Is it possible that one of the weakest entries in the PINK PANTHER series contains one of the funniest scenes ever committed to celluloid? And is it possible that it's a scene in which Peter Sellers does not appear? Believe it or not, yes.
As you may or may not know, the premise of REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER is that Inspector Clouseau (Sellers) is believed to have been killed, but has survived the attempt at his life. He is now investigating the case "under the covers," as he says.
The movie has its share of great comedy moments, but is much more uneven than any of the previous entries. Some of the jokes are fall-off-the-chair funny (such as Sellers donning a pirate disguise and getting his peg-leg caught in a hole, or his schtick as a phony mafia "Godfather"), but others are shockingly flat. The movie has a rushed, sloppy feeling to it, as if neither director Blake Edwards nor Sellers's hearts were in it, and they simply hurried to deliver another movie to satisfy the public's demand. There are many moments when Sellers appears to just be going through the motions. To be fair, however, his performance does shine occasionally.
But the real star of this movie is Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Dreyfus. Lom's half-crazed quirkiness and barely contained mania is side-splittingly funny throughout. And Lom also delivers what is not only the movie's funniest scene, but the funniest scene in all of the series.
Lom is talked into giving a eulogy at Clouseau's funeral. He doesn't want to, because he hated him so much, but the speech was written by a high-ranking politician's wife, and he finally succumbs. At the funeral Lom struggles to get through the speech, but repeatedly breaks into laughter. The scene is painfully hilarious.
Overall, REVENGE is far from the best of the series. It's better than the ghoulish TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER, and about on par with the post-Sellers CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER, but it lacks the spunk of the earlier movies. Definitely recommended for fans, others should check out RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER or THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN.
As you may or may not know, the premise of REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER is that Inspector Clouseau (Sellers) is believed to have been killed, but has survived the attempt at his life. He is now investigating the case "under the covers," as he says.
The movie has its share of great comedy moments, but is much more uneven than any of the previous entries. Some of the jokes are fall-off-the-chair funny (such as Sellers donning a pirate disguise and getting his peg-leg caught in a hole, or his schtick as a phony mafia "Godfather"), but others are shockingly flat. The movie has a rushed, sloppy feeling to it, as if neither director Blake Edwards nor Sellers's hearts were in it, and they simply hurried to deliver another movie to satisfy the public's demand. There are many moments when Sellers appears to just be going through the motions. To be fair, however, his performance does shine occasionally.
But the real star of this movie is Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Dreyfus. Lom's half-crazed quirkiness and barely contained mania is side-splittingly funny throughout. And Lom also delivers what is not only the movie's funniest scene, but the funniest scene in all of the series.
Lom is talked into giving a eulogy at Clouseau's funeral. He doesn't want to, because he hated him so much, but the speech was written by a high-ranking politician's wife, and he finally succumbs. At the funeral Lom struggles to get through the speech, but repeatedly breaks into laughter. The scene is painfully hilarious.
Overall, REVENGE is far from the best of the series. It's better than the ghoulish TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER, and about on par with the post-Sellers CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER, but it lacks the spunk of the earlier movies. Definitely recommended for fans, others should check out RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER or THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN.