Revenge of the Pink Panther

4 out of 10

That sound you hear is the engine conking out on a car that has been driven too long and too far. The formula here has become dried up. Nothing new is injected and absolutely nothing is clever. The first half deals with the most basic of pratfalls. The second half comes to an almost screeching halt while the final third wraps up in Hong Kong in a desperate attempt to liven things up. Nothing works and if star Sellers hadn't died so soon afterwards this film series most certainly would have anyways.

One of the biggest problems here is that it's predecessor THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN was so good that this by comparison seems like a major letdown. Lom, as the villain in the predecessor, was both lively and campy. Webber, as the villain here, seems very wimpy and boring. Even a silly comedy needs a villain that is somewhat threatening. There is also some glaring loopholes. One involves the presence of Lom himself. He supposedly got evaporated in the previous entry and yet here is looking perfectly healthy and no explanation. He is also diagnosed as being 'cured' and able to return to his former job with no loss in status despite having tried to destroy half the planet.

The addition of Cannon is the only plus. She is older than most of the past female leads and yet is still gorgeous and distinctive. She has a lot of energy and personality and doesn't seem used just to help the scenery.

The formula of having a blundering idiot that is considered brilliant by everyone who doesn't know him is still a good one despite the weak script. The genius of Sellers manages to still get a few laughs. His characterizations and timing are impeccable. The Closeau character is a joy to watch all in itself. The part where he dresses up like a Marlon Brando type Godfather is hilarious and should have been played out more.

The French connection(ringleader is Robert Loggia) proposes kill Inspector Clouseau(Sellers) to prove the American Mafia(ringleader is Paul Stewart)what gets importance.Bumbling Clouseau is allegedly killed but he secretly looks for the murder and investigates incognito.He along with the mobster's secretary(Dyan Cannon) travel to Hong Kong where he'll find supposedly his killers.

This release is the fifth part of series and has the inept and bungler Inspector Clouseau from French Surete in the last entry by the late Peter Sellers though he would follow playing but with outtakes in films as¨Trail of the Pink Panther¨. The picture contains hilarious,fresh and diverting moments and never slowdown.The movie has the usual struggles with Kato(Burt Kwouk) and another fighting Kung-Fu style fitting the time(Bruce Lee's operation dragon and chop-socky sub-genre).Inexplicably appears Chief Inspector Dreyfus(Herbert Lom) who was been disintegrated by laser-ray machine in previous film(Pink Panther strikes again),besides appear another customary actors series as Andre Maranne,Graham Stark and known British secondaries as Douglas Wilmer,Ferdy Mayne, Alfie Bass and a Hammer scream girl: Valerie Leon.Excellent opening and ending cartoon titles cartoon by DePaite and Freleng,they will make the successful TV Pink Panther episodes. The flick will like to Pink Panther series enthusiastic and Peter Sellers fans.The film gets memorable occasions for the fun and entertainment.

Peter Sellers made 5 Pink Panther movies; this was the last and, in my opinion, the best. Planning a 6th, he died before it could be made. I remember reading in a biography that, as he was practising his Clousseau voice for the 6th film, his wife told him that the dialog he was reciting was "barely intelligible." Just the thought of that makes me chuckle. (Very nasal now: Peuwp - did you say "Peuwp?").

This Pink Panther film contains myriad classic scenes. Right at the beginning we see Clousseau (dressed as Toulouse Lautrec) tossing the "beuwm!" toward Professor Balls, who is saved from the explosion by the "new shipment of inflatable goiters!" Then, as he explains to his boss what has happened, he sets the office afire from the burning embers on his clothes and, exiting, proclaims "I must apprehend this mad 'beuwmber' before he does anymore of the 'dam-ajje'."

This goes on and on. You must be a real Clousseau aficionado to appreciate it, I suppose. It's an acquired taste! Nevertheless, I think it's a funny movie if you like silly, somewhat refined, slapstick comedy.

Be forewarned--no matter what you see, this is THE last Pink Panther movie. Shortly after this film, Peter Sellers died and the studio had the nerve to try to continue the franchise! On the first, we have a female cop take on the case and interview all the characters from the previous films. In the second of these awful films (THE TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER), we find outtakes and clips from the previous Panther films being strung together with a tenuous plot. In the third, Roberto Begnini stars as Clouseau's son (a pretty lame way to continue the series). And just recently Steve Martin (whose career really seems in the dumps during the last few years) reprises the role. Uggh! Just let it go, folks! In this FINAL Panther movie, Sellers is up to his old craziness but the film isn't quite as way out and weird as the last. Chief Inspector Dreyfus is out of the mental asylum after it is widely reported that Clouseau is dead. Kato also thinks Clouseau is dead and turns the apartment into a kinky Chinese brothel. But, Clouseau is NOT dead and Kato's scheme is quickly uncovered. However, Dreyfus is not informed of this and when he sees Clouseau again, he thinks he's once again going mad. A cute entry and well worth seeing, despite Robert Weber and Dyan Cannon not exactly being the best supporting cast the series has seen.

It appears that Peter Sellers' number is finally up, but the attempt on his life fails and he takes it upon himself to find the person who tried to have him assassinated. Naturally Sellers trips into every situation and the results are once again hilarious and tedious at the same time. The by-the-numbers-film-making is apparent here, but still Sellers is able to make the material work to an extent. Sadly this would be his last "Pink Panther" film as he would pass away before the next could come out (the next one just has archived footage of Sellers). Fair once again, but probably the weakest of the first five in the series. 2.5 out of 5 stars.