Revenge of the Pink Panther | |
---|---|
Directed by | Blake Edwards |
Screenplay by | Frank Waldman Ron Clark Blake Edwards |
Story by | Blake Edwards |
Produced by | Blake Edwards Animation: David H. DePatie Friz Freleng |
Starring | Peter Sellers Herbert Lom Robert Webber Dyan Cannon |
Cinematography | Ernest Day |
Edited by | Alan Jones |
Music by | Henry Mancini Leslie Bricusse (songwriter) |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | United Artists |
Release dates |
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Running time | 98 minutes |
Countries | United Kingdom United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $12 million |
Box office | $49.5 million (US) [2] |
Revenge of the Pink Panther is a 1978 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards. It is the sixth film in The Pink Panther comedy film series. Released in July 1978, it is the final on-set performance of Peter Sellers in the role of Inspector Jacques Clouseau. It was also the last installment in the series that was distributed solely by United Artists; the company was absorbed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer three years after the film's release.
Philippe Douvier, a major French businessman and secretly the head of the French Connection, is suspected by his New York Mafia associates of weak leadership and improperly conducting his criminal affairs. To demonstrate otherwise, Douvier's aide Guy Algo suggests a show of strength by murdering the famous Jacques Clouseau, Chief Inspector of the Sûreté.
Douvier's first attempt to kill Clouseau with a bomb fails, and the subsequent attempt by Chinese martial artist 'Mr. Chong' is thwarted when Clouseau manages to fight him off, mistaking him for Clouseau's manservant Cato, who has orders to keep his employer constantly on the alert with random attacks. Douvier tries again by telephoning Clouseau in an attempt to lure him into an ambush, but transvestite criminal Claude Russo steals Clouseau's car and clothes and is mistakenly shot and killed instead by Douvier's men.
Clouseau's death is erroneously reported by the media, prompting his former boss, former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus, to instantly regain his sanity and be released from the psychiatric hospital to conduct the investigation. [N 1] Wearing Russo's dress and protesting his true identity, Clouseau is himself taken to the hospital where Dreyfus is packing to leave. Clouseau escapes into Dreyfus' room and hides in the closet. Dreyfus opens the closet door and faints at the shock of seeing Clouseau, apparently alive. Clouseau leaves the hospital by posing as Dreyfus and is driven to his apartment by the oblivious François.
Upon arriving home, Clouseau discovers that Cato, who also believed Clouseau to be dead, has transformed their apartment into a Chinese-themed brothel. Cato is relieved to see that his boss has survived, and the two plot revenge on the sponsor of Clouseau's assassination. Later, Dreyfus is aghast when forced to read the eulogy at Clouseau's funeral, during which efforts at suppressing his hysterical laughter at the words praising Clouseau's brilliance cause everyone to believe Dreyfus is devastated by Clouseau's death. Clouseau attends the burial disguised as a priest, and surreptitiously reveals himself to Dreyfus, who again faints and falls into the open grave.
Douvier's wife threatens him with divorce over his infidelity. Because his wife holds evidence of his criminal activities, Douvier breaks off his affair with his secretary Simone, who reacts angrily. Fearing Simone will also expose him, Douvier orders Algo to have her killed while at a nightclub. Acting on a tip-off, Clouseau inadvertently saves her. Clouseau reveals his identity to Simone, and she reveals it was Douvier who ordered Clouseau's assassination. Fleeing Douvier's henchmen, Simone tells Clouseau of Douvier's plan to meet the New York Mafia godfather Julio Scallini in Hong Kong for the Gannet Transaction - the sale of $50,000,000 in heroin hidden in the keel of Douvier's yacht.
Clouseau, Cato, and Simone travel to Hong Kong in disguise, unaware that Dreyfus is following them after overhearing their conversation. Clouseau impersonates Scallini, wearing a ridiculous stereotypical gangster disguise, while Simone distracts the real godfather. One of Scallini's men spots Douvier leaving the hotel with the disguised Clouseau and informs Scallini. Clouseau, through his ineptitude, soon exposes himself during the Gannet Transaction. A frenzied chase ensues with Clouseau and Cato pursued by the gangsters, Simone, Dreyfus and the Hong Kong Police. All run into a darkened warehouse where the fireworks stored inside are accidentally ignited, catching everyone in the resulting chaos. Douvier and Scallini are arrested, Clouseau is honored for their capture by the President of France, and he and Simone go on a date together.
When United Artists spent three months on previews and continuous editing of the previous Pink Panther movie The Pink Panther Strikes Again (according to Daily Variety in 1976), Edwards decided he would try to salvage any humorous material remaining. He suggested that Revenge of the Pink Panther should primarily be made up of this footage and that he would write and shoot new footage around it with Sellers and company. Sellers balked at this and insisted that Revenge feature all-new footage. The film would have a budget of $12 million, which would primarily be financed by advances from distributors and merchandise licensing. [1]
The opening animated titles in the film were designed by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, who had been involved with the series since the animated titles of the original 1963 film, The Pink Panther . [3] It was the first time since Inspector Clouseau in 1968 that DePatie-Freleng animated the opening titles of a Pink Panther film (Return and Strikes Again having been done by Richard Williams' Studio). [4]
Principal photography began on November 2, 1977, in Paris and concluded on April 16, 1978, in Nice. Filming also took place at Shepperton Studios and British Hong Kong. [1] Some of the Hong Kong scenes were filmed at The Excelsior hotel. [5] This is Graham Stark's first appearance as Professor Auguste Balls. He portrays him once more in Son of the Pink Panther (1993). Harvey Korman portrays Professor Balls in footage cut from The Pink Panther Strikes Again, but later used in Trail of the Pink Panther (1982). [6]
The film received press screenings at the Kuilima Hyatt Resort in Oahu, Hawaii. The film had its world premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on July 13, 1978 [1] in a premiere attended by Prince Charles. It opened to the public the following day. It opened in the United States at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City and at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles on July 19, 1978 [1] before expanding to 387 theatres across the United States. [7]
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 84% based on 19 reviews, with an average score of 6.70/10. [8] Variety wrote, "Revenge of the Pink Panther isn't the best of the continuing film series, but Blake Edwards and Peter Sellers on a slow day are still well ahead of most other comedic filmmakers." [9] Vincent Canby wrote in The New York Times "If you have the Clouzot[ sic ] habit, as I have, there's very little that Mr. Edwards and Mr. Sellers could do that would make you find the movie disappointing." [10] One DVD & video guide gave the movie four and a half out of five stars, calling it "arguably the best of the slapstick series." [11] In 1979, the film won the Evening Standard British Film Award for best comedy. [12]
The film grossed $62,810 in its first three days at the Odeon Leicester Square. [13] On its US release, it grossed $5,278,784 in its first 5 days of release from 387 theatres [7] and $11,004,124 in its first 12 days from 461 theatres in the United States and Canada. [14]
Romance of the Pink Panther was a Pink Panther film that Sellers had written—and was willing to make without Edwards—before Sellers' death in July 1980. [15] UA considered recasting the role before convincing Blake Edwards to return to the series. Edwards chose to replace Clouseau with a new character rather than replace Sellers as Clouseau and to utilize outtakes from The Pink Panther Strikes Again to set up a transitional film ( Trail of the Pink Panther ) with new linking footage shot on the set of the new film ( Curse of the Pink Panther ). [16]
Composed by Henry Mancini in his fifth Pink Panther film, its theme music and much of the soundtrack draw heavily from the disco trends of the late 1970s. The "Pink Panther Theme" itself was reworked to include a more dancy bassline, electric piano and guitar solo. A soundtrack album for the film was released by United Artists Records.
Blake Edwards was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor.
Inspector Jacques Clouseau, later granted the rank of Chief Inspector, is a fictional character in Blake Edwards' farcical The Pink Panther series. Clouseau's immense ego, eccentricity, exaggerated French accent, and prominent mustache are all a parody of Hercule Poirot, the fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. He is portrayed by Peter Sellers in the original series, and also by Alan Arkin in the 1968 film Inspector Clouseau and, in a cameo, by Roger Moore in the 1983 film Curse of the Pink Panther. In the 2006 reboot and its 2009 sequel, Clouseau is portrayed by Steve Martin. Clouseau's likeness also appears in the Pink Panther animated cartoon shorts and segments, where he is known as simply "the Inspector".
The Pink Panther is an American media franchise primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the film The Pink Panther in 1963. The role of Clouseau was originated by and is most closely associated with Peter Sellers. Most of the films were written and directed by Blake Edwards, with theme music composed by Henry Mancini. Elements and characters inspired by the films were adapted into other media, including books, comic books, video games and animated series.
Isadore "Friz" Freleng, credited as I. Freleng early in his career, was an American animator, cartoonist, director, producer, and composer known for his work at Warner Bros. Cartoons on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from the 1930s to the early 1960s. In total he created more than 300 cartoons.
Herbert Tsangtse Kwouk was a British actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Cato in the Pink Panther films. He made appearances in many television programmes, including a portrayal of Imperial Japanese Army Major Yamauchi in the British drama series Tenko and as Entwistle in Last of the Summer Wine.
The Inspector is an American series of 34 theatrical cartoon shorts produced between 1965 and 1969 by DePatie–Freleng Enterprises and released through United Artists. The cartoons are dedicated to an animated version of Inspector Clouseau comically battling against a rogues' gallery of internationally styled villains.
A Shot in the Dark is a 1964 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards in Panavision. Produced as a standalone sequel to The Pink Panther, it is the second installment in the eponymous film series, with Peter Sellers reprising his role as Inspector Jacques Clouseau of the French Sûreté.
Trail of the Pink Panther is a 1982 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and starring Peter Sellers. It is the seventh film in The Pink Panther series, the first film in the series following Sellers's death and also the last in which he appeared as Inspector Clouseau. Sellers died 18 months before production began; his performance consists entirely of his deleted scenes and outtakes from previous films. Although the Sellers estate sued United Artists and the unauthorized use of the footage was ruled illegal, the film was allowed to be released. The newly shot material in the film stars Joanna Lumley as journalist Marie Jouvet searching for the missing Clouseau – and running afoul of the inspector's enemies who do not wish to see him return.
The Pink Panther Strikes Again is the fifth crime comedy film in The Pink Panther series, released in December, 1976. Set three years after the conclusion of The Return of the Pink Panther (1975), unused footage from the film was later included in Trail of the Pink Panther (1982), released over two years following the death of Peter Sellers.
The Return of the Pink Panther is a 1975 comedy film and the fourth film in The Pink Panther series. The film stars Peter Sellers returning to the role of Inspector Clouseau for the first time since A Shot in the Dark (1964), after having declined to reprise the role in Inspector Clouseau (1968).
The Pink Panther is a media franchise originating with series of films featuring the fictional Inspector Clouseau, played by Peter Sellers, that began in 1963.
Curse of the Pink Panther is a 1983 comedy film and a continuation of The Pink Panther series of films created by Blake Edwards in the early 1960s. The film was one of two produced concurrently following the death of the series' star Peter Sellers. Whereas the previous film Trail of the Pink Panther made use of unused footage of Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and starred Joanna Lumley as journalist Marie Jouvet, Curse attempted to relaunch the series with a new lead, Ted Wass, as inept American detective Clifton Sleigh, assigned to find the missing Inspector Clouseau.
Son of the Pink Panther is a 1993 comedy film. It is the ninth and final installment of the original The Pink Panther film series starting from the 1963 film. Directed by Blake Edwards, it stars Roberto Benigni as Inspector Clouseau's illegitimate son. Also in this film are Panther regulars Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk and Graham Stark and a star of the original 1963 film, Claudia Cardinale. It was the final film for both director Blake Edwards and composer Henry Mancini; Mancini died on June 14, 1994, and Edwards retired from film-making in 1995.
The Pink Panther is a 2006 American comedy-mystery film and a reboot of The Pink Panther franchise, marking the tenth installment in the series. It is also the first Pink Panther film to be released since Son of the Pink Panther (1993). In this film, Inspector Jacques Clouseau is assigned to solve the murder of a famous soccer coach and the theft of the famous Pink Panther diamond. The film was directed by Shawn Levy, stars Steve Martin as Clouseau and also co-stars Kevin Kline, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, and Beyoncé Knowles.
The Pink Panther is a 1963 American comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and distributed by United Artists. It was written by Maurice Richlin and Blake Edwards. It is the first installment in The Pink Panther franchise. Its story follows Inspector Jacques Clouseau as he travels from Rome to Cortina d'Ampezzo to catch a notorious jewel thief known as "The Phantom" before he is able to steal a priceless diamond known as "The Pink Panther". The film stars David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine and Claudia Cardinale.
Inspector Clouseau is a 1968 British comedy film, and the third installment in The Pink Panther film series. It was directed by Bud Yorkin, written by brothers Frank Waldman and Tom Waldman and stars Alan Arkin as the title character. It was filmed by Mirisch Films at the MGM-British Studios, Borehamwood and in Europe.
The Pink Panther is a fictional animated character who appears in the opening or closing credit sequences of every film in The Pink Panther series except for A Shot in the Dark and Inspector Clouseau. In the storyline of the original film, the "Pink Panther" is the name of a valuable pink diamond named for a flaw that shows a "figure of a springing panther" when held up to the light in a certain way; in the credits this was translated to an animated pink panther. Only the first Pink Panther film and its third sequel, The Return of the Pink Panther, featured the diamond.
"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. The eponymous cartoon character created for the film's opening credits by David DePatie and Friz Freleng was animated in time to the tune. The tenor saxophone solo was played by Plas Johnson.
The Pink Panther 2 is a 2009 American comedy-mystery film directed by Harald Zwart. It is the eleventh installment in The Pink Panther film series and the sequel to the 2006 film The Pink Panther, a reboot of the popular comedy series. The film was released on February 6, 2009 in North America. In the film, Inspector Clouseau must team up with detectives from other countries to rout a daring burglar, The Tornado, who has returned after a decade's inactivity.