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36 reviews in total

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12 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
A funny mess thanks to Roberto Benigni, 11 February 2005

Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York

No this doesn't match the Sellers films, but it does have Roberto Benigni which is reason enough to watch.

Okay, yes, when Benigni is not on screen this film is bad, and some of the performances are patently bizarre (Edwards' daughter as one of the villains for example) but it has some very clever silliness by the mad man of Italian comedy which is fine by me.

I know this isn't much of a review but it isn't much of a movie with only one thing, or rather one man to recommend it. If you don't like Benigni in full on silly mode then don't watch this. If you do like him you must see this.

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12 out of 16 people found the following review useful:
Some may still appreciate great visual humor, 23 January 2002

Author: carlex from Quite funny and inventive

Blake Edwards, the man who was certainly the most visually inventive and provocative comedic filmmaker of his time, naturally has a hard time being understood by the historically myopic. This film is no exception, and it's too bad: it's rather tender and vibrant in its humor, colorful and gracefully paced in its framing and editing. However, today is the age of team MTV and nudgenudgewinkwink teencomedies, and woe to Blake. Too bad - the anger that folks seem to hold for directors as they work into their later years is rather frightening and rabid, it seems to me. This film is fresh, funny, and, actually, rather youthful. I, for one, am quite glad that Blake made it. Thanks to all of you.

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14 out of 21 people found the following review useful:
Completely Underrated, 29 February 2000

Author: chazzy-3 from New York, NY

The visual wit and warm wrap-up that Blake Edwards' brings to one of the finest comedic series of film history (and, apart from the couple produced in the eighties, they were consistently original and inventive - and changed with each one) is sadly misunderstood and no longer appreciated by our audiences. The manner in which Edwards' uses the entire screen instead of just cutting for quick effects requires a little more patience, and can result in quite a payoff - witness the side-splitting scene with Dreyfus and colleague in hospital beds (but, of course, you need a widescreen version to see it). This movie made me laugh, and laugh, and laugh, but, as I said before, if Edwards' "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" (probably the best in the series) were released today, it wouldn't have gotten the time of day either. It's too bad, because this film, which displays a tenderness to these characters and Edwards' creation as a whole, was never allowed a chance to really be seen without generally jaded eyes.

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8 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
Like Father, Like "Son" Somewhat Less, 18 January 2002

Author: EmperorNortonII from San Francisco, California

The "Pink Panther" franchise has spawned a number of movies. The last one in the series is "Son of the Pink Panther." It stars Roberto Benigni as the original Inspector Jacques Clouseau's son. He does a good job stumbling and bumbling his way through the story. It's easy to picture Benigni as a Clouseau-type stumblebum. And a number of characters appear that, although they did not appear in "The Pink Panther," have become familiar in other "Panther" movies. But the last in the line differs somewhat from the original. Its tone isn't quite as lighthearted as the first. It has a lot of violence that seems to taint the movie. Although there are a few good scenes, this movie reminds us all how sorely Peter Sellers is missed.

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4 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
O.K., 21 May 2001

Author: Jaques Pantheur (marchofthewoodensoldiers_2001@hotmail.com) from Lugash, England

O.K. is the only possible way of analyzing this movie. It does what it set out to do. But if you have seen this movie and were disapointed, did you really think it was going to be as funny or enjoyable as earlier entries in the Pink Panther series? The movie's comedy is very lukewarm. Whether this is the fault of Blake Edwards, or maybe he intended it to be that way is unknown. Roberto Benigni is the Son. O.K, he is now an academy award winner, but in 1993 a complete unknown. If anyone on the movie wanted it to be a success then a bigger name should have been chosen, a David Jason, Dudley Moore or Rowan Atkinson. Benigni, does quite a good impersonation of Peter Sellers throughout the movie, but this aside isn't very funny or charming. The return of cast members like Herbert Lom, Graham Starke, Burt Kwouk and Liz Smith is good. But overall the movie seems forced and is something of a hit and miss. Lets hope the upcoming Mike Myers remake breathes new life into this series.

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11 out of 19 people found the following review useful:
Awful!, 27 February 1999
Author: Wizard-8 from Victoria, BC

What do you say about a movie that proudly proclaims THREE (no more!) stars from the lone critic quoted from the box - and it's from a CANADIAN PAPER? One word - AWFUL! Roberto Benigni is a funny and talented actor, so he's not to blame for this mess - blame Edwards. Did Edwards actually used to be funny? I thought he used to be, but you'd never know from this movie. It's shocking to see Burt Kwouk looking so aged, but he and Lom, Cardinale, and Stark provide the movie's only pleasure, because they are kind of old friends by now.

With the abysmal grosses of this SOP (Son Of Pink), you'd think that the series is finally at an end. However, I read recently that United Artists is planning to revive (!) the series!!! They are going to replace Edwards, and bring a new lead in - but I don't trust Hollywood for remakes and resurrecting old franchises anymore.

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Amusing moments along with embarrassing in this new entry Inspector Clouseau with a likable Robert Benigni, 14 August 2011

Author: ma-cortes from Santander Spain

This following to Closeau series is a new attempt to maintain the slapstick franchise in spite of Peter Sellers death by means the substituting in Italian actor Roberto Benigni . This eight installment is a passable and average comedy because the formula is run out ; it stars Robert Benigni replacing Peter Sellers as one man show accompanied by an excessive Herbert Lom . After making life intolerable for clumsy Inspector Closeau , previous Chief Inspector Charles Dreifuss (Herbert Lom) encounters Jacques Gambrelli (Robert Benigni), who reminds him painfully to Inspector Clouseau , the man who drove him nutty and got insane . With good reason: Gambrelli is Clouseau's son . While a princess (Debrah Farentino) is in France to accompany her daddy (Oliver Cotton), a king from far Orient on a diplomatic mission . She is abducted by some delinquents (Robert Davi , Jennifer Edwards )who obligate her father to abdicate , which he will not do even for her. And since her nation has such close ties to France the Police Prefect instructs commissioner Dreyfuss to go where the princess was abducted and directing the investigation. On the way he runs into the kidnappers and were to be shot when a Gendarme stumbles into them and saves Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss oversees that there is something familiar about this patrolman. When he goes to the local police chief and says him that he will be handling the investigation and asks for his best man, he assigns him Gambrelli, who just happens to be the Gendarme he met earlier . And having another meeting with Gambrelli, he goes to his home to encounter his mummy Maria (Claudia Cardinale), and is shocked to discover that results to be Closeau's son .

¨The revenge of the Pink Panther ¨ release was the fifth part of series of Inspector Clouseau from French Surete and the last entry by the late Peter Sellers though he would follow playing but with outtakes in films as ¨Trail of the Pink Panther¨. After that , it was continued by ¨The curse of the Pinnk Panther¨ that turned to be another flop and starred by Ted Wass . ¨The son of the Pink Panther ¨ is the eight part of Closeau series and a light comedy starred by the great Roberto Benigni as the inept and bungler Inspector of the French Surete . The movie gets entertaining and hilarious moments here and there. This slapstick picture contains amusing , funny scenes , fresh and diverting moments but also flaws and gaps . Herbert Lom steals the show parodying his classic character including his ordinary faces , grimaces and gestures . Appears as secondaries the usual series as Burt Kwouk , Grahame Stark and of course a mature Claudia Cardinale . The actors seem to enjoy themselves immensely but they are supposedly amusing holidays . Lively and atmospheric music by habitual Henry Mancini with songs arranged by Bobby MacFerrin ; furthermore ,magnificent opening and ending cartoon titles by Chris Hummel . Colorful and glimmer cinematography by Dick Bush . The film is regularly penned and directed,as always,by Blake Edwards. Several chuckles and gags , the result of which is one acceptable entry from series but inferior to precedent outings as the original ¨The Pink Panther¨, ¨A shot in dark¨, ¨Return of pink panther,¨Revenge of pink panther¨. Director Blake Edwards although gets some inspired bits penned by him however he attempts to alive his classic personage with no much success . The flick will appeal to Pink Panther series buffs and Roberto Benigni fans. This is arguably one of most mediocre of the series about the botcher and bungling Inspector .

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
A good fresh start., 3 May 2008

Author: Boba_Fett1138 from Groningen, The Netherlands

No this movie is not as good as the earliest Pink Panter movies and no, Roberto Benigni ain't no Peter Sellers but fair is fair, this is an entertaining and fun enough comedy, that showed some potential for a new fresh start of the Pink Panther series.

Everything in this movie indicated that they intended this movie as a new and fresh start of the Pink Panther series. The movie was more of its time and modern and looked more like a James Bond movie done comedy style than an old fashioned made slapstick, like all of the other previous Pink Panther movies were done in.

Too bad that people never really gave this movie a fair change. People just thought that the Pink Panther series should had stopped with the death of Peter Sellers in 1980 and director Blake Edwards should had never went on making more Pink Panther movies, as he did. This was the third Pink Panther movie without Peter Sellers, so people were already mostly fed up with it and after the previous too disappointing Pink Panther entries, the expectations for this movie naturally weren't really high. But I for one however wouldn't had mind seeing more Pink Panther movies with the son of Clouseau in it.

No, I never really have been a Roberto Benigni fan, since he mostly only plays naive, smiling, jumping and screaming comical characters but he simply was well cast in this movie and did a good job with his role. I think it was a good move that they didn't let hem try to impersonate Peter Seller's performance as the famous 'brilliant' inspector but instead letting him be a total different character with Benigni his own interpretation.

Nevertheless it's not a movie that totally abandons the style or spirit of the previous Pink Panther movies. It still let some old character re-appear in this movie such as Police Commissioner Charles Dreyfus (finally he got his promotion), Professor Auguste Balls, Cato and Sergeant Francois Duval. It however also becomes painfully obviously that by now the actors who are portraying the characters got terribly old and it became time for some fresh blood. As much as I loved Herbert Lom in all of the previous Pink Panther movies as Dreyfus, he really was too old for his role in this movie to be still believable and good in it. Same goes for Burt Kwouk as Cato, who at the time of this movie already was well in his 60's.

The fact that this is a more comical approach of James Bond also means that there is some more story present this time, with a real villain and a love interested, action, shooting as well as most other typical genre clichés. The feeling that this is a more comical version of James Bond is being strengthened by the presence of Robert Davi, who previously played the main villain in the James Bond movie "Licence to Kill". Basically he plays the same role as he always does; a ruthless criminal boss who always is looking for more power and money. But if you're so great at playing these sort of roles, why wouldn't you take it? A only complaint could be that he doesn't play his role comically enough. He is serious as always, though I'm not to sure if this was what the film-makers originally had in mind. The different approach of the entire movie might also be a reason why some people have difficulties accepting this as a Pink Panther movie but I in fact think that all of the Pink Panther movies are somewhat- and always wanted to be like James Bond movies, only done in a complete different comical style.

Director Blake Edwards with this movie shows that old fashioned slapstick can still be incorporated properly into 'modern' movies, if done and handled correctly. Blake Edwards with this movie shows that he still had it in him, which also makes it sort of a shame that his career pretty much died right after this movie.

Give this movie a fair change and you might end up liking it for what it is.

6/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

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3 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Long may you twitch Mr. Lom!, 16 September 2001
Author: Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (honassen@yahoo.com)

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

A few spoilers throughout.

Yes it was a rehash. Yes, Blake Edwards recycled a lot of the jokes from the original. But I still feel that SOPP manages to do succeed. Benigni Is a nice choice for Sellers' illegitimate (Did I spell that right?) son. Not only does he kind of look like Sellers, but he has the gift of completely falling on his face and making it look like an accident. Burt Kwouk is entertaining as always as Kato. As is Graham Stark as Auguste Balls. It is nice to see them both in this movie. I also liked seeing Claudia Cardinale back in this one. But, I have to give special kudos to Herbert Lom. The first film I saw him in was "A Shot in the Dark", and it made him my favorite actor. I often found myself watching the other films in the series mainly because of him. He does an impressive job for being as old as he was (I think he was about 75.) When the bomb blew up in Maria's house and he was standing there in his smoldering suit with the poodle humping his leg, I almost died laughing. Also, Edwards gives more focus to his character of Charles Dreyfus. Instead of ending up in an insane asylum like he usually does in the other Pink Panther films, He manages to solve the mystery, AND get the girl. He giggles, he twitches, he goes a little nuts, but he wouldn't be Dreyfus if he didn't. What's really great is that he makes peace with his enemy (Jacques Clouseau), and he becomes a father to his son, and it's hard not to wish him well. God bless you Mr. Lom. Long may you twitch.

P.S. I have heard rumors that a new Pink Panther series is in the works with Mike Myers as the lead. It will never work. I'm not saying that Myers is a bad actor. I don't think he is. He just can't play stupid. When Peter Sellers did something stupid, you didn't think it was acting. When he fell off a couch, you were completely convinced that his character WAS that dumb. It honestly didn't look like acting. I just don't think that Myers will be able to do that. He's to confident. Maybe he will prove me wrong. I hope that the movie's creators bring back Lom, Kwouk, and Stark though!

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5 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
A WORTHY SUCCESSOR TO PETER SELLERS' LEGACY, 14 April 2001
Author: Bill Treadway from Queens, New York

While riding the subway eight years ago, I saw the billboards for "Son of the Pink Panther" and I really didn't think much about it then. I had yet to become a fan of Blake Edwards' work, and I really hadn't seen any of the previous Panther films.

Flash forward to 1999. Turner Classic Movies had shown the first six entries in the Panther series and I had watched them in chronological order, which I think is a good idea for anyone to do. I had seen "Curse" on tape and I decided to check out "Son of the Pink Panther" just out of curiosity. I had read some reviews, which were pretty dismal. So I had no reason to expect anything great.

Imagine my surprise when I found myself laughing a lot during the 95 minute running time of "Son". This was a clever, funny and very original entry in the long-running "Panther" series. Blake Edwards' instinct was right on the money when he cast Italian comedian Roberto Benigni in the role of Clouseau's illegitimate son. Benigni displays all the traits that made Peter Sellers such a great talent. He plays the comic scenes very straight which sells it so much better than if he had played it slyly. And the films he has made since ("The Monster", "Night on Earth" and "Life Is Beautiful", which was sort of his own "Being There") just confirms my initial reaction. And of course, what is a Panther film without Dreyfus, played as always by Herbert Lom, who works well with Benigni in many memorable sequences.

If I have a complaint about "Son", it is that it tends to get too preoccupied with the plot. The best Panther films didn't depend on plot as much as characterization and "Son" suffers because of it as did Edwards' previous disappointment "Switch". But "Son" has a manic comic energy and polish that "Switch" lacked and the payoffs work as in "Switch" they did not.

"Son of the Pink Panther" is a better film than "Curse", "Revenge" and the original film, but not "Strikes Again", "Return" and "A Shot in the Dark" (of which this film has its roots in) Sadly, Edwards retired from theatrical features after this although he still works in TV. He showed so much vigor and life in "Son" that makes me want to see him make another Panther film, especially with Roberto Benigni. I'm still waiting.

***1/2 out of 4 stars

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