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The Pink Panther

Play trailer Poster for The Pink Panther 1964 1h 53m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 38 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
In this first film of the beloved comic series, dashing European thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) plans to steal a diamond, but he's not the only one with his eyes on the famous jewel known as the "Pink Panther." His nephew George (Robert Wagner) also aims to make off with the gem, and to frame Charles for the crime. Blundering French police inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) intercedes, but finds his career -- and his freedom -- jeopardized.

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The Pink Panther

The Pink Panther

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Critics Consensus

Peter Sellers is at his virtuosically bumbling best in The Pink Panther, a sophisticated caper blessed with an unforgettably slinky score by Henry Mancini.

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Critics Reviews

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James Jackson The Times (UK) 04/25/2023
It’s chic in an early-1960s kind of way. Go to Full Review
David Robinson Sight & Sound 03/11/2020
Peter Sellers' gifts for slapstick have not often been so well used (too often he is exploited as a mimic instead of as a comedian). Go to Full Review
James Powers The Hollywood Reporter 03/21/2019
Alexander Fisher's sound is good. Fernando Carrere's art direction and set decoration by Reginald Allen, Jack Stevens and Arrigo Breschi provide visual elegance to enhance the gags. Go to Full Review
Frank J. Avella The Contending Feb 9
B-
The enchanting Cardinale delivers the films richest performance. She is both hilarious and poignant in a scene where she gets intoxicated for the first time Go to Full Review
Penelope Gilliatt Observer (UK) 03/06/2024
The picture has a performance by Peter Sellers that is one of the most delicate studies in accident-proneness since the silents. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 11/07/2021
3/4
Despite the game efforts of a top cast, director Blake Edwards noticed that Sellers and his fumbling character were the true stars of the film. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Matthew D @OceanSage 4d I always have such fun revisiting this bizarre time capsule of 1960s humor, fashion, and music. Director Blake Edwards’ outrageous comedy The Pink Panther (1963) is so silly, playful, and upbeat. Edwards’ warm direction makes flirtations, robberies, and investigation all ridiculous. The slapstick, verbal wit and strange encounters are all very clever. Peter Sellers obviously is the main comedic highlight as Inspector Clouseau. I honestly felt after rewatching The Pink Panther that the iconic French model and actress Capucine steals all of her scenes. Having Clouseau’s own wife be a thief is just too funny. David Niven leads the movie as the sly seducer socialite and jewel thief Sir Charles Lytton. Peters Sellers dominates all the laughs as the ludicrous Inspector Jacques Clouseau. Capucine is simply gorgeous and hysterical as Inspector Clouseau’s unfaithful wife Simone Clouseau. Fran Jeffries is deliriously fun as the sexy 60’s jazz singer in the ski lodge musical number. See more Robson C @RT82519826 6d Um famoso diamante chama a atenção de Fantasma, um ladrão de joias bastante ousado. Para impedi-lo, é convocado o atrapalhado inspetor Jacques Clouseau. Entre golpes e traições, o roubo é articulado. Clássico da comédia, o filme já começa com a animação da famosa personagem da Pantera Cor de Rosa, ao som do famoso tema, composto por Henry Mancini. O elenco está excelente nesta comédia que vai para vários subgêneros: comédia romântica, de situações ou, simplesmente, o velho pastelão. É claro que o destaque é Peter Sellers, que consegue dar veracidade às atrapalhadas do personagem, soando todas naturais e muito engraçadas. See more Patrick C @RT84374237 Nov 15 At times I felt the diamond that gives 'The Pink Panther' its name was formed at a faster pace. The film looks great, there are some fine performances from the ever smooth David Niven and the ravishing Claudia Cardinale, but some sequences such as the hiding in the bedroom farce are interminable. Peter Sellers' Inspector Clouseau isn't as central as in the superior sequels, nor as fully formed in his accident-prone disastrousness. See more Michael W @mawilps 09/04/2024 This classic crime comedy was great. Peter Sellers, David Niven, Robert Wagner, Capucine, Claudia Cardinale, and the rest of the cast did a great job in this classic movie. The plot of the movie was entertaining and humorous. It's a funny crime story about stealing the most valuable diamond the Pink Panther. If you haven't seen this classic movie yet, check it out sometime. It's a must see. See more Alec B @Alec97 01/10/2024 For a movie that unintentionally kicked off a massive franchise, it is mostly a straightforward and well executed farce. As to Sellers specifically, he is quite funny with the caveat that the Clouseau character hadn't quite reached its full potential yet. That Mancini score is perfection. See more Jeffrey M @RT01695930 09/24/2023 The Pink Panther was a kind of bad movie. I finished it just now, so it is fresh in my mind. The Pink Panther was very boring until the end. You know how Clouseo is the main character of the Pink Panther franchise, well that wasn't what is was planned to be in the first place. A character named Sir Charles was going to be the main character of the Pink Panther movies, but the crew loved Peter Seller's impression of Clouseo so much that they made him the main character for the rest of the Pink Panther films that he was alive. The Pink Panther is supposed to be a mystery, but instead it was about romance. The Pink Panther is super overrated. I don't understand why people like this movie soo much. This movie was kind of bad. I give it a 57%. See more Read all reviews
The Pink Panther

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The Pink Panther

The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Two Gorillas The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Two Gorillas 2:13 The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Porridge With the Lyttons The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Porridge With the Lyttons 1:52 The Pink Panther: Official Clip - I'll Have Your Stripes The Pink Panther: Official Clip - I'll Have Your Stripes 2:13 The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Clouseau Visits the Princess The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Clouseau Visits the Princess 2:10 The Pink Panther: Official Clip - My Stradivarius! The Pink Panther: Official Clip - My Stradivarius! 2:08 The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Under Beds and Bubbles The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Under Beds and Bubbles 2:11 The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Champagne Surprise The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Champagne Surprise 2:07 The Pink Panther: Official Clip - A Real Woman The Pink Panther: Official Clip - A Real Woman 1:49 The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Clouseau Is the Phantom The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Clouseau Is the Phantom 2:17 The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Simone Juggles Suitors The Pink Panther: Official Clip - Simone Juggles Suitors 2:13 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis In this first film of the beloved comic series, dashing European thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) plans to steal a diamond, but he's not the only one with his eyes on the famous jewel known as the "Pink Panther." His nephew George (Robert Wagner) also aims to make off with the gem, and to frame Charles for the crime. Blundering French police inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) intercedes, but finds his career -- and his freedom -- jeopardized.
Director
Blake Edwards
Producer
Martin Jurow
Screenwriter
Maurice Richlin, Blake Edwards
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
Mirisch Company
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 20, 1964, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 53m