The Pink Panther (1963)
It' quite amazing to think that Peter Sellers went from the Goons radio show to British film actor to pretty much Hollywood star mainly due to the Pink Panther film series and Blake Edwards.It also surprised me on re-watching The Pink Panther how much more of an ensemble piece of acting it was instead of being wholly concentrated on the Jacques Clouseau character. In fact Pink Panther has a stellar cast David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine, and Claudia Cardinale. I love Peter Sellers and the Panther films ,but wonder if they had all been abit more like the first film,and had more of ensemble cast instead on entirely relying on Sellers to carry the film they could of been slightly better. Perhaps Sellers ego wouldn't let that happen,and he needed to be the star attraction of the later films. David Niven is the elusive thief The Phantom, who has his eye on The Pink Panther a diamond with a flaw in the centre that resembles a Panther, but also has his eyes on the young Princess Dala (Claudia Cardinale) .
Blake Edwards has a great talent for comedy. especially when directing Sellers as Clouseau ,although he's not as most destructive as he would in the later films,he's more clumsy in kind of Mr Bean fashion and sadly no Kato Fong in this film which is a shame as Burt Kwouk is about the only actor who can manage to steal a scene from Sellers, and is totally undepreciated as a comedy actor. The Pink Panther is such a well written and well made affair ,and is in a class of its own, its a million miles away from the Ealing comedies which Sellers appeared in,and more amazing still he would make Dr Strangelove a year later.
Also there's a chase with gorilla suits at the end what more could you want.
out of 5