Without a Clue

Without a Clue is built on a reversal of the Sherlock Holmes stories. Dr. John Watson is the real detective, a physician who solved crimes for Scotland Yard and then attributed his deductions to an invented figure, Holmes, partly to protect his reputation at a conservative medical college and partly to publish his adventures in the pages of The Strand. When the public demands to see the famous detective in the flesh, Watson hires Reginald Kincaid, a third-rate actor with a taste for drink and women, to play the part. The arrangement collapses when Watson dismisses the unreliable performer after an excess and tries to work on his own, only to find that no one will entrust a case to Holmes's supposed assistant. The two are forced back together for a case involving stolen currency plates and the criminal schemes of Moriarty.

Thom Eberhardt directed the film, which followed Night of the Comet (1984) and The Night Before (1988). Michael Caine plays Holmes and Ben Kingsley plays Watson, with Jeffrey Jones, Lysette Anthony, Nigel Davenport and Peter Cook in supporting roles. Made in the United Kingdom by Orion Pictures and ITC Entertainment, it took about 9 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 6.9/10 from 12,000 votes and on TMDB 6.7/10 from 269 votes, while its critics' rating stands at 5.6/10 from 13 reviews, putting professional appraisals below the audience scores.