The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Frank Waldman (screenplay) and
Blake Edwards (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 May 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

You may rest assured that there's trouble, because Inspector Clouseau is on the case...That's the trouble.

Plot:

Inspector Clouseau is put on the case when the Pink Panther diamond is stolen, with the Phantom's trademark glove the only clue.

Plot Keywords:

Clouseau | Diamond | Pink | Pink Panther | Panther

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Peter Sellers	...	Insp. Jacques Clouseau
Christopher Plummer	...	Sir Charles Litton
Catherine Schell	...	Lady Claudine Litton
Herbert Lom	...	Chief Insp. Charles Dreyfus
Peter Arne	...	Col. Sharky
Peter Jeffrey	...	Gen. Wadafi
Grégoire Aslan	...	Police Chief Lundallah (as Gregoire Aslan)
David Lodge	...	Mac
Graham Stark	...	Pepi
Eric Pohlmann	...	The Fat Man
André Maranne	...	Sgt. François Chevalier
Burt Kwouk	...	Cato Fong
Victor Spinetti	...	Hotel Concierge
John Bluthal	...	Blind Beggar
Mike Grady	...	Bellboy

Also Known As:

Blake Edwards' The Return of the Pink Panther (UK) (complete title)

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Manitoba/Quebec) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2005) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:U (original rating) | Hungary:14 | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Brazil:10 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Gstaad, Kanton Bern, Switzerland

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

The original trailer for the film consisted mainly of unused production outtakes.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Clouseau poses as a telephone repairman and gets stuck under Sir Charles Litton's desk, most of the items on the desktop fall to the floor. But when the film cuts to the scene in which Clouseau turns the desk upside down, the items that were on the desktop are now on the floor and Sir Charles's desktop is clear.

Quotes:

Inspector Jacques Clouseau: [in Dreyfus' office, after Clouseau's apartment has been bombed] I tell you, infamous powers are at work! The instant you assign me to a case, the Underworld hears about it and I am set upon! It is amazing that I am still alive!
Dreyfus: [forcing himself not to giggle] "Amazing" is the polite term.
Inspector Jacques Clouseau: Do I detect something in your voice that says I am in disfavor with you?
Dreyfus: YES! I wish you were DEAD!
Inspector Jacques Clouseau: Well, of course, you are entitled to your opinion.

Movie Connections:

References The Day of the Jackal (1973)

Soundtrack:

The Greatest Gift

Classic Slapstick

I was very fortunate to find this film on DVD recently, which is next to impossible these days. Those of us who purchased the box set know that this gem was missing from the collection due to Artisan Entertainment holding onto the rights for DVD release. Try to find it on Amazon and they'll tell you it's out of stock and you need to visit e-bay. Bids are as high as $100 for a new copy. I almost gave in to buying one until I visited a record shop one day and--to my extraordinary surprise--there it was parked behind the box set. I was thrilled. I hadn't seen this movie in years.

To say the least, it sent me into a fit of giggles almost immediately. Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards ware among the best, modern cinematic comedic team. Nearly ten years had passed since their last collaboration on "A Shot in the Dark." Clearly, Edwards and co-writer Frank Waldman had plenty of time to dream up this endless laundry list of gags, one-liners and Clouseau mishaps (the scene with the vacuum is priceless).

If you have Showtime and Comcast On-Demand, you can find it on there this month. Check it out!