Curse of the Pink Panther (1983)

Director Blake Edwards ignites a powder keg of laughter in this "delightful" (Box office) caper involving a most inefficient search for France's most inept detective - using the bluntest instruments possible! Featuring David Niven (in his final screen performance) Robert Wagner Herbert Lom Ted Wass and a hilarious cameo by Roger Moore Curse of the Pink Panther overflows with "unadulterated fun" and "naughtiness" (Los Angeles Times)! With Clouseau still missing the French president orders Clouseau's archrival the dangerously deranged Dreyfus (Lom) - to find him. Having no such intentions Dreyfus ingeniously hires the world's worst detective New York Police Department's not-so-finest Clifton Sleigh (Wass) to ensure that Clouseau is never located. But it's beginning to look like his foolproof plan could end up making him look like the fool!System Requirements:Running Time: 110 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG UPC: 027616924650 Manufacturer No: 1008434 Product Description

Reloaded, jammed. Pt. 1.

When Curse came out in 1983, it was not a surprise to anyone. The previous film, Trail of the Pink Panther, had an open ending, and an announcement in the end credits that they would all return in 'Curse of the Pink Panther'. But, whereas 'Trail' had been a choked attempt at making a movie using clips of the brilliant Peter Sellers, 'Curse' were to re-launch the franchise with a new actor as a, not the, bumbling inspector. Ted Wass did play bumbling and inept, but he was American, unknown and he wasn't Peter Sellers (His acting career wasn't much of anything after this either).

The point, as it is, of this movie is to find Clouseau, a computer chooses the best detective in the World to do so, but it's sabotaged and chooses the worst instead.

The inspector is found, played by Roger More. Plastic surgery, it's a wonderful thing, isn't it?

The value of this movie is in some of the better-known recurring characters, Herbert Lom as Inspector Dreyfus, Burt Kwouk as Cato as well as Robert Wagner and David Niven in his very last film (Niven was so frail, his voice was dubbed by Rich Little).

This was the second time everyone realised only Sellers could play Clouseau (the first time was in 1968 when Alan Arkin played the part in 'Inspector Clouseau'). Everyone realised it again in 1993 with 'Son of the Pink Panther (An immensely irritating Roberto Benigni), and finally, at least the critics realised it in 2006 (Steve Martin's turn in 'The Pink Panther' did well at the box-office however and a Pink Panther 2 has a 2008 release planned).

Although mostly a shambles, it does have a few good laughs, Blake Edwards is the man behind the reigns and for those who want to complete their collection, this is far from a complete waste.
January 18, 2007

Curse of the Pink Panther

I thought that this movie was pretty good. It is not my favorite out of the ones that I've seen. I've seen The Pink Panther, A Shot In The Dark, Inspector Clouseau, The Return Of The Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Revenge Of The Pink Panther, Trail of the Pink Panther, this one, and The Pink Panther {2006}. This is my 8th favorite Pink Panther film. It has a great cast. Ted Wass as Detective Sergeant Clifton Sleigh, David Niven as Sir Charles Lytton, Robert Wagner as George Lytton, Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Charles LaRousse Dreyfus, Capucine as Lady Simone Lytton, Joanna Lumley as Countess Chandra, Robert Loggia as Bruno Langois, Harvey Korman as Professor Auguste Balls, Burt Kwouk as Cato, and Roger Moore as Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau {credited as Turk Thrust II}. This film wasn't as good as The Pink Panther Strikes Again. That was my review.
Jedi404 December 4, 2006

Another Type of Pink

For those who consider the Pink Panther films only watchable for Peter Sellers' performance as Inspector Clouseau, the series could be considered over with "Revenge of the Pink Panther." For those who love the Pink Panther brand of humor and want to see the full extension of the story line, "Curse of the Pink Panther" is worth a look.

True, without Peter Sellers this movie doesn't feel quite authentic, but it makes an interesting epilogue to the series, picking up where the wafer-thin plot of "Trail of the Pink Panther" left off.

Glad that Clouseau is gone but wanting to appear like he's doing his best to find the missing Inspector, Chief Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) searches for the worst possible detective to put on his old foe's tracks. He settles for Sgt. Clifton Sleigh (a young Ted Wass), a bumbling NYPD officer who can't understand why everyone thinks he's somehow related to Jacques Clouseau.

While plenty of the worn-out routines from previous movies are repeated here, there are certainly some new bits, and Wass' likable character breathes some freshness, if only a little bit, into the film. Still, while Peter Sellers is missed, his character is missed even more. The studio could have counted its losses and found a new Clouseau and a new director to bring new blood to the franchise. Instead, the events of the previous films, including the little inconsistencies between movies, are brought to a head as Clouseau's disappearance and the Pink Panther diamonds theft come together in one mangled conspiracy theory. This, sadly, taints the simplicity of the individual films.

Certain elements of the classics are here, including an exotic babe (Leslie Ash) and David Niven in his final film role. Appropriate, since this was originally supposed to be his franchise.

Not as funny as any of the Peter Sellers film by a long shot, but a novelty among the series and a worthwhile comedy for fans of this comedy-mystery series.
June 15, 2006

Wanted: Editor with Scissors!

This movie, while not a bomb or a turkey, has a couple of serious flaws. One is the casting. Ted Wass has lots of credits to his name, according to IMDb, but what a wimpy, character-less, uninteresting washout he is! Was Blake going for a Harold Lloyd lookalike? He got one, but there's nothing else to recommend him. He looks like a Clark Kent without the Superman suit underneath.

The other flaw is the length. Even the opening credits (using a deFreiling/Patie ripoff style) go on forever. But the slapstick, which is masterful as always (Blake having been raised on or at least heavily influenced by silent comedies, especially those of Laurel & Hardy)...my God, does he stretch things out here!

The cameos are the saving grace, especially Roger Moore's. His vocal impersonation of Clousseau is perfect. Why didn't he dub the voice for Clousseau in the concurrently filmed TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER? Whoever did that voiceover sounded like Sellers on helium!

It's sad to see our icons age, especially Burt Kwouk, who looks and sounds awfully tired. David Niven looks as close to death as he actually was. Rich Little's uncredited overdubbing was beautifully done: subtle and convincing.

Herbert Lom's Dreyfuss got bigger and more ridiculous in each successive film. And Harvey Korman's Prof. Balls is delightful. The entire scene in his shop is a stitch.

No, there will never be another Sellers (and I have no intention of seeing the new film with Steve Martin). But Blake could have done better with his stopgaps! March 3, 2006

Ted Wass is NO Closeau

Curse of the Pink Panther is weakest entry in Panther genre.

One, Peter Sellers as Chief Inspector Closeau seem to take the spirit of the Panther films to the grave with him

Two, This was the last Film of David Niven. The rumor of Rich Little dubbing his voice rings true, if you watch Niven's lips and what is coming out of them.Niven who was very ill with MS just did a lot of sitting and limited movement.

Three, Ted Wass tries to bumble and stumble like Sellers's trademark character-however He is NO CLOSEAU. The more he pratfalls, the most we miss and wish Sellers were still alive

Four, the supporting cast (Robert Loggia, Herbert Lom, Leslie Ash, Robert Wagner, Joanna Lumley, Capucine, David Niven, Harvey Korman) are given almost nothing to do in this film, other than to be a foil to Wass's pratfalls or straight men to Wass's so called craziness. Burt Kwouk as Cato is given more to do in his small scene with Wass and you wonder why he isnt in more of the film. And Roger Moore's cameo as a remade Closeau is poor preformance, playing on Seller's trademark accent and his James Bond Character

Five, Blake Edwards's script seem a weak closure to the Genre. And to make matters worse, he even did another Pink Panther (Son of the Pink Panther)after this, which was WORSE than this film

AND THOSE ARE THE GOOD POINTS

I give it two stars for the stellar supporting cast alone, that makes this film worth it

Bennet Pomerantz, AUDIOWORLD February 24, 2006

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