Here is more
like it—a true comedy with a screenplay that doesn’t look as ludicrous as that
of A
Shot in the Dark and a plot so solid, it keeps you engaged until the
very end. Written, directed, and produced by Blake Edwards, this 1975 film in The
Pink Panther series is breathtakingly funny and one I’ll always remember.
Inspector
Clouseau’s fake, exaggerated French accent is even more pronounced in The
Return of the Pink Panther than in the previous films. Chief Inspector Charles
Dreyfus’s mishaps are also funnier than expected, and I found myself looking
forward to his next unfortunate moment. The chief’s main source of frustration
(other than the existence of Clouseau) was his inability to tell whether he was
holding a gun or a lighter.
The film stars Peter Sellers, reprising his role as Inspector Jacques Clouseau. It also features Christopher Plummer, who replaced David Niven as Sir Charles Lytton (the notorious Phantom). Plummer won the 84th Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2012, becoming the oldest actor to win at the age of 82.
In this movie,
the Pink Panther diamond is stolen once again, and the man who was involved in
its recovery the first time is called back to help retrieve it.
The movie is
funny to the core, with a screenplay that will make you hold your ribs from
laughing. The late Blake Edwards (who passed away in 2010) is known primarily
for his comedies, and this movie shows exactly why. The plot starts in the
fictional country of Lugash, where a mysterious thief breaks into the National
Museum, bypassing all the security measures set to protect the Pink Panther
diamond. The thief leaves behind a calling card: a white monogrammed glove with
a gold-tinted "P" on it.
Outwitted by the
thief, who managed to bypass the elaborate security system, the Shah of Lugash
requests the assistance of Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) to recover the
stolen national treasure.
Meanwhile,
Clouseau has been demoted to a beat cop, patrolling the streets. His boss,
Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus (Herbert Lom), despises Clouseau and dreams
daily of killing him.
I highly recommend this movie to comedy lovers, and I can proudly say that it’s far superior to the remakes starring Steve Martin and Jean Reno in 2006 and 2008. I give it that, because it is hard to make comedy movies which are better than the original because not all comedy films can withstand the test of time.
0 comments:
Post a Comment