The Pink Panther
not rated 113 minutes released in 1963 by United Artists starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine, and Claudia Cardinale written by Maurice Richlin and Blake Edwards directed by Blake Edwards
An Archive Review by Frankie Paiva
The moment the famous Pink Panther theme comes on, the mood is perfectly set. This screwball comedy featuring the memorable Inspector Clouseau (played by Peter Sellers) whose bumbling detective work is less than extraordinary, is what most remember best about the film. However, some key scenes and other characters sometimes get forgotten. The real main character of the movie is Sir Charles Litton (David Niven). Litton is a playboy who also happens to be an elusive thief that steals precious diamonds, leaving a white glove behind at each crime scene. He's come to a ski resort to steal the Pink Panther; a jewel belonging to Princess Dala (Claudia Cardinale), named for the panther shaped imperfection in the middle of the stone. Clouseau is oblivious to the fact that his wife Simone (Capucine) is having an affair with Litton, and that the thief is right under his nose. Also present is a young Robert Wagner who portrays George Litton, Charles's nephew. These characters get thrown into a complex set of comedic situations that are laugh out loud hilarious. The scenes are funny not only for their slapstick physical comedy elements, but for the sheer idiocy of the characters and their actions. During some points of the movie, one might wonder how stupid Clouseau could possibly be, but his dumbness is always appealing, and never annoying. This whole movie's basis is fun.
The reason The Pink Panther is probably so memorable is because of the great cast. Sellers is masterful as the Inspector and his performance evokes the classic comic genius of Charlie Chaplin. David Niven has fun with his role as a jewel thief, and I love how things heat up when his nephew (also an aspiring jewel thief) joins in on the fun. Princess Dala is innocent and funny, Cardinale makes her a character that is always interesting to watch. There have been recent rumors of a remake of this movie with Kevin Spacey taking the role of Clouseau. It would be interesting to see Spacey tackle this type of comedy. Catherine Zeta-Jones might fit well into the role of Dala. However, I don't see any real reason to remake this film. I was fortunate enough to see The Pink Panther at the Seattle International Film Festival on a big screen (where all comedies belong) with a new 35 MM print. The audience (including some very young children) laughed their heads off the entire time. The humor has stayed strong for thirty-seven years and is better suited to a rerelease. You could also go to a video store and rent one of the film's eight sequels.
>From the beautiful fireworks heavy conclusion, to the wacky gorilla costume sequences, this film is pure enjoyment. Not only is this a great film for those who have seen it and don't remember it well; it's a good movie to share with your children. The rich colors, classic humor, and good clean fun are what make this movie wonderful.
A
Frankie Paiva SwpStke@aol.com http://www.homestead.com/cinemaparadise/mainpage.html
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