Inspector Clouseau (film)
5.6 /10 1 Votes
2.5/4 Roger Ebert Genre Comedy, Crime, Mystery Production Mirisch Company Country United Kingdom | 4.9/10 IMDb Director Bud Yorkin Producer Lewis J. Rachmil Duration Language English | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date 19 July 1968 (1968-07-19) Based on Characters:
Blake Edwards
Maurice Richlin Writer Blake Edwards (based on a character created by), Maurice Richlin (based on a character created by), Tom Waldman, Frank Waldman Characters Inspector Clouseau, Innkeeper, Wulf, Nun, Steven Frey Cast Alan Arkin (Insp. Jacques Clouseau), Frank Finlay (Supt. Weaver), Delia Boccardo (Lt. Lisa Morrel), Patrick Cargill (Commissioner Sir Charles Braithwaite)Similar movies For Your Eyes Only , Dr. No , Mission: Impossible , The Dark Knight , A View to a Kill , From Russia With Love | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minox in the movies inspector clouseau 1968
When an elusive group of thieves commits a string of robberies across Europe, the British prime minister enlists the expertise of bumbling sleuth Inspector Clouseau (Alan Arkin). To complicate matters, the crimes are suspected to be connected to a Scotland Yard dirty cop, so Clouseau must save the day all on his own. However, he finds himself in a tricky situation when he is kidnapped and the robbers use a mask of his own face to conceal their identity while they continue to rob banks.
Contents
Inspector Clouseau is a 1968 United Artists feature film, the third in the Pink Panther film series. It was directed by Bud Yorkin, written by Frank Waldman and Tom Waldman and stars Alan Arkin as Inspector Clouseau. It was filmed by Mirisch Films at MGM-British Studios Borehamwood and Europe.
When the series resumed with The Return of the Pink Panther (1975), costume design and elements of Arkins performance were retained when Peter Sellers took back the role. Frank Waldman and Tom Waldman also make their debut writing the series. Frank Waldman would co-write The Return of the Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Revenge of the Pink Panther, and Trail of the Pink Panther. Tom Waldman would co-write Trail with Frank.
Inspector Clouseau does not feature Sellers, was not directed by Blake Edwards, and did not have a score by Henry Mancini. All three were involved at that time with the film The Party. The Mirisch Company wanted to proceed with this film, so when Sellers and Edwards declined to participate, Mirisch decided to proceed without them. The film languished in obscurity and although it has been released to home video on VHS and DVD, was not included in 2004s Pink Panther Collection but was later added to the Ultimate collection released in 2008.
Detective Inspector is borrowed from the Surete on special assignment for Scotland Yard in hopes that a fresh outlook will help the government recover the loot from the Great Train Robbery, which is being used to underwrite a new crime wave. What they don't count on, however, is having more than one Clouseau on the job.
Synopsis
An organized crime wave strikes across Europe. Suspecting a mole within Scotland Yard, the Prime Minister brings Clouseau in to solve the case. Clouseau foils two assassination attempts but is subsequently kidnapped. The gang uses him to make masks of his face which they later use to commit a series of daring bank robberies across Switzerland. Eventually, Clouseau foils the plot and unmasks the traitor within the Yard.
Cast
Cast notes
In addition to the title role, Arkin also played the members of the gang whenever they were disguised as Clouseau, with the other actors voices dubbed onto the soundtrack.
Production
Following the two successful previous Inspector Clouseau films, Blake Edwards and Peter Sellers vowed never to work together again. Producer Walter Mirisch was interested in a third Clouseau film, but Sellers repeatedly refused the role. Following Alan Arkins success in The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, Mirisch asked Arkin if he would fill the role vacated by Sellers. Blake Edwards turned down the directors chores so Mirisch found Bud Yorkin. Just prior to shooting, Sellers contacted Mirisch stating that only he could play the role and would, if he himself approved the script. Mirisch turned him down.
The film was produced by Louis Rachmil as one of Mirisch Films United Kingdoms film company qualifying for Eady Levy funds. Location scenes for Inspector Clouseau were shot in Europe.
The animated opening credits were done by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, using their character design of The Inspector from the series of short cartoons under that title. (DePatie Freleng also animated the Pink Panther cartoon shorts, as well as the opening credit sequences for most of the Edwards-Sellers Clouseau films.)
Miscellany
In the scene where Clouseau is being chased through the cemetery after falling in the plot and disrupting the funeral, you can see a sign on a cross in the lower right part of the screen for a few seconds. The sign reads "Reposite En Pace: Norman Lear, 1903-1962". Norman Lear — very much alive at the time of this production — was director Bud Yorkins partner in Tandem Productions in the early 60s, and would collaborate with Yorkin for many years on television shows as All in the Family (1971) and Sanford and Son (1972).
References
Inspector Clouseau (film) WikipediaInspector Clouseau (1968 film) IMDbInspector Clouseau (1968 film) Roger EbertInspector Clouseau (film) themoviedb.org