The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)

The feature adaptation of Roger Lewis' book about the actor best remembered as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies.

Director:

Stephen Hopkins

Writers:

Roger Lewis (book), Christopher Markus (teleplay),

Stars:

Geoffrey Rush, Charlize Theron, Emily Watson

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 18 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Geoffrey Rush	...	Peter Sellers
Charlize Theron	...	Britt Ekland
Emily Watson	...	Anne Sellers
John Lithgow	...	Blake Edwards
Miriam Margolyes	...	Peg Sellers
Peter Vaughan	...	Bill Sellers
Sonia Aquino	...	Sophia Loren
Stanley Tucci	...	Stanley Kubrick
Stephen Fry	...	Maurice Woodruff
Henry Goodman	...	Dennis Selinger
Alison Steadman	...	Casting Agent
Peter Gevisser	...	Ted Levy
David Robb	...	Dr. Lyle Wexler
Edward Tudor-Pole	...	Spike Milligan (as Edward Tudor Pole)
Steve Pemberton	...	Harry Secombe

Storyline

The professional and personal life of actor and comedian 'Peter Sellers' was a turbulent one. His early movie fame was based primarily on his comic characterizations, often of bumbling and foreign-accented persons, characters which he embodied. As his movie fame rose, he began to lose his own personal identity to his movie characters, leading to self-doubt of himself as a person and a constant need for reassurance and acceptance of his work. This self-doubt manifested itself in fits of anger and what was deemed as arrogance by many. In turn, his personal relationships began to deteriorate as his characterizations were continually used to mask his problems. His first wife, Anne Howe, left/divorced him and his relationships with his parents and children became increasingly distant. His relationship with his second wife, Swedish actress Britt Ekland, was based on this mask. In his later life, he tried to rediscover himself and his career with what would become his penultimate film role, ...

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Plot Keywords:

actor | death | fame | peter sellers | clouseau | 

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Taglines:

I love me...I love me not.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

HBO [us] Océan Films [fr]

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 2004 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Vida e Morte de Peter Sellers

Filming Locations:

Trafalgar Square, St James's, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£125,748 (UK) (1 October 2004)

Gross:

£259,663 (UK) (8 October 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

HD Vision Studios, Home Box Office (HBO), BBC Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Scenes were filmed with Emilia Fox as Lynne Frederick, Peter Sellers's fourth wife, but these were omitted from the final print. However they are featured on the DVD.

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Goofs

In the scene where Peter Sellers is working out, he is not wearing glasses. But in the next shot, while talking to Britt Ekland, he is suddenly mysteriously wearing the glasses.

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Quotes

Blake Edwards: [On the set of the Pink Panther] Welcome to Hollywood.
Peter Sellers: This is Italy.
Blake Edwards: Hollywood is a state of mind.

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Crazy Credits

The frame freezes and the end credits start. After some informations about the last part of life of Peter Sellers have scrolled up the screen, the credits stop and the camera suddenly pulls back, revealing Geoffrey Rush watching the end titles sitting in front of a monitor on a studio set. He turns toward the camera, waves, gets up, leaves the set and walks to a trailer. The camera tries to follow him inside, but he turns and says "You can't come in here". The door closes, and the camera zooms in on the sign with the name "Peter Sellers". The film again fades to black and we see the rest of the end credits.

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Connections

References The Millionairess (1960)

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Soundtracks

"The Pink Panther Strikes Again"
Written and Performed by Henry Mancini

User Reviews

I wanted to like this film, but

Peter Sellers is without question one the greatest comical geniuses of not just the 20th Century, but of all time. Rush's portrayal of Sellers is brilliant, a man whose true self was as transparent of one his many character creations. For those seaking an "A&E Biography Channel" type film will be sorely disappointed as was I. I wasn't prepared for this alternative packaging of the material. I've seen it twice an am afraid it will be a third viewing before I am truly able to grasp it's full meaning. In as well crafted a movie can be, the camera work, set decoration, period computer enhancements to better reflect the era, all work together in producing a beautiful piece of cinematic eye candy. So much so that is takes away from the story to be told. If trying to show this tragic human bankruptcy, mortgaged in a quest for fame and fortune, then the producers did a fine job.

One doesn't know whether to love or hate Sellers. It's not hard to understand why those close to the man disapprove of this film's tone. In a mad-cap dash that gallops all over the globe, in and out of the arms of the world's most beautiful women, we see a man consumed with lust and how the condition can drive men obscenely crazy. For a unique look at the life of Peter Sellers, one can't go wrong by watching this movie.