Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Blake Edwards (story)
Frank Waldman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 July 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Family

Tagline:

Inspector Clouseau is back...and he's a bigger fool than anyone gives him the credits for.

Plot:

To prove that he still is strong and powerful, Philippe Douvier decides to kill Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau...

Plot Keywords:

Clouseau | Pink | Panther | Pink Panther | Famous Score

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Peter Sellers	...	Chief Insp. Jacques Clouseau
Herbert Lom	...	Chief Insp. Charles Dreyfus
Burt Kwouk	...	Cato Fong
Dyan Cannon	...	Simone Legree
Robert Webber	...	Philippe Douvier
Tony Beckley	...	Guy Algo
Robert Loggia	...	Al Marchione
Paul Stewart	...	Julio Scallini
André Maranne	...	Sgt. François Chevalier (as Andre Maranne)
Graham Stark	...	Professor Auguste Balls
Alfie Bass	...	Fernet
Sue Lloyd	...	Claude Russo
Danny Schiller	...	Cunny
Douglas Wilmer	...	Police Commissioner
Ferdy Mayne	...	Dr. Paul Laprone

Also Known As:

Blake Edwards' Revenge of the Pink Panther (UK) (complete title)
The Curse of the Pink Panther (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2003) | Iceland:L | New Zealand:PG | Brazil:12 | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-12 | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

France

Company:

Jewel Productions

Trivia:

The voiceover in the film's trailer refers to Jacques Clouseau erroneously as "Andre Clouseau" several times.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Claude Russo, disguised as Clouseau, crashes Cato's car into a tree, a news announcer states that Clouseau was dead before his car hit a telephone pole.

Quotes:

[dressed as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and singing]
Clouseau: Thank heaven for the little girls. They keep getting smaller every day.

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Panthertainment (1978) (TV)

Soundtrack:

M'APPARI, TUTT'AMOR

The Formula Has Run Out of Gas

4 out of 10

That sound you hear is the engine conking out on a car that has been driven too long and too far. The formula here has become dried up. Nothing new is injected and absolutely nothing is clever. The first half deals with the most basic of pratfalls. The second half comes to an almost screeching halt while the final third wraps up in Hong Kong in a desperate attempt to liven things up. Nothing works and if star Sellers hadn't died so soon afterwards this film series most certainly would have anyways.

One of the biggest problems here is that it's predecessor THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN was so good that this by comparison seems like a major letdown. Lom, as the villain in the predecessor, was both lively and campy. Webber, as the villain here, seems very wimpy and boring. Even a silly comedy needs a villain that is somewhat threatening. There is also some glaring loopholes. One involves the presence of Lom himself. He supposedly got evaporated in the previous entry and yet here is looking perfectly healthy and no explanation. He is also diagnosed as being 'cured' and able to return to his former job with no loss in status despite having tried to destroy half the planet.

The addition of Cannon is the only plus. She is older than most of the past female leads and yet is still gorgeous and distinctive. She has a lot of energy and personality and doesn't seem used just to help the scenery.

The formula of having a blundering idiot that is considered brilliant by everyone who doesn't know him is still a good one despite the weak script. The genius of Sellers manages to still get a few laughs. His characterizations and timing are impeccable. The Closeau character is a joy to watch all in itself. The part where he dresses up like a Marlon Brando type Godfather is hilarious and should have been played out more.