The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)

Director:

Stephen Hopkins

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

26 August 2004 (Australia)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Never judge a man by his cover.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Bumbling | Clouseau | Fame | Peter Sellers

Awards:

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 17 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

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

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Germany:12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-11 | Netherlands:12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Estate - 1 Approach Road, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

HD Vision Studios

Trivia:

Won the most Emmys for a made for television movie without winning the actual made for television movie award.

Goofs:

Continuity: Sellers shaves off his beard in the airplane lavatory, but has a healthy five o'clock shadow when he emerges seconds later.

Quotes:

Peter Sellers: Can't I have your support?
Anne Sellers: You've always had my support. It's my patience that I'm not so sure about.

Movie Connections:

References A Shot in the Dark (1964)

Soundtrack:

Space Oddity

Lows and Lowers among Highs and Highers

Biopics are a devilish thing. Is as if the subject himself boycotted the operation from beyond the grave. The ultimate breach of privacy, isn't it? One feels like a voyeur, compelled and revolted at the same time. Goeffrey Rush's brilliant portrayal makes things even worse, I mean better, no I meant worse. A life of massive ups and downs for public consumption. Peter Sellers with a Cary Grant complex and a talent bigger than himself told in bits and pieces. To the ones who know about Sellers is a rather frustrating experience. Dr.Strangelove yes but not Lolita? The relationship with Blake Edwards deserves a movie of its own. The first massive heart attack was during Billy Wilder's "Kiss Me Stupid" but there is no mention of that. I know that to compress such a life without a structure within a two hour film it's an impossible task so what we're left with is a courageous attempt at tell us the sickly existence of one the greatest that ever was, a superlative performance by Goeffrey Rush, an astonishing Charlize Theron as Britt Eckland and very little else. I suppose that should be enough. Yes, it should, shouldn't it?