The Pink Panther (1963)
Retro Review #47: An iconic film score helps introduce two iconic characters.
The Pink Panther (1963)
+ Feature film, £ 1h 55m
+ 1️⃣/11 films in Pink Panther multiverse ⭐
+ 1️⃣/9 films in Pink Panther original series ⭐
A ^
Grade: A ^ (12.0) / HOF: 30
EQ 👍A+ | 📖A- 👥A+ 📽️A+ 🎼A+
DW😎7.2 | 🌚9 🌝7
POPCAP 💯n/a 🍿n/a 🧢n/a
L-R 💻⬆️0️⃣ 👀⬇️⏬ 🛐⬇️1️⃣
I’d venture to guess that over ninety-five percent of the time when the character of the French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau, is first mentioned in a review of the 1963 slapstick crime caper comedy, The Pink Panther, that the word “bumbling” immediately precedes the word “inspector“.
And well it should. Peter Sellers as Clouseau is as adept at being inept as any actor has ever been.
It all starts with a priceless pink diamond known as the Pink Panther, because a flaw in the gem appears in the form of a leaping panther. We are introduced to the gem as the movie begins when it is given to a young Princess Dala by her father, the Maharajah of Lugash.
From there, an animated Pink Panther pops out of the diamond to conduct our opening credits. These credits are so entertaining that they spawned multiple series of Pink Panther cartoons in the decades since. It doesn’t hurt that they also introduce the film’s theme music by Henry Mancini. His jazz score for this production is considered by many to be one of the greatest film scores in motion picture history.
Twenty years later when the story resumes, Princess Dala and her pink diamond are the targets of an international jewel thief, known as the Phantom, who, in turn, is the target of Inspector Clouseau.
At a ski lodge in the beautiful Italian Alps, hilarity ensues as we learn who the Phantom is, who his accomplice is, and watch a relative trying to get in on the action. Meanwhile one of the three is trying to prevent her unexpectedly returned husband and the hotel staff from discovering her lover and another suitor she’s hiding in her room, while, of course, also keeping those two from discovering each other.
It’s funny, but relatively standard farcical comedy, and you can expect more of the same as the movie continues with devices such as multiple characters in gorilla suits.
Meant to be more of an ensemble comedy, Sellers steals the show, leading to Clouseau becoming more of the focus in eight more films in the original Pink Panther series and two in a reboot series starring Steve Martin as Clouseau.
The Pink Panther could have been just a routine comedy caper with above average Alpine cinematography, but instead, the Sellers performance, the introduction of the animated Pink Panther, and the Mancini score all combine to make the film a landmark in movie history that shouldn’t be missed.
Onwards!
+ last viewed (3) 2025-02-17, HDX7, 2.20, 1D
+ first viewed 1980s, sd2, 2.20vv, 1
+ 🍌👤🚔🔎💰🥸
+ ❌0️⃣ Problematic for teens and sensitive adults. | Approved
+ 😡+2 😵💫-0 🤬+2 🤭-0 🫣+0
+ 👀⬇️⏬ ➖ (🗿)
+ ✝️ -1 ➖ (❤️🩹)🚬🍺
+ ✡️ -1 ➖ 🫢🤑🖤
+ 🗽 -0
Last updated 2025-04-14
Please do not include spoilers in the comments.
Spoilers are permitted in the Chat for this work.