The Return of the Pink Panther *** (1975, Peter Sellers, Christopher Plummer, Catherine Schell, Herbert Lom) – Classic Movie Review 8294

Co-writer/ producer/ director Blake Edwards’s bright and lively 1975 slapstick comedy sequel The Return of the Pink Panther stars Peter Sellers, who got his career back on the rails by returning to his iconic hit role of the bumbling, clumsy Inspector Clouseau after an 11-year gap, since A Shot in the Dark (1964).

The Return of the Pink Panther was nominated for three Golden Globes; Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical (Peter Sellers) and Best Original Score – Motion Picture (Henry Mancini). It won the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Comedy and Best Actor.

Christopher Plummer takes over from David Niven as the gem thief called The Phantom, aka Sir Charles Litton, Catherine Schell has a thankless task as Lady Claudine Litton, and Herbert Lom is very engaging as the exasperated and beleaguered Chief Inspector Dreyfus. Burt Kwouk is back as Cato, and David Lodge (Mac), Graham Stark (Pepi) and Victor Spinetti (concierge) are among the essential British comedy support names.

The screenplay has hardly a whisker of plot, but it does have enough inventive slapstick gags to fill a couple of movies. The style is the same as before, only more so, and Sellers’s French accent is extra-nasal, and the humour is extra-cruel.

Richard Williams’s cartoon credits of movie jokes are a gem.

Also in the cast are Peter Arne, André Maranne, Peter Jeffrey, Grégoire Aslan, Eric Pohlmann, John Bluthal, Carol Cleveland, Mike Grady and Jeremy Hawk.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8294

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