Without a Clue

WITHOUT A CLUE

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Sound format: Dolby Stereo

'Sherlock Holmes' turns out to be a ham actor (Michael Caine), hired by brilliant detective Dr. John Watson (Ben Kingsley) to play a character whose adventures are dramatized by Watson and published in a popular weekly magazine. But the two men are forced to set aside their differences when Prof. Moriarty (Paul Freeman) hatches a fiendish plot to destabilize the British Empire.

An unexpected gem. Thom Eberhardt's clever revision of Holmesian lore foregoes puns and sight gags for character-based comedy, and a wonderful cast of experienced British thesps plays it with just the right degree of reverence and mockery (Caine and Kingsley, in particular, make a formidable comic team). However, the script - by Gary Murphy and Larry Strawther - is entirely faithful to the spirit of Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous creation: Despite Holmes' incompetence and Watson's escalating outrage, the central mystery is genuinely skillful and engrossing, the clues are delightfully outlandish, and the Victorian atmosphere is conveyed with elegant simplicity, thanks to stylish art direction (by Brian Ackland-Snow) and costume design (by Judy Moorcroft). However, the writers aren't afraid to poke gentle fun at the established conventions, particularly Holmes'/Watson's uncanny ability to draw conclusions from even the most obscure scraps of evidence, and the climax manages to combine warm-hearted comedy and genuine thrills during a final showdown with Moriarty in an abandoned theatre. Highly recommended.

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.

Oddly Thom Eberhart's Without a Clue, wasn't critically well received on its 1988 release and apparently nor was it greatly promoted, resulting in a sadly brief theatrical run, before disappearing into the annals of cinema history, to be occasionally resurrected since then, for the odd television appearance. It's a pity because it's a cleverly written and well produced film, deserving of a far greater recognition. I wonder whether it was dismissed so easily, because director Eberhardt, who doesn't really work in the industry any more, was collectively seen as very much a director of "B" fare, who never seriously looked like helming a film of critical substance. At any rate, my feeling is that with Without a Clue, Eberhardt did reach his creative zenith and delivered a light - hearted feature of real worth.

Utilising an excellent script from debut cinema screen writers and Holmes tragics Larry Strawther and Gary Murphy, the film takes the Conan Doyle Holmes Canon and then plays with it for all that its worth, in creating not so much satire, but what ends up being a funny, but honourable parody of the Great Detective and his loyal medico off - sider. In this version, the roles are reversed: Dr. John Watson (Ben Kingsley) is the brilliant detective and novelist, while "Sherlock Holmes" (Michael Caine) is an actor hired to pose as the detective so that Watson can protect his reputation as a physician.

The film mirrors well known real life events, like Conan Doyle never regarding his Holmes collection with great regard, in that Watson also attempts to dispense, unsuccessfully of his Holmes creation. But like Conan Doyle himself, finds he is forced to resurrect his Holmes, if he wishes to carry on investigating surreptitiously. Whilst giving respectable nods to many of the Holmes touchstones, such as Mrs Hudson, The Baker Street Irregulars, Professor Moriarty, Inspector Lestrade (a very funny Jeffrey Jones) and a damsel in distress, the production team do a thoroughly A class job of recreating late nineteenth century London.

The Conan Doyle role reversals proves to be an irresistible hook for comedy, with wonderful performances tendered by Kingsley and Caine who demonstrate an effortless chemistry between one another. They both obviously appreciate the crackling banter provided by scripters Strawther and Murphy and the range of comic situations provided therein, bearing in mind the storyline involving the theft of currency plates form the Royal Mint, is in itself, never much more than routine.

Without a Clue doesn't offer the kinetic pace of the entertaining Guy Ritchie films, nor the seriousness of the Basil Rathbone anthology. But it's well performed by the stars and offers a fresh, charming, affectionate take on the beloved characters.

This movie is probably the finest parody of Sherlock Holmes I've ever seen . Yes , I like Wilder's "Private life of Sherlock Holmes " . Yes , Levinson's "Young Sherlock Holmes " was fun . "Without the clue" in my opinion easily beats them all . The idea here is simple , but brilliant (like the most of ideas) – what if Watson was the smart one and Holmes was an idiot ? This little movie is a great character comedy.

The movie actually really feels like a SERIOUS Sherlock Holmes movie . The music , the mood , the costumes and the art-direction – everything that is needed to bring the world of Holmes from the books on the screen alive is top-notch . Look at the beginning of the movie . Until the moment when Watson begins to shout at Holmes you could be easily fooled that this is just another adaptation of Conan Doyle's books. Hell , the whole plot is done well . If they would keep the original characterizations of the characters this would be a really good "normal" Holmes movie . This is something I feel that was lost by both Wilder and Levinson – the soul of Sherlock Holmes world .

The jokes here are simple , sometimes predictable . There are some more subtle jokes that you might miss , if you're not watching closely ( joke with the disappearing watch , joke with the violin ) . The true strength of this movie lies in the performances of Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley . I was especially surprised by Kingsley . I've never seen him in comedy before . He usually plays a rather evil and menacing characters . I've seen Caine in comedy before , so I knew he was perfectly capable to give a fine performance.

Kingsley and Caine have a wonderful chemistry together that is rarely seen on screen . They can make even the simplest line of dialogue hilarious and the interaction between them is a pleasure to watch . I seriously think that without them , the whole movie wouldn't have work . The other actors give them a good support , especially Jeffrey Jones . He's perfect for the role of Lestrade . He's got one hilarious scene when he's trying to figure out what Holmes said to him – he's facial expression is worth Academy Award . Great performance.

As I mentioned earlier the movie is very attractive visually and the orchestral music by Henry Mancini (famous for "Pink panther theme ") fits the story very well .

Overlooked and unappreciated , even now . Too bad . I give it 7/10.

"Without A Clue" might be called "Without A Trace," as it sunk upon its 1988 release much like a set of five-pound-note engravings at the bottom of Lake Windemere. Hopefully the new DVD release, albeit pan-and-scan, will give people another chance to catch this terrific send-up of fiction's most celebrated detective.

This is the film that dares reveal Sherlock Holmes is a fraud, an out-of-work actor named Reginald Kincaid (Michael Caine) pulled out of the gutter by a desperate crime-solving doctor named Watson (Ben Kingsley) who needed to produce someone to play the part of this invention of his. Dr. Watson, you see, didn't want the initial notoriety of his sleuthing successes. He desired admission to a medical college that would frown on such things. Now he wishes he wasn't so successful in playing Kincaid off as Holmes; Kincaid's a drunken womanizing blaggard grown too big for his britches, whining that Watson doesn't treat him at all times with the respect his borrowed robes command.

"I am the one the public really cares about," Kincaid/Holmes sniffs.

"Are we talking of the same man who once declared the late Colonel Howard had been bludgeoned to death by a blunt EXCREMENT?"

"Is it my fault if you have such poor handwriting?"

The lines aren't all polished gems, but they complement a pair of nice comic performances by Caine and Kingsley that keep spirits merry as the game goes afoot.

Also well-done is the understated late Victorian period detail and some strategic nods to the Holmes canon like the presence of Mrs. Hudson the housekeeper and the Baker Street Irregulars, all of whom are in on the Kincaid/Holmes secret. There's choice digs at Holmes' notoriety throughout, like a fellow who gives some meaningless eyewitness testimony to Holmes before a rapt hometown crowd who break into applause when Holmes tells Watson: "Make a note of it." Watson's slow burns here and elsewhere reward repeat viewings.

With Henry Mancini doing the score and director Thom Eberhardt effectively working in a light Ealing tone, this film plays like some great lost Peter Sellers comedy, except Sellers would never share the screen so easily with another as Caine and Kingsley do here. Eberhardt also did good work in another film that went past too many people, "Year Of The Comet;" it's a shame we didn't see more of him.

This would be a classic if the mystery at the heart of the story was more developed, and there are a pair of unnecessary killings that distract momentarily from the light tone. I'm not wild about all the supporting performances, but Jeffrey Jones is a very funny Lestrade as he chases Holmes around an abandoned house on his hands and knees, Watson having told his partner first to do his usual sleuthing routine so Watson himself can root around unobserved. Lysette Anthony is sexy and effective as the potential romantic interest, inspiring Holmes to try and solve the case without Watson, as well as look in keyholes when he's not supposed to.

He's less successful attempting elementary deduction when he spies a man he takes for a reporter just back from the subcontinent.

"I'm a barrister and I've never been to India in my life," the man answers.

"But you do read the Times."

"Of course."

"Aha!"

You don't need to be an Arthur Conan Doyle fan to enjoy "Without A Clue," though it helps. This is the best kind of parody, no less riotous and cutting from being a work of true love.