The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)

“While Sherlock is gone, he will pass on one or two of his less urgent assignments to his brother, Sigerson.” 

            There are seriously no words to describe how silly and totally hilarious The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother is. I bought this a few years ago and did not really think anything of it and only watched it that one time. I brought this to my grandma’s house tonight (we have movie nights every Monday while my grandpa plays cards) and we laughed so hard. Now that I have a better appreciation for Gene Wilder and get more of the humor I enjoyed the movie so much.

            Sherlock Holmes cannot be directly involved in a case involving a singer. He sends the case over to his younger brother Sigerson Holmes (Gene Wilder). Sigerson has always lived in his brother’s shadow even though he is a very intelligent detective and person. Scotland Yard sends over a man named Sgt. Sackler (Marty Feldman) who has “photographic hearing.” The case is about blackmail against a young woman named Bessie Bellwood. The woman herself (Madeline Kahn) comes to Sigerson’s apartment and right away he sees right through her BS. He tells her if she wants to impersonate a famous music hall singer who has been dead for twelve years she better learn all her famous songs by heart. The woman’s real name is Jenny Hill.

            As the case unfolds Jenny is involved in a plot against England and the stealing of an important document given to someone she knows from Queen Victoria. With a little help from his brother Sigerson cleverly solves the case.

            Gene Wilder is a friggin genius. He wrote, directed, and starred in the movie. He plays Sigerson so perfectly and so subtly. Usually he plays his characters way too overdramatically but here he was perfect. Madeline Kahn was beyond hysterical and brilliant. There was one part where in order to get information out of Jenny Sigerson had to do sexual things to her and he fluffs up her boobs like a pillow!! The whole scene was amazing I had tears in my eyes. Of all the movies I have seen with Kahn this is my favorite of hers she was so entertaining and so funny. Marty Feldman will forever be Eyegore to me from Young Frankenstein. He was pretty much the straight man throughout the movie but of course he was the straight man with some oddities. Dom De Luise is in the movie as well. He plays an Italian opera singer who is in an opera with Jenny. De Luise is as always funny. The opera at the end and his performance in it is a panic.

            The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother is one of the best comedies ever filmed. It is silly funny without going over the top. I found it so funny that while I was waiting for Madeline Kahn and Gene Wilder to come on the screen I forgot there was even an interesting murder mystery plot going on. If you are a fan of Gene Wilder and the comedy style of Mel Brooks you will be highly entertained. This a comedy worth watching over and over.

^^^ This is hilarious ^^^