Sherlock Holmes is as dashing as ever, but with a little secret: Dr. Watson is the brains behind the operation. When Reginald Kincaid, the actor he has hired to play Holmes becomes insufferable, Watson fires him and tries to go out on his own, but finds that he has done too good a job building Holmes up in the public's mind.
Acting
Caine's glorious buffoon vs. Kingsley's long-suffering genius
Writing
Witty inversion of Doyle's entire mythology
Costume
Holmes looking impeccable while absolutely failing
Director
Thom Eberhardt
Michael Caine
Sherlock Holmes
Ben Kingsley
Dr. John Watson
Jeffrey Jones
Inspector Lestrade
Lysette Anthony
Impostor Leslie Giles
Nigel Davenport
Lord Smithwick
Peter Cook
Greenhough
Gregor Fisher
Bobby at Warehouse
Paul Freeman
Prof. James Moriarty
George Sweeney
John Clay
John Tordoff
Mr. Andrews
Alexandra Spencer
Mrs. Andrews
Matthew Sim
Real Lesley
Pat Keen
Mrs. Hudson
Matthew Savage
Wiggins
Tim Killick
Sebastian
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley were both Oscar winners when they made this, making it one of the most overqualified comedies ever.
The film flopped in 1988 but became a cult favorite among Holmes devotees who appreciated its affectionate mockery of the myth.
US
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