Verdict
Summary
Peter Sellers returns with great success in The Return of the Pink Panther for this very well produced comedic farce that has Sellers doing some classic bits, donning disguises, and dueling with his housekeeper Cato (Burt Kwok). There are some standout moments in the film, and director Blake Edwards almost makes this feel like a 007 movie with gorgeous locations, beautiful women, and a suave villain, set to a classy Henry Mancini score. This is a near classic film, and a welcome return to form for fans of the series.
Plot:
A master thief steals the “Pink Panther” diamond, sending Inspector Clouseau on another hunt.
Review:
Held secure in a museum for years, the “Pink Panther” diamond is stolen by a master thief, and a desperate plan is formed: Reinstate the only inspector to ever recapture the precious jewel … Clouseau (Peter Sellers)! Once Clouseau is on the case, his superior Dreyfus (Herbert Lom with an endless twitch) is literally driven insane with envy and frustration at how inept Clouseau is, but once the bumbling inspector is on to the thief – a suave playboy named Litton (Christopher Plummer, replacing David Niven from the first film), whose life has become meaningless and boring without proving that he is literally the only man on earth who could steal the world’s most coveted diamond. From then on, Litton and Clouseau trot around the world chasing each other’s tail, with Dreyfus slowly becoming more insane until he hits a breaking point and must be admitted into a mental institution!
After Alan Arkin took the lead as the title character in Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers returns with great success in The Return of the Pink Panther for this very well produced comedic farce that has Sellers doing some classic bits, donning disguises, and dueling with his housekeeper Cato (Burt Kwok). There are some standout moments in the film, and director Blake Edwards almost makes this feel like a 007 movie with gorgeous locations, beautiful women, and a suave villain, set to a classy Henry Mancini score. This is a near classic film, and a welcome return to form for fans of the series.
Kino Lorber’s brand new 4K Ultra HD / Blu-ray combo pack comes in a new 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative, looking so good it’s almost criminal. I’ve owned this movie on DVD, which was issued by Artisan many years ago, and Kino’s new presentation far and away towers over that edition, so I’m grateful for this upgrade. A must-own for devoted fans of the series and of Sellers, this release is tops. With an audio commentary by a film historian, three archival featurettes, and promotional material, plus a reversible sleeve and a slipcover are included.
