The Curious Case of Inspector Clouseau

Having seen all the Pink Panther movies the previous week, I looked at the Therapeutic Pink Message boards and discovered mention on one of the blog links a documentary called The Curious Case of Inspector Clouseau. On that link was one to YouTube that allowed me to watch this doc in six parts. In this one hour television special from England, we get brief pertinent info about Peter Sellers' pre-Pink Panther life before that movie and its sequel, A Shot in the Dark, catapulted him into stardom. We also get glimpses of his relationship with director Blake Edwards and some of the fights they got into when working. Among the interviewees: Herbert Lom, Graham Stark, Elke Sommer, Dyan Cannon, William Peter Blatty who co-wrote A Shot in the Dark, and Edwards producing partner, Tony Adams. Host Burt Kwouk also provides his own insights on both Sellers and Edwards. What's discussed besides that director-star relationship is how tormented Sellers was after his stardom concerning his weight and the heart attacks that resulted. Also how tired he seemed to be with Clouseau especially the repetition of some gags. There's also some interesting interview footage of Peter himself just being himself discussing some jokes and certain characterizations. As well as a brief scene of his marriage to Britt Ekland in 1964. And then there's footage of Edwards' laughing on set of some of the Panther movies. Quite fascinating, this documentary, though because of its short one hour length, it also seemed abrupt concerning the segue from one Panther movie to the next especially when the time came to discuss Peter's last proposed Panther script which one of the interviewees who's not mentioned above says would have been a disaster especially since Sellers was thinking of directing it himself with Blake nowhere near it. Despite the limited running time though, The Curious Case of Inspector Clouseau was still worth my time as a die-hard Pink Panther fan.

Excellent (and amusing) documentary focusing on Peter Sellers' years as Inspector Clouseau.

Some of the people interviewed had experience on at least one, and often more, "Pink Panther" movie: Elke Sommar, Herbert Lom, Bert Kwouk (who also acts as more or less host), Graham Stark. Others are simply famous, opinionated talking heads (Jonathan Miller). And they have a Sellers biographer.

It's a shame that Burt Kwouk, with his fine voice, and really good Hollywood actors like James Shigeta and Philip Ahn, were nearly always relegated by the movie and TV people to shady Oriental characters. Shame on the industry.

Refreshingly, we get a new take on Blake Edwards, who outlived Peter Sellers and so was able to get his story down pat that he was Mr. Nice Guy and Sellers was a kook. After all, he was married to Julie Andrews and neither Maria, with her hatred of discipline, nor Mary Poppins would put up with a monster of a hubby. In fact, this documentary produces evidence both men were ego clear through. When two megalomaniacs rub shoulders, there are bound to be sparks. And, yes, Sellers was a kook, even by Hollywood standards, which sets a rather low bar; but he had genuine talent behind it.

It also proves, first hand, from everyone, the one thing we knew and the one thing that's important, movie-wise: Peter Sellers was FUNNY (watch for the scenes of Dyan Cannon, especially).

For those who knew Sellers was a comedic genius but not much more about him, the documentary provides brief biographical data focusing, very briefly, on his brilliant "Goon Show" years (though Harry Secombe gets short shrift).

It also brings out the vital importance, in many ways, of the often neglected original "Pink Panther" and why it is the beast that it is (I like the first "Pink Panther," btw, though my favorite Clouseau movie is "A Shot in the Dark").

Overall, an enjoyable and nostalgic documentary on the life of Sellers' Clouseau (Alan Arkin and othe wanna-bes need not apply).