The Pink Panther (1963)

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Maurice Richlin (screenplay) and
Blake Edwards (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 March 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Family | Romance

Tagline:

You only live once... so see the Pink Panther twice!!!

Plot:

In the first movie starring Peter Sellers as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau, he tries to catch a jewel thief who is right under his nose.

Plot Keywords:

Clouseau | Pink | Panther | Pink Panther | Inspector

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

David Niven	...	Sir Charles Lytton
Peter Sellers	...	Insp. Jacques Clouseau
Robert Wagner	...	George Lytton
Capucine	...	Simone Clouseau
Brenda De Banzie	...	Angela Dunning (as Brenda de Banzie)
Colin Gordon	...	Tucker
John Le Mesurier	...	Defence Barrister (as John LeMesurier)
James Lanphier	...	Saloud
Guy Thomajan	...	Artoff
Michael Trubshawe	...	Felix Townes
Riccardo Billi	...	Aristotle Sarajos
Meri Welles	...	Monica Fawn (as Meri Wells)
Martin Miller	...	Pierre Luigi - Photographer
Fran Jeffries	...	Greek 'cousin'
Claudia Cardinale	...	Princess Dahla
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Bartha	...	Policeman (uncredited)
William Bryant	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Mario Fabrizi	...	Hotel manager (uncredited)
Eugene Walter	...	Hotel manager (English dubbing) (uncredited)

Directed by
Blake Edwards

Writing credits
Maurice Richlin		(screenplay) and
Blake Edwards		(screenplay)

Produced by
Dick Crockett	....	associate producer
Martin Jurow	....	producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop		(as Philip Lathrop)

Film Editing by
Ralph E. Winters

Art Direction by
Fernando Carrere

Set Decoration by
Reg Allen		(as Reginald Allen)
Arrigo Breschi
Jack Stevens

Makeup Department
Amalia Paoletti	....	hair stylist
Euclide Santoli	....	makeup artist
Michele Trimarchi	....	makeup artist (as Michele Tremarchi)
Giancarlo De Leonardis	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Guy Luongo	....	production supervisor
Jack McEdward	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ottavio Oppo	....	assistant director
Owen Crump	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Mickey Lennon	....	chargehand dressing prop (uncredited)
Italo Tomassi	....	head scenic painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Alexander Fisher	....	sound
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	sound effects editor
Sash Fisher	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lee Zavitz	....	special effects

Stunts
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Burton Jr.	....	camera operator: animation (uncredited)
Bill Geddes	....	camera grip (uncredited)
Richard H. Kline	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Warren Batchelder	....	animator: main titles (uncredited)
Dale Case	....	animator: main titles (uncredited)
George DeLado	....	background artist: main titles (uncredited)
David H. DePatie	....	animation producer (uncredited)
Friz Freleng	....	animation producer (uncredited)
Manny Gould	....	animator: main titles (uncredited)
George Grandpré	....	animator: main titles (uncredited)
Laverne Harding	....	animator: main titles (uncredited)
Harry Love	....	production coordinator: animation (uncredited)
Bob Matz	....	animator: main titles (uncredited)
Norm McCabe	....	animator: main titles (uncredited)
Tom O'Loughlin	....	background artist: main titles (uncredited)
Manuel Perez	....	animator: main titles (uncredited)
Hawley Pratt	....	director: animation sequence (uncredited)
Dick Ung	....	layout artist: main titles (uncredited)
Don Williams	....	animator: main titles (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Annalisa Nasalli-Rocca	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Annalisa Rocca)
Yves Saint-Laurent	....	wardrobe: Claudia Cardinale and Capucine (as Yves St. Laurent)
William Ware Theiss	....	wardrobe consultant (as William Theiss)

Editorial Department
Marshall M. Borden	....	assistant editor
David B. Zinnemann	....	assistant editor
Lee Gunther	....	film editor: animation (uncredited)

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Bob Bain	....	musician: guitar (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Eddie Frewin	....	transportation chief (uncredited)

Other crew
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (as Betty Abbott)
James Lanphier	....	dialogue coach
Corny Cole	....	lead graphic designer: main titles (uncredited)
Ralph M. Leo	....	production accountant (uncredited)
Hermes Pan	....	choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The (as Mirisch Company)

Distributors

• United Artists (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists Corporation (1964) (UK) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Cuatro (2005) (Spain) (TV)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (collector's edition)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (DFE)  main titles

Also Known As:

Der rosarote Panther (West Germany) [de]
La pantera Rosa (Spain) [es]
La pantera rosa (Italy) [it]
La panthère Rose (France) [fr]
O Roz Panthir (Greece) [el]
Pembe panter (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Rozowa Pantera (Poland) [pl]
Vaaleanpunainen pantteri (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | France:U | Ireland:PG | Netherlands:AL | Norway:12 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:Approved (certificate #20449) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

The film was intended to have David Niven's character Sir Charles Lytton as the main character. However, Peter Sellers' portrayal of Inspector Clouseau was so loved by the crew (and later by the audience) it became his character this film and the sequels focused on.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Clouseau comes back to the bedroom with the violin case, he puts it on the armchair. Later he sits down and the case isn't there no more.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Gem dealer 1: As in every stone of this size, there is a flaw.
Sultan: A flaw?
Gem dealer 2: The slightest flaw, your excellency.
Gem dealer 1: If you look deep into the stone, you will perceive the tiniest discoloration. It resembles an animal.
Sultan: An animal?
Gem dealer 1: A little panther.
Sultan: Yes! A pink panther. Come here, Dala. A gift to your father from his grateful people. Some day it will be yours. The most fabulous diamond in all the world. Come closer.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Brady Bunch Hour: (#1.5)" (1977)

Soundtrack:

It Had Better Be Tonight

Birth of the "Panther"

The one that started it all and set `Clouseau' on the path to becoming Chief Inspector, `The Pink Panther,' directed by Blake Edwards, stars David Niven and Peter Sellers. This film is memorable for a number of reasons, primarily for being the first in a tremendously successful (and funny) series which would ultimately showcase one of the world's favorite cinematic policemen, the bumbling Jacques Clouseau (Sellers). it also introduced His Royal Pinkness, the Panther himself, to the format of the feature length motion picture. And can anyone remember a time before Henry Mancini's familiar theme existed?

Being the first, of course, makes this the prototype, and though it's a good movie, it's obvious that the formula for success which the following films in the series employed had not yet been honed to perfection. Consequently, though funny, the hilarity level of this one is comparatively low, though it does have it's moments, the best of which involve Clouseau.

From the day it premiered, it was readily apparent that what really made it a go was Sellers; and Edwards and his team have to be given credit for recognizing it immediately. Often a sequel fails because the filmmaker has attempted to capitalize on an element of the original that seemingly made it good, only to discover that what the poet once said is true: You can never go home again. Merely expanding the part that worked before doesn't insure success; usually, in fact, quite the opposite is true, as without fail it becomes a matter of overkill (The Penguin was no Joker, and those participating in `The Return of the Seven' weren't so `magnificent' after all). There are the exceptions, of course, like the `Stars Wars' saga, the `Indiana Jones' movies and, it goes without saying, the `Panther' films.

Edwards was clever enough to discern that key element in the original, and not only expand upon it for the sequels, but fine tune it as he did so. In developing his formula he seemed to possess an innate sense of what was funny, even from an objective point of view-- which is amazing, given that comedy is probably the most subjective of genres. And then again, he had the inimitable Sellers as his star, which was certainly no hindrance to their combined efforts.

It's interesting to watch this movie again, especially after seeing the rest of the series, as you're seeing Clouseau in his raw stage of development; the accent is not yet as pronounced as it will be later, and his `denseness' is not quite refined yet. But funny he is, even as he experiments, searching for that perfect comedic note (which he would finally find in `The Pink Panther Strikes Again'). Seller's performance is the highlight of the movie, and it gave birth to what would become one of the defining characters of his career. From the first moment Clouseau appears on screen, you know that you're about to be treated to something special. And Sellers never disappoints-- from that first frame on, he is a joy to watch.

David Niven, meanwhile, lends an air of sophistication to the proceedings as the suave and debonair, legendary jewel thief, Sir Charles Litton. Though not a unique character, Niven plays him well, exuding the kind of charm possibly only Cary Grant could have matched at the time. As usual, he brings a smooth presence to the screen, he plays comedy well and the facility with which he brings Litton to life is impressive. Watching Niven and Sellers together calls to mind the pairing of Michael Caine and Steve Martin some years later in `Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.'

The supporting cast includes Robert Wagner (George Litton), Capucine (Simone), Brenda De Banzie (Angela), Colin Gordon (Tucker) Fran Jeffries (Greek `Cousin') and the lovely Claudia Cardinale as Princess Dala. Sellers created a number of characters during his career that will live forever, but with `The Pink Panther' he carved out a special niche for himself when he created Clouseau. There's never been anyone else quite like Clouseau (or Sellers, for that matter), and it's doubtful there ever will be again. As for the movie itself, there's no denying it's place of significance in the history of the movies as the one that kicked off a series that made the world laugh-- and thanks to the magic of DVD/video, that laughter continues on, unabated, today-- with no end in sight. That's the magic of Sellers, and it's all a part of the magic of the movies. I rate this one 7/10.