Film Review--The Pink Panther (1963)

The Pink Panther (1963)
directed by Blake Edwards
written by Maurice Richlin and Blake Edwards
starring Peter Sellers, David Niven, Robert Wagner, Capucine, Brenda De Banzie, Claudia Cardinale,

In the first installment in the Pink Panther franchise, the infamous idiot Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Sellers) battles a world renowned jewel thief known only as “The Phantom”.

A lovely Princess named Dala (Cardinale) is in possession of the largest diamond in the world which is flawed deep inside with the shape of a leaping Pink Panther, thus its name. It was a gift from her father, the Shah of Lugash, when she was a little girl and naturally it’s desired by nefarious creeps the world over. The Princess is a slinky thing, purring enticingly as she quietly observes the dissolute revelers around her. She is referred to in the papers as “The Virgin Queen” and falls into the waiting arms of Sir Charles Lytton (Niven) who attempts to woo her by plying her with too much champagne. Charles is also attempting to steal her diamond as he is the one and only Phantom, a thief who has been confounding authorities for more than twenty years. During this entire run he has struck every year at one of the many parties thrown by socialite Angela Dunning (Banzie), a chatty broad who takes her elevated lot in life a bit too seriously.

The film has a swingin’ sixties vibe to it as it seems to be filled with wealthy types who apparently have too much free time on their hands. They dance, they drink, and they carry on like hogs at a feeding trough. There is a hint of scandal in the air as the crowds swoon and titter about nothing in particular. Angela’s parties are always lavish affairs and this one includes a mad array of costumes including a zebra, two gorillas and a number of strange and slightly elegant concoctions.

Inspector Clouseau’s naughty little wife Simone (Capucine) is sneaking around behind his back with Sir Charles. She’s also helping the master thief in his attempt to realize his latest score. Of course the bumbling Clouseau has no clue about anything whatsoever especially the filthy maneuverings of his treasured wife.

The film is based around the clumsiness and buffoonery of Clouseau. He routinely falls down, runs into things, destroys clothing and other objects, and essentially anything that isn’t nailed down. Peter Sellers is indeed deserving of his reputation as a comedic genius because it can’t be all that easy to behave so destructively on purpose. Falling down is as old a staple in comedy as comedy itself. There are few who turn it into ballet however and Sellers is certainly one of those. It’s one of those things that gets funnier the more you see it and this isn’t the case with many who have lived and died by the pratfall. Indeed, Sellers is one of the few who have elevated the discipline to high art.

The film oozes with bawdy sex appeal as the party goers dance and flirt playfully throughout the course of the evening. There is a ribald essence to each maneuver and the players all seem ready for some illicit encounter or another. Of course the most succinct player is Sir Charles who it is described can juggle ten women at once and not drop a single one. David Niven certainly has the correct approach in this film. He infuses Sir Charles with the proper intensity and charisma which it is clear can not be resisted by any woman fool enough to get caught in his lair. Sir Charles is the best kind of anti-hero. He’s more attractive and genuine than any other man in the room and his confidence knows no bounds. His luck with the ladies proves that ambition coupled with an overarching desire can be insistent enough to convince just about any woman to slip out of her clothes for a special rendezvous. Of course there is always a Princess Dala to make things interesting.

The film isn’t as much about the Pink Panther as it is about selling a free and loose lifestyle enjoyed by those who can afford most of life’s pleasures and take advantage of this fact at every turn. There are several long scenes between characters who suffer various frustrations that afflict them in interesting ways. One such scene depicts the Princess and Sir Charles as he attempts to lay on the charm and sway her into his bed. Unfortunately for Sir Charles she is devoted to her virginal status and manages to pass out on champagne before he can make his move.

Sir Charles’s son George shows up straight from Yale with the sole intention of stealing the diamond and blaming the theft on the Phantom. Unfortunately he discovers that his dad is the master thief which puts a bit of a kink in his plans. Subsequently he spends all of his time trying to get into Simone’s panties. Simone is relegated to fending off all of his many advances and he seems unwilling to take no for an answer. It’s but another relationship trouble that is prevalent throughout the course of the film. The only one not benefiting from the slippery sexual politics is Inspector Clouseau who seems too bent on causing inadvertent mayhem through his bumbling stupidity. He’s forced to eschew sexual gratification in order to solve the case once and for all after failing so many times before.

As mentioned Peter Sellers is supremely entertaining throughout this film if witnessing a buffoon stumbling about and knocking everything over in his path is particular to one’s brand of comedic bliss. But what really impresses is the solidity of his performance when he’s not falling down and making an ass out himself. He’s very good at playing it straight and mock-serious as the audience awaits the next great physical demonstration. David Niven has all of the attributes one expects from a Lothario who can bed any woman he desires. Sir Charles is cool, well ordered, and exceedingly graceful throughout. His ease of movement is intoxicating and it’s easy to live through him as he goes about the business of securing the holy diamond and trying to bed any woman he encounters. Niven captures ever aspect of the ideal male character with such ease that it’s almost perverse. His charm is ruthless and brutal in its effectiveness. Capucine captures her character’s core desirability and her insatiable sexual appetite. Claudia Cardinale is perfectly cast as Princess Dala. She’s highly believable as the luxurious sex pot who refuses to give her self up to just any man, including the celebrated Sir Charles. Yet Cardinale plays her as robust and genuinely affected but there is but a hint of sadness to the character that Cardinale reveals mostly through her eyes.

Overall this is a top notch comedy of errors that has the extra bonus of the perennially baffled Inspector Clouseau irritating everyone about him with his foolish antics. He does everything wrong and the exaggerated results of his faulty actions lend the film an air of absurdity which it uses effectively. Clouseau is simply one of the few characters whose actions are immediately recognizable and Sellers remains for many the seminal portrayer of this menacing pest who is a real and lasting threat to himself and others. His behavior is just one of the many reasons that make this film so successful. It’s got mystery, sex, and betrayal and these components work together to create a thoroughly engrossing film that never loses its momentum.