This week the dads step into glamorous 1960s Europe with Blake Edwards’ The Pink Panther (1963) — the first outing for Peter Sellers’ bumbling Inspector Clouseau.
For many of us, this was like watching it for the first time. Sure, we’d caught bits on Sunday TV over the years, but sitting down start-to-finish was a new experience — and a surprising one. Despite being branded a Clouseau movie, Sellers actually takes a back seat to David Niven’s dashing jewel thief Sir Charles Lytton and Robert Wagner’s playboy nephew George.
We dig into:
- The film’s mix of heist caper and sixties sex comedy — sometimes charming, sometimes painfully long.
- Sellers’ scene-stealing slapstick: globes, violins, and his endless (and fruitless) attempts to seduce his wife.
- David Niven’s unlikely role as a 50-something ladies’ man — suave or just icky in hindsight?
- The technicolour glamour of Cortina ski resorts, high society parties, and that unforgettable animated title sequence.
- Whether The Pink Panther works better as a star vehicle for Niven/Wagner or as a platform for Sellers’ Clouseau — and why the sequels got the balance right.
It’s long, it’s dated, it’s occasionally hilarious — and it launched one of cinema’s most iconic comedy characters.
🎧 Listen in as we argue over whether this debut outing is a strong recommend or a charmless misfire, and why sometimes the best thing in a Pink Panther movie is the zebra gag.
We love to hear from our listeners! By which I mean we tolerate it. If it hasn't been completely destroyed yet you can usually find us on twitter @dads_film, on Facebook Bad Dads Film Review, on email at baddadsjsy@gmail.com or on our website baddadsfilm.com.
Until next time, we remain...
Bad Dads
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