Product Details

• Format: NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• VHS Release Date: January 1, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (66 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00000F204
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #302,879 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's "Sheer-luck" That This is Being Released on DVD!!, January 23, 2006

By 

E. Hornaday (Lawrenceville, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (DVD)

While some have ridiculed this Sherlock Holmes' parody, I love it and rejoice at its long-awaited DVD release. Made in 1975, funny man Gene wilder wrote, directed and starred in the film, which also boasts the incomparable talents of the late and truly lamented Madeline Kahn and Marty Feldman. It also stars Dom DeLuise and Leo (Rumpole of the Bailey) McKern.

Wilder, a well-schooled actor in parodies having starred earlier in his career with Kahn and Feldman in Mel Brooks' classic and beloved "Young Frankenstein," turned is considerable skills to create this loving send-up of the world's most famous sleuth. Wilder was well-equipped to do so as he is a life-long Conan Doyle fan and bonafide member of the Baker Street Irregulars, a famous real-life Sherlockian scholarly society whose members include Christopher Morley. (In this film, Brooks has a cameo role, but he is heard and not seen.)

In this Victorian era film, Wilder portrays Sigerson Holmes, the "smarter" but very jealous younger brother of the brilliant Consulting Detective, whom he derisively refers to as "Sheer-luck." (In the Conan Doyle canon, "Sigerson" was an alias Sherlock Holmes used during his "missing years" after his falsely believed death-plunge at the Richenback Falls at the hands of his evil nemesis, Professor James Moriarty; while Mycroft Holmes was actually Sherlock's smarter brother.)

In the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother, Sigerson begins an investigation, at the request of Sherlock, into the disappearance of a vital cache of government documents. Sherlock and Dr. John Watson leave England to travel to the Continent on another assignment, apparently confounded by the missing document mystery.

Kahn, who in her life was a classically trained singer, was given the opportunity to showcase her impressive vocal talents as Jenny Hill/Bessie Underwood/Opera singer, a compulsive liar and Sigerson's love interest. The film is well worth watching if for nothing else than a zany drawing room musical scene when Sigerson and Jenny first meet, which culminates in the truly unforgettable, "Kangaroo Hop."

Feldman is Sigerson's Watson, Sgt. Orville Sacker of Scotland Yard who possesses "photographic hearing," and who, along with Jenny, help Sigerson recover the documents and thwart Moriarty (with some invaluable behind-the-scenes assistance from Sherlock Holmes!)

McKern is wonderfully evil as the new Moriarty, while DeLuise is a bumbling blackmailer.

This film is fun, wacky, sweet and very off-beat. Kudos to Wilder for choosing to enlist his old partners Kahn and Feldman, providing yet another permanent chapter in their unforgettable and immortal careers!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A lost gem, April 17, 2006

By 

Kurt Wieland (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (DVD)

Like "Young Frankenstein", "The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother" is a knowing and affectionate spoof. It does not set out to destroy its target, but to show appreciation for it. Wilder, a member of the Baker Street Irregulars, shows his knowledge of Holmsian lore by including many references and quotations from a number of the stories, though mostly from "The Naval Treaty." Wilder, Kahn and Feldman are once again a wonderful, cohesive trio, Dom DeLuis is a riot as a bizarre and untalented opera singer, and Leo McKern shows both utter strangeness and menace in his role as Moriarty. The film has moments of total manic humor, such as spontaneous singing ("The Kangaroo Hop"); Wilder and guest villain Roy Kinnear having a coach-top battle with a giant shoe and glove taken from businesses they pass; and a hilarious spoof of the opera, "The Masked Ball" with very funny English "translation" from the Italian. McKern and Wilders' final duel in a spooky prop room is genuinely exciting and nicely choreographed and the film perfectly captures the look and sounds of 1890s England, with a nice John Morris music score evoking Korngold, as Wilder wanted him to do.
Everyone clearly had a good time making this film and it shows in the enthusiasm for the material. The film is not out-and-out funny all the way through, but it wasn't designed to be.
At the end, for example, there is a genuinely poignant scene where Sigi has Sacker leave the sought-after Redcliff document in the prop room, clearly realizing that his famous older brother has been watching out for him and will retrieve the document himself. The elder Holmes later plays some violin music to bring Sigi and Jenny back together, and Wilder's look tells us he realizes the old fiddle player is really his older, despised brother.
Wilder's commentary at times is insightful, at other times, he doesn't have much to say. I wanted more behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the production; in the final duel between Holmes and Moriarty, I wanted to know how they created the very effective forced-perspective shot of the wharves below the opera house, making it appear as if the fighters were many floors above the river.
I have great affection for this movie, as both a Sherlock Holmes fan and someone who appreciates Gene Wilder's talent. This is a lost gem, finally available to enjoy again. If you can watch Roy Kinnear hail a taxi with a four-foot-long glove on his hand without laughing, there is no hope for you! And don't forget to drink some sexy wine while you enjoy this film.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wilder, March 29, 2007

By 

Ron (Jersey) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (DVD)

I am a huge Gene Wilder fan and loved Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The World's Greatest Lover, Stir Crazy, etc. This movie however just didn't work for me. With Kahn and Feldmon I thought this would be a winner, especially with Wilder writing and directing. I love his humor, but I just didn't laugh with this movie. I think this one you should rent first if you haven't seen it. It is certainly not for everyone judging by the wide swing of ratings.