HotToastyRag Is there anyone out there who hasn't seen The Pink Panther? If you shyly raised your hand, get out there and pick up a copy this weekend and bring your Kleenexes. Not for crying, of course, but for wiping tears of laughter from your eyes.This is the first of nine installments, not including the Leslie Nielson remakes, and all but the final three star Peter Sellers as the bumbling French detective Inspector Clouseau. With an endless supply of slapstick jokes, expected but still hilarious gags, and 60s sex references, the Pink Panther movies are unforgettable and a staple in everyone's childhood. David Niven, Capucine, Claudia Cardinale, and Robert Wagner round out the cast in the first movie, so if you want to see Herbert Lom and Burt Wouk as the stock characters you remember from the rest of the series, you'll have to wait for the sequel A Shot in the Dark. Just so you know, David Niven is the real lead in this first movie, playing a suave, dashing, charming ladies' man-in other words, playing who he plays best. Peter Sellers had a much smaller part, but he was such a hit with audiences that the rest of the series increased his part and made him the lead! So, while this first movie might not be the one with the most jokes, it's still very funny and cute.

jimbo-53-186511 For me, The Pink Panther is one of those films that seems to offer viewers what I like to call 'humour of the lowest common denominator'. It becomes evident very early on and throughout the entirety of the film that the only running gag that's on offer here relates to our bumbling and inept Inspector Clouseau. At sporadic intervals in the film we'll witness him trip over violins, walking into doors, fall over, have doors opened into him etc. It's something that is moderately amusing for about 5-10 minutes, but wears thin fast. Aside from sight gags the script offers no real laughs and it just shows a real laziness on behalf of the writers.The story involving 2 people (one of whom is simply known as The Phantom) trying to steal a precious jewel from a princess certainly held a lot of promise, but for the first 75 minutes it gets no real focus and it just seemed to veer from one pointless scene to another. I think a big failing with this film is that it spent most of its time showing Clouseau as being inept in a clumsy way rather than making him inept as a detective - the latter certainly would have made the film much funnier. There also isn't much of a mystery here which to me defeats the whole purpose of the film. Most of the dialogue is inane and irritating, the story is dull and unengaging and the turn of events at the end are both ridiculous and nonsensical.The only part of the film I found to be mildly amusing was the scene where Clouseau's wife is trying to prevent him finding the 2 men in their room. Like I say it was only mildly amusing and sadly, for me, the film failed to register any big laughs at all.If you like seeing cheap sight gags such as Peter Sellers falling over things, him walking into doors etc then you'll be well catered for here. However, if you prefer comedy where the humour stems from the characters and situations being funny then you're probably best avoiding this one.

gavin6942 Bumbling and conceited French police inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) tries to catch The Phantom, a daring jewel thief whose identity and features are unknown - and is acting right under his nose.I will not say anything bad about Peter Sellers, or director Blake Edwards. But I will say this film is not necessarily as funny as it could be. Some parts, especially those around the costume party, are rather humorous (the zebra stripes joke is corny but funny). The rest? I don't know... it seems like they were going for a PG-rated sex comedy, and ended up with some creepy dialogue. What should be romantic comes across as creepy, because it clearly has someone being taken advantage of...

Dalbert Pringle OK. I waited.... And I waited... And I waited (ho-hum!)... And still Blake Edwards' "The Pink Panther" failed to deliver enough satisfactory laughs in its decidedly clumsy storyline to make watching it at all worthwhile, in the long run.In spite of its big-name cast of international stars - 1964's "The Pink Panther" certainly fell mighty short of my expectations on all counts.It was especially actor Peter Sellers, as Inspector Clouseau, who completely let me down with his annoyingly predictable shtick as the ultimate bungler who (regardless of the odds against him) always got his man.Filled-to-overflowing with endless, 1960s, jet-setter crap - "The Pink Panther's" action took place in and around a posh, European, ski resort where a very tired game of cat & mouse gets underway between the clumsy CLouseau and the cunning criminal known as "The Phantom".Not only does it shock me (right to my socks) to find out that this simpleminded movie was, indeed, a big, smash-hit in its day - But that it spawned 3 very successful sequels (which I have absolutely no interest to see), as well.