mystery

A drunken Sherlock Holmes is really just a cover for the real detective, Dr. Watson.A drunken Sherlock Holmes is really just a cover for the real detective, Dr. Watson.A drunken Sherlock Holmes is really just a cover for the real detective, Dr. Watson.

See production, box office & company info

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination

Michael Caine in Without a Clue (1988)

Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

Without a Clue (1988)

Michael Caine, Lysette Anthony, and Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

Without a Clue (1988)

Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

Without a Clue (1988)

Murder by Decree

6.9

Murder by Decree

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

7.1

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

Jack the Ripper

7.6

Jack the Ripper

The Fourth Protocol

6.6

The Fourth Protocol

Young Sherlock Holmes

6.8

Young Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady

5.8

Sherlock Holmes and the Leading Lady

The Wrong Box

6.8

The Ipcress File

7.2

The Ipcress File

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

6.7

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution

Deathtrap

7.0

Sleuth

8.0

Ratz

6.1

This is a Sherlock Holmes story with a difference. Here, Dr. Watson is the ace detective and has been using an actor to play the part Holmes. Holmes is a drunken actor and gets on Watson's nerves. When Watson tries to go it alone, he doesn't have much success, so he is forced to let Holmes take all the credit once more. —Rob Hartill

spoof private detective drunkenness knocked unconscious attempted suicide 27 more

Taglines
- The flip side of Sherlock Holmes.
Genres
Certificate
- PG
Parents guide

Trivia
The closing credits offer an apology that states: "With apologies to the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson."

Goofs
The postcard from Lesley has a picture of the Eiffel Tower occupying one entire side. Postcards of this type did not exist anywhere until 1901 or 1902, and in France not until 1904.

Quotes
Holmes: It wasn't YOU he tried to kill!
Watson: Think man, think... Who was SUPPOSED to be in that room?
Holmes: That's right! You were!
Watson: Moriarty knows... I'm am the only match for his evil genius.
Holmes: You mean he's not trying to kill me?
Watson: Of course not. He knows you're an idiot.
Holmes: Oh, thank God.

Crazy credits
With apologies to the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson

Connections
Featured in At the Movies: Things Change/Bat*21/Without a Clue/Mystic Pizza/Daffy Duck's Quackbusters (1988)

Soundtracks
Where Did You Get that Hat?
(uncredited)
Written by Joseph J. Sullivan
Performed by Sarah Parr-Byrne

Top review

A true lost gem

The premise is so clever. Sherlock Holmes never really existed. It was Dr. Watson (Ben Kingsley) who had been solving these cases all along, and simply hired bumbling actor Reginald Kincaid (Michael Caine) to play the fake Sherlock Holmes.

To those who are hard-core Holmes fans, this film will be cherished. Sadly, the VHS is out of print in the USA (I bought mine used at a flea market), and DVDs are available only in Europe.

(UPDATE: The film has been released on DVD in the USA, but in Pan & Scan.)

Also, the film received hardly any promotion in the USA. But it is lavishly directed, cleverly written, and magnificently cast.

Everything about this film deserves exclamation points!

Track it down any way you can, and prepare to laugh out loud.

helpful•53

14

Baroque
Dec 6, 2002

Release date
- October 21, 1988 (United States)
Country of origin
- United Kingdom
Language
- English
Also known as
- Genie und Schnauze
Filming locations
- Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Production company
- Incorporated Television Company (ITC)
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Gross US & Canada
- $8,539,181
Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,246,772
- Oct 23, 1988
Gross worldwide
- $8,539,181

See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

Runtime
- 1h 47min
Color
- Color
Sound mix
- Dolby Stereo
Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
- 1.66 : 1

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Michael Caine, Lysette Anthony, and Ben Kingsley in Without a Clue (1988)

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