Recovered from his homicidal delusions and about to be cleared for a release from a mental institution, Chief Inspector Dreyfuss' (Herbet Lom) madness is unhinged once more when Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers), the root cause of all his complications, makes an unexpected and most unfortunate surprise visit causing the senior official to escape, kidnap a physicist, and commandeer a nuclear weapon providing Clouseau with his biggest case yet! The Pink Panther Strikes Again is longish but contains some excellent sight gags and is one of the funniest in the series.

*** out of ****

Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn), a free-spirited, chic, high end call girl, leads men on while never remotely attached, in the hopes of scoring a rich husband with the aims of reuniting with her beloved, enlisted brother. When a handsome, part-time writer, part-time gigolo (George Peppard) befriends, than falls for her, the truth is soon revealed behind her haughty facade. Based on Truman Capote's 1958 bestseller, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is a delightful picture from Blake Edwards and a welcome change of pace from his later slapstick. Audrey Hepburn is positively luminous in her iconic role and I thought George Peppard was quite could as her foil (just what was the deal with the casting of Mickey Rooney as the vexed, Japanese neighbor though?). Franz Planer's cinematography is excellent, especially on the Blu-ray print of the film I watched. It also must be said, despite how tired the notion has become, that the film's nuanced screenplay is so much more interesting than today's leave nothing to the imagination approach.

The Pink Panther Diamond is stolen once more, this time from a museum in a small, European country. When it appears that thought-to-be retired master thief Sir Charles Lytton (Christopher Plummer taking over for David Niven) is responsible, disgraced beat cop Clouseau (Peter Sellers) is promoted again to his position of Inspector, much to the dismay of his unhinged superior officer (Herbert Lom). The fourth entry in the Pink Panther series (the third with Sellers) has a good reputation among critics and fans, but is really just more of the same, with Blake Edwards rehashing the gags that worked best in the first two installments, some of which are still extremely funny.

Staff members of a Parisian chateau continue to be murdered, one after the other with all signs pointing to a beautiful Italian maid as the culprit. However, Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) suspects a conspiracy, much to the annoyance of his superior (Herbert Lom), and follows his senses down a bumbling and calamitous path. "A Shot in the Dark", the followup to "The Pink Panther", placed Sellers front and center and is routinely heralded as the foremost picture in the series. While I find it as slight and silly as the other entries, there are many hilarious gags (including Lom's psychotic episodes and a recurring one involving Seller's Judo tutee), and of course Sellers' committed and always spot-on performance.

The notorious cat burglar known as The Phantom (David Niven) has eluded Paris police inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) for years, and the bumbling detective hasn't even the slightest clue as to his identity, probably because the thief's inside mole happen's to be his own wife (Capucine)! Now all three, along with The Phantom's shifty nephew (Robert Wagner) wind up at a French Chateau where the cat burglar plans to strike again, stealing the invaluable Pink Panther diamond belonging to a beautiful Middle Eastern princess (Claudia Cardinale). The first entry in the Pink Panther series isn't quite the gag filled laugh riot I remembered as a kid, with Peter Sellers barely being in it, playing more of a supporting role. David Niven adequately fills the void though playing the dashing burglar and Capucine and Claudia Cardinale are quite stunning in their roles. While the film tends to drag at times, it is highlighted by three late, wonderful sequences: first a boudoir mixup scene, then one at a costume party, which is culminated in a pretty great chase number. Though not as plentiful as remembered, "The Pink Panther" offers a few laughs, a lot of glamour, some well realized sequences, and of course the inimitable Peter Sellers, although in reduced form.

A starving singer in Paris (Julie Andrews) is taken in by a homosexual stage performer (Robert Preston) who saw her audition and believes she has what it takes to be a big star, if only she had a gimmick. Deciding to take the drag act a step further, Victoria will become Victor, a "man" impersonating a woman. Soon her act is the toast of the town, and Victoria will soon draw the curiosity of a Chicago gangster (James Garner) who can't understand the strong feelings he holds for the male performer on the stage! "Victor Victoria" is an outrageous movie that is given an improper treatment. Director Blake Edwards, husband of Julie Andrews, brings the same broad slapstick farcical elements he did to his "Pink Panther" movies and creates the wrong, often embarrassing and unfunny, tone needed for this picture. The main conceit, a woman playing a man playing a woman, is too difficult to believe and although Andrews is earnest in the part, the gimmick is just too distracting. I took pleasure in this film by admiring the supporting performances. Preston is excellent as Andrew's wisecracking homosexual partner and Garner is very strong as the gangster whose tough veneer is only a mask. Lesley Ann Warren and Alex Karras (Mongo from "Blazing Saddles") highlight the film as Garner's mistress and closeted bodyguard. "Victor Victoria" is actually a fun film. I just found myself shaking my head once too often at gags that didn't come off and pondering how much better it could have been.