The Pink Panther (1964)

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Directed by Blake Edwards.

Starring Capucine, Claudia Cardinale, David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner.

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In the first in a series of detective comedies from director Blake Edwards starring Peter Sellers as bumbling French Inspector Jacques Clouseau, the mishap-prone snoop is actually a supporting player. David Niven stars as Sir Charles Litton, a suave jewel thief known as "The Phantom." Vacationing in a deluxe Alpine resort, Litton's real purpose is to purloin the Pink Panther, a gem of enormous worth owned by a princess (Claudia Cardinale). On his trail for years, Inspector Clouseau keeps losing his quarry, perhaps because his wife Simone (Capucine) is Litton's lover and alerts him every time her husband draws near. Also after the Panther is Litton's American nephew, George (Robert Wagner). At a posh costume ball at the princess' villa, the bauble is stolen and Clouseau, still trying to determine the bandit's identity, is framed for the crime himself. The Pink Panther (1964) made Sellers and his Clouseau act so popular that the character moved to center stage in a series of farcical sequels. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

10 Movies That Made ‘Get Smart’ ...
by SpoutBlog in SpoutBlog on spout.com

hasn't rated it.

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"The best time for a Get Smart movie would have been the late ’60s, when the original television series was still on the air. In fact, there was a theatrical Get Smart film in the works during the run of the show, but it was canceled when the theatrical release of Munster, Go Home! bombed at the box office. Many years later, in 1980, a Get Smart feature titled The Nude Bomb was released to theaters, but it also performed poorly. Now we’re getting a remake version starring Steve Carell in the role that was so iconically defined by the late Don Adams. Will it do the show justice? Reportedly the budget was $80 million, a significant amount of which was probably put towards pointless effects. But the best thing Warner Bros. could have done with that money is to give a large amount to series creators Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, who probably even today could churn out a better script than Failure to Launch scribes Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember. Despite its lack of original Get Smart talent, ... " [More]

One Trick French Pony
by Tenenbaums in Tenenbaums Blog

loved it.

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"Note: If you're really interested in seeing the film, don't read any reviews. Just watch it and then read the reviews. The game is Russian Roulette spliced with Telephone. In a circle, hold a gun to the player's head in front of you after spinning your barrel a good ten seconds. Wait for the single dangling light bulb in the circle's center to light up, and fire. Losers die, winners play on. Everyone starts with one bullet and increases the ammunition to match each subsequent round to three. The final round is a duel where two players with four slugs each point a spun barreled pistol at each other's forehead and squeeze the trigger. Survive, and you walk away with a load of cash. Oh yeah, and your life.Sound intriguing? For Sébastien, a poor Mr. Fix-It struggling to support his family, the money is enough to lure him without any knowledge of the game. The winnings are also plenty for the crowd of high stakes gamblers, many of whom travel the c ... " [More]

Re: Favorites
by Risselada in British Invasion

loved it.

"Alright here's a few British gems that do good things for me. I believe these are all British in some way. Please correct me if otherwise:Two Bruce Robinson classics:Withnail & IHow to Get Ahead in AdvertisingThe Ruling ClassSleuthA Clockwork OrangeRosencrantz and Guildenstern are DeadDirty Pretty ThingsSecrets & LiesBarry LyndonTime BanditsThe LadykillersKind Hearts and CoronetsThe HomecomingA Christmas Carol (1951)Snatch.The Third ManThe Elephant ManFollowingA Zed & Two NoughtsBrazilOliver TwistThe Pink PantherA Shot in the Dark I hear that Kenneth Branaugh is supposedly directing a new film of Sleuth. It looks as though Michael Caine will be taking the other role in this one. What do people think about this? " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

liked it.

One of the most successful franchises of the 1960s and 1970s, director Blake Edwards' Pink Panther movies were a hit from their first installment, in 1964. The film introduced many of the series' hallmarks: Peter Sellers' endearingly inept Inspector Clouseau; the lanky animated pink panther of the credit sequences; and Henry Mancini's instantly recognizable score. Clouseau is a more minor role here than he would be in the future. Sellers' scene-stealing work -- in a part originally intended for Peter Ustinov -- secured him starring status in the subsequent films. His sense of comic timing is unparalleled, in both dialogue delivery and physical humor. Though The Pink Panther isn't as funny as its sequel, A Shot in the Dark (also from 1964), Edwards gives the screwball humor an effortless feel. Such farce was a departure for Edwards, previously best-known for the bittersweet Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) and the somber Days of Wine and Roses (1962). The Pink Panther would be followed by eight sequels of varying casts and quality and a popular television cartoon. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide

Tags: Classic , style , theft , brilliant , clumsy
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