In 1963 one of the finest comedies to ever grace the silver screen was released: a little comedy called ‘The Pink Panther’.
Starring Peter Sellers as the infamous Inspector Clouseau; a man known for his daring and highly refined skills of deduction, as well as an everpresent Mr. Magoo-like knack for turning mishaps into successes, and every blunder into an unexpected victory. This man’s ability to somehow win the day while thwarting his adversary with innate detective work became such a staple of 1960s culture that it spawned five sequels, an animated cartoon, and two reboot films in the aughts (a colloquial term for the 2000s) that saw Sellers swapped out for Steve Martin as the charmingly tenacious, humorously bumbling sleuth. What Clouseau lacks in tact, he makes up for in suitcases of good fortune and perhaps a genius-level intellect buried beneath his Chaplinesque composure. (The caveat being that in this first entry, his arch nemesis actually manages a last-minute turning of the tables; supplying his defense attorney with circumstantial evidence that points to Clouseau – successfully framing the Inspector for his crime spree, and landing the dutiful gumshoe in prison – in an ironic reversal of fate).
Peter Sellers owns the screen with a physicality that really fills the space – a godlike prowess for slapstick; rivalling Charlie Chaplin, The Three Stooges, and other known greats that belonged to the Vaudevillian arena. Sellers draws heavily upon the silent film era; when what a comedic actor had in his repertoire encompassed mainly exaggerated movements, emphatic gesticulations, puckish flair, embellished facial expressions. Sellers even manages a flirt with breaking the fourth wall during a statement early in the film, made while looking at the camera (stereotypically a filmmaking no-no), E.G., staring straight at the audience: a technique later made notorious by ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’. I think it’s safe to say that the biggest trait associated with Bueller was his penchant for spiking the camera and monologuing for lengths on end, connecting with the audience on an emotional level in the process. Indeed, the ‘Pink Panther’ films contain undue amounts of emotionality; the comedy is rather magnanimous in its light-hearted nature. While being chalked full of peak sexual innuendo, effortlessly erotic subtext, and a series of splendiferously bella locations that only an Italian production could provide. Indeed, some would consider this the Mona Lisa of 60s comedies, avoiding pomp – and delivering an ageless quality, one that easily justified its inclusion in the USA’s National Film Registry. Every entry in the series elicits sophistication with a dab of the debonair (albeit, the first film, most distinctly so), culminating in each particular movie giving the desired affectation: a rube-like but loveable hero managing to win the girl, get the bad guy, and come out on top in the end, all except the original – in which he totally gets screwed – and thoroughly! Which sort of ensures an un-formulaic, pristine piece of cinema that perspicuously stands out from the rest of the series. The universality imbued in it – through painstaking detail and care, creates a polished finish out of a rough interior. I’d call it a hidden gem – but this series is quite the opposite – as it is truly, and impressively, ubiquitous. There are few and far between that haven’t heard of the ‘Pink Panther’; the film’s reach is not to be understated. (Hell, there’s even a brand of insulation named “Owens Corning” that features as a logo, the cartoon panther from the animated short. I failed to mention the cartoon so far – it appears during the opening credit roll for each film. In the end, that little eponymous guy managed to outshine the “Frenchman with a fedora” himself, Inspector Jacques Clouseau).
Peter Sellers made his performance something for the ages – helping to create a sextet of movies that reverberated through pop culture for decades after.
The plot of the original: surrounds a flawless, rather gigantic, rose-coloured diamond – known as The Pink Panther.
A young Indian girl (Princess Dahla) is gifted the priceless jewel from her father in the first scene, and after that foundational bit of story – we’re off to the races! Fade to black, and we focus on an expert thief, a professional, who happens to be in the process of burglarizing a classy townhouse cracking a safe for a set of diamond necklaces worth $500,000. Here’s our on-screen foil to Inspector Clouseau, The Phantom, who has wherewithal to make a swift, daring escape – shimmying down a rope with a grappling hook from stories above ground then igniting it to ensure he can abscond unscathed.
David Niven’s turn as Sir Charles is undeniably charismatic, rivaling and accentuating – through contrast – the befuddled absurdity that materializes in Peter Seller’s rather placable Clouseau. The ever diligent, hilariously inept, inspector that somehow always lands on his feet, figuratively, as he’s often ass-over-tea-kettle after tumbling or taking a spill in some sort of dramatic fashion.
The beauty, and sanguine vitality of Claudia Cardinale beams through the screen and into the hearts of any who watch ‘The Pink Panther’ – since hers is a display of primal sensuality; charming and effervescent in nature. White-washing aside, Cardinale’s portrayal of Princess Dahla (the young girl from the beginning, now all grown up) comes off as one she was born to play. In a similar vein as the David Prouse and James Earl Jones Darth Vader situation or Goldfinger from The James Bond Series, a voice actor was instituted in the filming Claudia Cardinale’s role being limited to purely visual. A nifty lil’ piece of cinema trivia – which I only realized upon my recent viewing, in preparation for this written spotlight.
Well, and because it’s top tier plaisanterie, a perfect Thanksgiving feel-good movie.
Capucine also exudes an effortless allure; while inhabiting a bit more comic relief than Claudia Cardinale. Unambiguously, as evidenced by how the cover art for ‘The Pink Panther’ (and some of the title credits’ gags) communicate the slightly salacious nature of the film and its complement of risqué jokes – all clearly marketing by design. She (Capucine) has the important task of playing the wife of the famous Inspector, ‘Simone Clouseau’… and her character is “certainly” dichotomous, to say the least. The two have a very apparent on-screen chemistry; allowing for chortles and guffaws aplenty.
The Pink Panther’s theme song is honestly one of the grandest in cinema.
“The Pink Panther Theme” is a jazz composition by Henry Mancini written as the theme for the 1963 film The Pink Panther and subsequently nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score at the 37th Academy Awards but lost to the Sherman Brothers for Mary Poppins.” -Wikipedia [1]
As a parting comment:
I feel many people overlook the perhaps, equally bonzer “Meglio Stesara” – a Latin instrumental tune recurring throughout the film – finally culminating in a semi-climactic scene with Dahla (Cardinale) performing a moving, palette-cleansing musical number; complete with an intricate dance with the entire cast providing a backdrop: a form of visual ambience – if you will. The orchestrated stage blocking involved seems bar none. And, Claudia Cardinale is MORE than merely ravishing here; she’s a divine presence, and the film rightly makes no attempt to hide it.
It’s hard to craft such timeless, cinematic comedy while dividing the focus thematically between three juxtaposed main characters.
But, it’s also incredibly difficult AND risky to steal ‘“The Pink Panther” – so don’t – just go purchase it on Amazon instead. It’s fantastic.
Rating
8.5/10
Drink a bottle of Champaign, accidentally pull the cork in bed and get it everywhere.
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Sources:
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pink_Panther_(1963_film)
