The Pink Panther (1963)

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Maurice Richlin (screenplay) and
Blake Edwards (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 March 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Family | Romance

Tagline:

You only live once... so see the Pink Panther twice!!!

Plot:

In the first movie starring Peter Sellers as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau, he tries to catch a jewel thief who is right under his nose.

Plot Keywords:

Clouseau | Pink Panther | Inspector | Pink | Panther

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

David Niven	...	Sir Charles Lytton
Peter Sellers	...	Insp. Jacques Clouseau
Robert Wagner	...	George Lytton
Capucine	...	Simone Clouseau
Brenda De Banzie	...	Angela Dunning (as Brenda de Banzie)
Colin Gordon	...	Tucker
John Le Mesurier	...	Defence Barrister (as John LeMesurier)
James Lanphier	...	Saloud
Guy Thomajan	...	Artoff
Michael Trubshawe	...	Felix Townes
Riccardo Billi	...	Aristotle Sarajos
Meri Welles	...	Monica Fawn (as Meri Wells)
Martin Miller	...	Pierre Luigi - Photographer
Fran Jeffries	...	Greek 'cousin'
Claudia Cardinale	...	Princess Dahla

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | France:U | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:AL | Norway:12 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:Approved (certificate #20449) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

The Pink Panther diamond is named not only for its color, but also for a tiny pink flaw shaped like a panther. The overall pink however would make the Panther a very rare Type-IIa diamond, in which some colors are absorbed not by impurities as in most other colored stones but by a misalignment of crystal structure at the molecular level caused by tectonic pressure during formation ('plastic deformation'). Though there are about a dozen large pink diamonds of name in the world, there has never been an actual "Pink Panther".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sir Charles is first skiing behind Princess Dala to spy on her movements, he is wearing binoculars with the strap over his right shoulder, his left arm through the strap, and binoculars under his left arm as he skis with ski poles in both hands. When he stops, his left arm and ski pole are no longer through the strap; the binocular strap is simply around his neck with the binoculars hanging on his chest as he grabs them to look through them.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Gem dealer 1: As in every stone of this size, there is a flaw.
Sultan: A flaw?
Gem dealer 2: The slightest flaw, your excellency.
Gem dealer 1: If you look deep into the stone, you will perceive the tiniest discoloration. It resembles an animal.
Sultan: An animal?
Gem dealer 1: A little panther.
Sultan: Yes! A pink panther. Come here, Dala. A gift to your father from his grateful people. Some day it will be yours. The most fabulous diamond in all the world. Come closer.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Huuma: (#2.18)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

It Had Better Be Tonight

It's Not Supposed to be the same as the sequels

Nearly every review I have read condemning _The Pink Panther_ to second or third rate status in the "pantheon" of Clouseau movies comes from someone who either didn't know it existed or who was raised on the totally slapstick offerings that came later. If you are expecting the hackneyed humor and over-the-top performances that came with the last few Panther movies you are bound to be surprised by a movie that took time to make sense out of a story. If those movies are your standard for humor, you are bound to be disappointed.

This is one of my all-time favorite movies. I watched it when it came out. I was eleven and it was showing at a local drive-in. Since then the movie has never failed to entertain me.

Unlike most of the other reviewers, I don't share the same admiration for the later Clouseau movies. I did enjoy _A Shot in the Dark_ and even liked _Return of the Pink Panther_ and its sequel, but frankly, Herbert Lom's twitch, Kato's surprise attacks, increasingly more ludicrous plot devices, and the very fact that Clouseau was still in a position of responsibility was more disbelief than I was willing to suspend.

_The Pink Panther_ is a great Romantic Comedy. That, in itself separates it from all the other Panther clones, which are all farcical slapsticks. Different humor, different purposes, therefore a different appreciation.

_The Pink Panther_ was not a blueprint for other Clouseau movies. Only for the Clouseau character.

This movie was the inspiration for an American icon. The Pink Panther cartoons came out well before the next movie. It also featured inspired comedy performances by its four leads. Yes, FOUR leads. Just because Clouseau wasn't the only major character doesn't mean he was minor. Sellers has more scenes than anyone except David Niven.

_The Pink Panther_ deserves to be considered on its own merits and not compared to movies of another genre that strove to capitalize on the popularity of the original.