The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm

Right now you can watch The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 35 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Laurence Harvey is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on HBO Max Amazon Channel.

There is a reason The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm keeps coming up in conversation. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm from the crowd. The Grimm brothers Wilhelm and Jacob, known for their literary works in the nineteenth century, have their lives dramatized. Wilhelm fights to write something entertaining amongst the sea of dry, non-fiction books they write and he sets about collecting oral-tradition fairy tales to put into print. Their life story is countered with reenactments of three of their stories including "The Dancing Princess," "The Cobbler and the Elves" and "The Singing Bone." The chemistry Laurence Harvey and Karlheinz Böhm bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. It was released in 1962. The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Laurence Harvey is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.

The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm was released in 1962, directed by George Pal. The full 140-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.