The Pink Panther

The Pink Panther Movies

The Pink Panther is a series of comedy films featuring the bumbling French police inspector Jacques Clouseau. The role was originated by and is most closely associated with Peter Sellers. Most of the films were directed and co-written by Blake Edwards, with the famous Pink Panther (da dum, da dum...) theme music composed by Henry Mancini.

Despite its use in the titles of most of the films of the series, The Pink Panther is not Inspector Clouseau but a large and valuable fictitious diamond.

The Pink Panther (1963)

In the first Pink Panther movie, the main focus was on David Niven's role as Sir Charles Lytton, a jewel thief nicknamed "The Phantom", and his plan to steal the Pink Panther diamond. Peter Seller plays a supporting role as the inept detective hard on Lytton's trail and provides comic relief to the movie. But the popularity of Clouseau caused him to become the main character in subsequent Pink Panther films. The movie also co-stars Capucine, Claudia Cardinale and Robert Wagner (best known as Jonathan Hart of TV's "Hart to Hart").

A Shot In The Dark (1964)

This is the only film in the series that does not feature the distinctive animated Pink Panther in the opening credits and endings. Many critics regard this film as the best in the series. In this slapstick delight, Clouseau attemps to discover whether or not a woman (Elke Sommer) is guilty of murdering her lover. This also marks the first appearance of both Herbert Lom's Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Clouseau's boss) and Burt Kwouk's Cato (the kungfu housekeeper).

The Return Of The Pink Panther (1975)

There are many funny scenes as Clouseau tries to track down the Phantom (this time played by Christopher Plummer) while making life intolerable for the chief inspector (Herbert Lom).

The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)

Former Chief Inspector Dreyfus' insanity reaches a pinnacle, as he hires a team of international killers to do away with Clouseau and he also tries to destroy the world with a superlaser. One of the killers turn out to be the beautiful Lesley Ann Down who falls in love with Clouseau.

Revenge Of The Pink Panther (1978)

This is one of the better of the slapstick series and seen by some as an alternative follow-up of Return. It pits Clouseau against the French Connection with Dyan Cannon playing the lady lead. This is the last film for which Sellers played Clouseau; he died shortly after its completion.

Trail Of The Pink Panther (1982)

Through the magic of editing, the late Peter Sellers "stars" again as Clouseau using unused materials from previous films. David Niven, Capucine and Rober Wagner reappear in reprises of their original roles of the first movie. This was intended as a tribute to Sellers, but after its release, Sellers' widow successfully sued the studio for tarnishing her late husband's memory. And with this disappointing movie, I have reservations watching the following two Pink Panther movies .

Curse of The Pink Pather (1983)

This movie stars Ted Wass as a bumbling American detective, Clifton Sleigh, searching for the still-mssing Clouseau and the diamond. The film's dismal box office performace and critical drubbing led to a Panther hibernation for the next decade.

Son of the Pink Panther (1993)

Robert Benigni tries to revive the series by playing Clouseau's illegitimate son by Maria Gambrelli (the murder suspect from A Shot In The Dark). Once again, many former Panther co-stars return. Writer director Edward should quit while he's behind. This movie loses its appeal after Bobby McFerrin's quirky rendition of Mancini's Pink Panther theme. This marks the final episode of Blake Edwards' original Panther series.

The Pink Panther (2006) and The Pink Panther 2 (2009)

These are the two new Pink Panther movies that star Steve Martin as Clouseau. They are not re-makes and intend to form a new starting point for a contemporary series.

For me, I'll stick to the inimitable Peter Sellers' earlier Pink Panther movies.