Sherlock Holmes' cleverer Bruder

I suppose it's possible that the movie for some reason works better on TV than on the big screen, but I thought this movie was extremely funny and superior to better known movies by the likes of Mel Brooks. This was Gene Wilder and Marty Feldman in their prime. Very silly, very funny.

Well, Gene Wilder assembled a fine cast for a comedy; some comedy arises - if fitfully - from their interactions. In their antics Wilder, Feldman and DeLuise are passable if hardly inspired and the venerable talents represented by John Le Mesurier and Leo McKern are scarcely touched upon, but Madeline Kahn is wonderfully oddball. This was the first time I had seen her in anything and, I must say, she is a wonderfully deft, uncanny comedienne; so singular and alluring. Glancing over her filmography, it seems a crying shame that she was continually relegated to supporting status and didn't get many - if any - genuine lead roles.

Whilst some relatively unconnected hi-jinks do impress, the film's Achilles heel is that there is little structure, with gags of almost exclusively physical nature dominating - perhaps overbalancing the brew - and the odd non sequitur impressing. The use of song and such like is undeniably similar to that of Mel Brooks, and indeed the numbers accorded Ms Kahn are appropriately exuberant. But, Wilder's script and, shall we say, laissez faire direction, are ultimately to blame for the film's failings: the use of the Sherlock Holmes mythos is rather too minimal and little impression or flavour is given of the Holmes stories, in what purports to be a spoof.

Leo McKern, a quite splendid actor, does very well with what he is given, but what he is given is scant, and he is seldom gainfully employed; it is a shame that more room in the film could not have been allocated to such an enjoyable, twinklingly august actor. Roughly the same goes for Le Mesurier. What does, however, impress is a certain degree of comic aptitude, displayed *just enough* by the cast, making hay with the isolated flashes of inspiration in the script.

The film indeed never quite outstays its welcome, although at times is tiresome when gags fall flat - as too often they do. So often it is terribly frustrating, when considering the calibre of those involved, to think of the film this could well have been... As it stands it is merely a mildly enjoyable, amiable film; 'inconsequential and slapdash' some sharp pens would justifiably inscribe, but I feel it deserves my indulgence - most specifically because of the glorious Madeline Kahn.

I really don't understand why this film isn't better-known. It's been a favorite of mine for years, and is very funny, if rather off-beat and quirky. Perhaps it's an acquired taste, and its nay-sayers haven't watched it enough; I don't know. It's full of some of the best comic talent ever to appear to the screen, and they do an admirable job. From the oddly reticent detective who has been forced to live in his brother's shadow, to the gorgeous music hall singer/compulsive liar, to the villain who must do something truly rotten every twenty minutes, the characters are very original and manage to surprise laughs out of audiences who never have any idea what to expect from them--a true rarity when put in the context of the modern comic film. Don't believe me, however; watch it yourself and form your own opinion.

Gene Wilder has done a wonderful job of directing, writing, and acting in this terrific parody comedy. I taped it off tv last fall, and have watched it at least 20 times since, pratically having memorized it all. I also enjoyed the great performances by Madeline Kahn, Dom Deluise, and Marty Feldman. I can't wait till I see Wilder and Kahn on the big screen again.

When papers of supreme importance to the crown are stolen, Sherlock Holmes gets involved in the case. However to divert attention he gives the case to his younger brother, Sigerson Holmes while he and Watson pretend to go away for a holiday. Sigerson takes up the case with the help of Sgt Sacker of Scotland Yard and follows a trail that begins with a mysterious, deceitful music hall singer and leads all the way to his brother's nemesis, Professor Moriarty.

I do enjoy the movies of Gene Wilder, while he has been in some real dogs, I do like his sense of humour and love some of his `classics' with Mel Brooks. So the couple of times I have sat down to watch this I have always assumed that it will be better than it actually is. The plot doesn't really matter but wouldn't stand up if it was put in a serious film, the film seems to be a lot more free flowing and just tries to touch on plot points to try and keep some sort of informal structure to it. While this sort of comedy can survive with a dodgy plot, it cannot survive without good jokes and regular laughs – neither of which it has in sufficient quantities.

There are very funny bits and it all has a comic feel but I didn't laugh out loud very often and too often was sitting waiting fore the next joke for too long. The general comic tone helps make it watchable but I suspect most people would be hoping for something a lot funnier considering some of the work of the cast before (and around this time period). In fairness the cast do do a good job. Wilder is his usual self and does the self-important-fool thing sort of like he did in Young Frankenstein (if you know what I mean). Feldman is OK but not hilarious and his `photographic hearing' gag doesn't really work. Kahn is good and her songs are quite amusing (but not compared to her effort in Blazing Saddles) and the support cast have a few good faces and characters (including an eccentric Moriarty).

However, overall this just isn't funny enough to cut the mustard for me. I had hopes for a good spoof but it only occasionally reached the level where it was funny and it couldn't sustain this. It does have moments where it sends up the Holmes legend well (especially the Rathbone/Bruce film versions) but not often enough. It passed the time for me but to be honest I felt let down that the film had failed to do more with the idea.