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This is probably the Panther film that has the funniest gags of the series, but they are scattered disparately throughout. It's clear that Edwards and co. was spoofing James Bond here in the Sir Charles scenes (or, as others have pointed out, perhaps the Bond films were spoofing the Clouseau films?). I was never much of a fan of the Bond series, so naturally these were, perhaps, jokes I just didn't get. But there is much to like here for Peter Sellers fans as well. My favorite is his interrogation of the beggar and his "minkey" that ends with him so wrapped up in trivia that he ignores a bank robbery. As I said, the Sellers bits are what make the film really shine, but I could've done without the emphasis on the Christopher Plummer character (though I must admit I liked him as Sir Charles better than David Niven, in the first Panther film). Watch out for Catherine Schell not even trying to hide her amusement at Clouseau's antics! That's almost worth the price of admission itself...

Return of the Pink Panther is an outstanding comedy starring Peter Sellers as the lovable and totally incompetent Inspect Clouseau. I remember seeing this film for the first time just after its release and laughed so hard that my wife refused to sit next to me in the theatre. There are a few slow spots, mainly those without Sellers' charm on screen but there are more than enough belly laughs in this movie to make up for that. Don't miss it.

"The Return of the Pink Panther" is the fourth movie in the "Pink Panther" franchise, marking Peter Sellers' return to what must be his signature role, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. Previously, Alan Arkin had stepped into his shoes for one movie, apparently with bad results. In "Return," the fabled Pink Panther diamond is again stolen, with the Phantom's calling card monogrammed glove left as a clue. Clouseau goes back on the case, as does Sir Charles Lytton (Christopher Plummer, taking over for David Niven), the former Phantom himself. Anyway, this movie shows the progress of the "Panther" franchise, when the crazy characters and Clouseau's wacky mannerisms start to really show. Sellers brings slapstick to a fever pitch, making a shambles of everything in his path, not to mention the sanity of his superior, Chief Inspector Dreyfus, played by Herbert Lom. There are lots of funny scenes, including the one in which Clouseau is distracted from a bank robbery by a "blind" accordionist and his chimpanzee "minkey." It's definitely one of the better chapters in the "Pink Panther" saga.

Return Of The Pink Panther marked Peter Sellers first appearence as Inspector Closeau since A Shot In The Dark (1964) and kicked off a celebrated Pink Panther sequel trilogy. To follow was The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Revenge Of The Pink Panther. I say trilogy because of course 'Revenge' saw Sellers' last outing before his premature death.

This film is a refreshing return to the roots of the original with Closeau on the trail of the PP diamond after it is once again stolen by the infamous Phantom. The Phantom's alter-ego, Sir Charles Webb (Christopher Plummer taking over from David Niven), is naturally assusmed to be the culprit but he is in fact innocent and so joins in the search.

Steve, from the first page, is spot on with his review of the film. It is slow and quite dismal when Sellers is not on screen and the sub-plot involving Sir Charles is weak and uninteresting, which was not the case with Niven in the original but nevertheless Plummer is an inspired choice for the role. Actually, the whole story isn't really clear or upfront, just Sellers at his best. And when he is on the screen, its gleaming with hilarity with a genius at play.

The result is a comedy which has its obvious flaws but also one which has many, many memorable and rip-roaring laughs. Return Of The Pink Panther is an irrestible treat and a must-see. I'm just having trouble figuring out which is better - this or Strikes Again. They're both great!

The good: dead pan humor. Over the top silly and childish, but the good kind of silly and childish.

When we were kids in the seventies these were THE comedies we used to watch and we laughed our heads of. Watching it now as a grown up, I must confess there are several scenes that are kinda lame, but overall this movie still stands strong some 50 years later.

More good: Peter Sellers Peter Sellers Peter Sellers. He has perfected the dead pan humor, saying ridiculous things, with a straight and serious face.

There is a lot of slapstick as well, some work, some dont, but overall still a fun watch.

I consider this to be the best of all The Pink Panther series...

Recommended for family viewing, young and old.

Like two films in one: Half silly slapstick romp, half straightforward, non-comedic (though still light-hearted) crime caper.

The former boasts Peter Sellers (brilliant as always) reprising his role as the fantastically inept Inspector Clouseau. The latter features Christopher Plummer as the suave, retired jewel thief out to clear his name when he becomes prime suspect in the disappearance of the diamond of the movie's title.

The Sellers half is great, with many fine, extended sight gags. But Plummer's half - while beautifully lensed on location in scenic Morocco - is sometimes exciting but too often tedious. You keep waiting to jump back to Sellers.

So overall it's a mixed bag - alternately funny and slow. But Edwards remains a fine writer (he co-wrote the screenplay) and a master of composition and staging. The movie looks terrific - as does Catherine Schell as Plummer's sophisticated wife with some secrets of her own.

My score card: Sellers' half rates an A. Plummer's half, C+.

After the famous Pink Panther diamond is stolen from a museum in the fictional Middle Eastern country of Lugash, the Shah requests the services of "Inspector Clouseau" (Peter Sellers) to find the culprits and recover the lost gem. Needless to say, this distresses "Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus" (Herbert Lom) to no end as he is fully aware of how incompetent Inspector Clouseau actually is and only moments before had placed him on an extended suspension for yet another bungled assignment. Regardless, Chief Inspector Dreyfus is forced to put Inspector Clouseau on the case and the first person he suspects is none other than the notorious jewel thief "Sir Charles Litton" (Christopher Plummer) who has long since retired. So while Inspector Clouseau dons a disguise to secretly search through his house, Sir Charles Litton travels to Lugash to find the actual culprit in order to clear his name. In the meantime, Chief Inspector Dreyfus becomes even more incensed each time he receives a report regarding yet another problem resulting from Inspector Clouseau's incompetence. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that I enjoyed this particular film and found it to be one of the better additions to the Pink Panther series. I especially liked the scene at a nightclub where Catherine Schell (as "Lady Claudine Litton") appeared to genuinely enjoy Peter Seller's comedic performance. Be that as it may, I recommend this picture to all viewers who might be interested in a comedy of this sort and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

The famous and invaluable diamond known as the Pink Panther is stolen once again from the museum in Lugash, and the authorities decide immediately that to effect the return of this National Treasure they must seek the help of the one man they know will bring the needed expertise to the case: Clouseau. And so it is that `The Return Of The Pink Panther' is entrusted to none other than the inimitable Inspector (Peter Sellers) from France, much to the chagrin of Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom), who, knowing what unbridled mayhem Clouseau is really capable of, would like nothing more than to be rid of him once and for all. But such a request from the sovereign authorities of a friendly nation cannot be denied, and Clouseau is therefore dispatched with all haste to Lugash, with orders to bring the criminals to justice, and insure that the case is indeed-- to quote Clouseau-- `solv-ed.' Some ten years had passed since director Blake Edwards and Sellers had teamed up for the brilliant film `A Shot In The Dark,' before coming together once again for this third installment chronicling the misadventures of the `belov-ed' Inspector Clouseau. But the wait was certainly worth it. Cleverly written and delivered, it affords Sellers ample opportunities to do what he does best: Make you laugh. Whether affecting an alias in disguise or forthrightly confronting the usual suspects, Clouseau deftly uncovers every `ploy' attempted by the unscrupulous thieves he seeks. There are moments so hilarious that even co-star Catherine Schell (Claudine) has trouble keeping a straight face at times; but rather than being a distraction (as you'd think it would be), it somehow makes it even funnier. And it's a great example of why this movie is so good, and why it works so well. Simply put, it's fun. Edwards has a formula for success that begins with having a good story at the core, an excellent supporting cast to flesh it all out, then mixing it all together with the main ingredient which is, of course, Sellers. It's one that works, and of which directors of some of the more recent fare being proffered as `comedy' could benefit. Christopher Plummer is well cast as debonair master thief Sir Charles Litton, bringing an air of sophistication to the film that contrasts so well with the antics of Sellers. Characters returning after debuting in `A Shot In The Dark' include the terrific Lom, whose Chief Inspector Dreyfus is the perfect foil for Clouseau; Andre Maranne (Francois); and of course Burt Kwouk as Clouseau's ever-attacking manservant, Cato. The scenes between Sellers and Kwouk, in which they spar at Clouseau's house, are a riot, as is the way Sellers and Lom play off of one another throughout the film (or the series, for that matter); Lom's `reactions' alone to what Sellers is doing are classic bits of comedy. Rounding out the supporting cast are Peter Arne (Colonel Sharky), Peter Jeffrey (General Wadafi), Gregoire Aslan (Chief of Lugash Police), Victor Spinetti (Hotel Concierge) and John Bluthal (Blind Beggar). A number of elements go into making a comedy work, and `The Return Of The Pink Panther' has them all, but most especially, Peter Sellers, who without a doubt is one of the funniest actors ever to grace the silver screen. His comedy works because he always plays it straight and allows the humor to flow naturally from the situation at hand; there's never a laugh that is forced or false. Consider one of the opening scenes in which Clouseau, walking a beat, questions a blind beggar with a monkey about having the proper permits to beg, all while the bank in front of which they are standing is being robbed. There's a purity about it that makes it a joy to watch; the kind of film you can see over and over again and never get tired of. One of the great things about video and DVD is that it affords us the opportunity of cuing up this film-- as well as the other `Panther' movies-- at will. For a lot of laughs, take advantage of the technology at hand and check out Peter Sellers and discover what `classic' comedy is all about. It never gets old, and somehow just keeps getting better with age. I rate this one 9/10.

Return of the Pink Panther (1975)

Complete with the great Mancini sax theme, the nutty smart Blake Edwards directing, the sassy cartoon panther himself, and of course Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau (taking on many absurd disguises). This is the third of the original Pink Panther movies series (omitting the oddball fourth one from 1968 that didn't have Mancini, Sellers, or Edwards), and it comes over a decade after the first two. Was the public interested? Yes--it did well. It was a great formula. Is it still a good formula in 2012?

Good question. It depends on your taste. But surely the names repeated above are all cinema greats that, like Chaplin, rise above their time. But of course, Sellers, as terrific as he was, was no Charles Chaplin. At his best, the comedy is hilarious. And that makes the movie worth watching for sure. But he is sometimes a bit off in his timing, or is stuck playing a stunt that isn't worthy of him.

There's also a lag in the filler material, the scenes between the great stuff. Some marginal characters (including the leading woman, who is totally a late 60s type, not a 1975 type, and she feels oddly unnecessary) don't command their parts, or their scenes. The drift begins to drift. And then you realize there isn't much of a plot. The whole recovery (sort of) of the famous Pink Panther diamond after an elaborate theft isn't really the driving force of the movie. What takes its place is a slow interplay of the characters all stumbling over each other trying to trick the perpetrator into revealing the gem.

So then you are back to the stumbling as comedy, and sometimes it's great. There are so many ridiculous moments with Sellers being a bumbling fool like no one, you are sure to laugh. And that's what you're here for. "The Pink Panther" is the original, and at times also a bit sluggish, but it's the first. And "A Shot in the Dark" is the best of the three, I think. But if you like them, you'll be just fine here. If you haven't seen any, you might go in order, since the sets and music are really spot on in the first two, and a bit more transporting. There is something a little off kilter here that make it an awkward, but decent, third.

Peter Sellers is in top form in the Pink Panther Returns as the bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau. This time around Closeau has been assigned to track down the thief that has stolen the Pink Panther Diamond from the Lugash. All evidence points to the supposedly retired thief the Phantom (also seen in The original Pink Panther but played there by David Niven )aka Charles Lytton. It is in true slapstick style that we see Clouseau bumble through one laugh out loud situation to another in trying to solve the case. Standout scenes include Clouseau going to Charle's Lytton's home posing as a telephone repair man, a runaway vacuum cleaner a fantastic escape by Charles Lytton from some thugs. There are many great moments in this film, and I would highly suggest it not only for a lot of laughs but for the comedic story.

Although not quite as good as its successors The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Revenge Of The Pink Panther, this is still fantastic slapstick comedy. By this, the third film in the franchise, director Blake Edwards knew exactly what his audience wanted, a roller-coaster of anarchy revolving around Peter Sellers and he delivers it in spades.

Consider for example Clouseau's initial brawl with Kato ("He used to do a bit of cooking but now he's taken to attacking me at any opportunity") or his bumbling attempts to investigate Lady Litton's hotel room, or the madcap closing battle in a Japanese restaurant, every moment Sellers is on screen is a joy to behold. His good natured but ludicrously stupid antics are classic slapstick at its very best and thankfully, unlike the original in the series, most of the film centres on him.

In fact the only factor preventing this movie from being the non-stop tour de force of riotous laughs its successors were, is the re-appearance of Charles Litton and the introduction of his wife, Lady Litton. Now played by Christopher Plummer, Litton is supposed to be considered dashing, debonair and sophisticated in his role, but unfortunately he and his wife instead come across as a pair of insufferably smug gits afflicted with severe superiority disorders. Thankfully, they are afforded nowhere near as much screen time as Clouseau is, but it wasn't until the following film where Litton was written out entirely that it became perfect.

Nevertheless, this is still a hysterically funny film, though I'd recommend checking out both of its successors before watching this one.

This is the first Pink Panther sequel I've seen, and is what I think much, much funnier and exciting than the original film. Here, he is on the trail to find the thief that stole the Pink Panther jewel.

This film features Clousseau's obsessive boss Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus (Herbert Lom), who absolutely loathes Clousseau, and Cato Fong (Burk Kwok), Clousseau's servant. Both Clousseau and Fong join forces to track down the diamond, resulting in nothing but a fun crime story, adventures and non-stop physical, clumsy comedy. The fight between Clouseau and Cato in the apartment is hilarious and Dreyfus losing his mind due to Clousseau driving him insane is priceless.

Overall, a sequel that is surpasses the first Pink Panther film by miles.

Grade B+

Here is more like it, a true comedy with a screenplay that doesn't look ludicrous like that of A Shot In The Dark, and a plot that is so solid that makes you linger till the end to see what the outcome will be. Written, directed and produced by Blake Edwards this 1975 film in The Pink Panther series is breath taking funny and stands as one I will always remember.

Inspector Clouseau fake exaggerated French accent is more pronounced in this movie, The Return of the Pink Panther than the previous and Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus mishaps were funnier than expected, that i found myself looking forward to his next unfortunate mishap. The chief instrument of his (other than the existence of Clouseasu) was his inability to tell which he was holding a gun or a lighter.

The film stars Peter Sellers who reprises his role as Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The Return of the Pink Panther also stars the 84th Academy Award (2012) winner for best supporting actor (who became the oldest actor to win the award at age 82) Christopher Plummer who replaced David Niven as Sir Charles Lytton (the notorious Phantom).

In this flick the Pink Panther diamond is now back in focus as it gets stolen again, and the man who was part responsible for finding it when it got stolen the first time, was called back to help recover the stolen diamond.

The movie plot is funny to the core, with screenplays that will make you hold your ribs from bursting free. The late Blake Edwards (died in 2010) is known primarily for his comedies and this movie shows us why. The plot began in the fictional country of Lugash, a mysterious thief breaks into the National Museum, avoiding all the security pitfalls that were set in place for any prospective thief and steals the Pink Panther diamond. The mysterious thief left behind a calling card, which was a white monogrammed glove with a gold-tinted "P" on it.

Feeling outwitted by the thief who was able to get pass the elaborated security system, put in place to secure the diamond, the Shah of Lugash requests the assistance of Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) to help them as they try to recover their national treasure.

Clouseau on the other hand had been demoted to a beat cop, to patrol the streets. This was done by his boss, Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus (Herbert Lom), who despises Clouseau with a passion and dreams daily of killing him.

This movie I do recommend to comedy lovers and I will proudly say this movie is better than the remake done by Steve Martin and Jean Reno in both 2006 and 2008.

www.lagsreviews.com

I very much enjoy this installment of the series. Not very fond of any of the others. The Return of the Pink Panther just has it all in my opinion. You get a crime story, funny/stupid humor, Clouseau who still has no idea of what's going on(this just makes the movie what it is).

The fight between Clouseau and Kato in the apartment is hilarious. One has to wonder how long Kato was waiting in the refrigerator. The fight is just very slapstick and clumsy that it makes me and my girlfriend laugh every time we see it.

Another great point of the film is the numerous cars that Clouseau goes through. Loosing a few into a pool.

The mental breakdown of Herbert Lom's character is also one of the film's fine points.

This is -- my opinion -- the funniest of the series. I have always enjoyed it, and most likely will always enjoy it.

Peter Sellers is such a unique and choreographed actor that always seems to have moments of brilliance, and this film is no exception. Often times when I watch Sellers films there are moments that bring the legendary Charlie Chaplin to the forefront of my mind because while I am watching a genius in Chaplin perform, I often catch myself with my jaw dropped because I feel I am watching a masterful ballet. Sellers is one of the few artists that can bring Chaplin's genius to the forefront of my mind from time to time, which is saying a ton.

But as good as Sellers is, the film wouldn't be extremely good with him alone, and Blake Edwards, Christopher Plummer and Herbert Lom are there to make the film extremely good overall while keeping pace with Sellers.

Sellers stars opposite Christopher Plummer and Plummer performs good in this role. An actor with less skill could have easily overreached or left far too much on the table in the role that Plummer performs, but Plummer does neither and turns in a good needle threading performance. Herbert Lom is extremely good in his part for sure, and he plays the part just over the top enough so it braises my forehead, which is just what the character calls for, and he delivers.

And somehow Blake Edwards is able to balance these 3 good performances that all come from quite different angles into an extremely good film, and Edwards has his vision shine through while allowing performers to perform.

We have all seen comedies like this that simply do not work because the Directing & Acting is not of a high enough caliber, but it is refreshing to see in a film such as this when the Directing & Acting do indeed work, and we end up with an extremely good film.

This picture has some very funny gags, but it is hampered by Blake Edwards' miscalculations: the opening robbery sequence goes on too long, and there's too much irrelevant footage with supporting players that only interrupt the comedy. This reminds me of those Marx Brothers films where you have to sit through many long, pointless scenes with secondary characters to get to the funny stuff. Still, the movie DOES have Peter Sellers at his best - and Herbert Lom is every bit his equal. (**1/2)

This film compares favorably to SO much that hits the screen nowadays that it's well worth seeing; also it's a key part of the rest of the Pink Panther 'series' although not included in the box sets so far. We get the classic "minkey" sequence and meet Cato, for the first time, in one of the series' great slapstick routines. However the film has a sort of split personality and the current DVD transfer is too grainy for a large-screen TV IMHO. So, rent it, but I'd wait for something better if you're looking to collect.

I wouldn't exactly say this movie sets the tone for the rest of the series. The original starred David Niven, with an all-star supporting cast including Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau. Then Clouseau became the star of "A Shot in the Dark," which didn't involve either the Pink Panther gem nor jewel thief Sir Charles Lytton. This film has them all, so tries to 'balance' the action between Clouseau and Sir Charles. It doesn't work, and probably as a result there were no more such attempts: the series becomes all about Clouseau, and that's for the best. I like Christopher Plummer, but the movie is too 'heavy' when he's on screen - probably the writer's fault. As for Catherine Schell, I'd look at her in anything (or nothing at all) and IMHO her acting compares favorably to at least Dyan Cannon's and Elke Sommers'. Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk, and Andre Maranne are of course a terrific comedic supporting cast, but Peter Arne has to straddle the comedic and serious aspects of the film, which doesn't really work out.

The story shifts back and forth between the perspectives of Sir Charles and Clouseau. The Pink Panther gem, nationalized by the government of Lugash after the events of the original film, has been displayed in the national museum until stolen in a great caper sequence. Against the wishes of his frustrated boss ("how can an idiot be a police officer"), Clouseau, who (sort-of) recovered the gem previously, is recalled from beat duty ("There was some question whether it was the man or his minkey who was breaking ze law") and put on the case at the request of Lugash police chief Colonel Sharky. Clouseau naturally suspects Sir Charles, particularly since his trademark, a glove embroidered with the letter "P," was left at the scene. Sir Charles, however, is surprised; he has been living in retirement and knows nothing about the matter until it is brought to his attention by his mischievous wife Claudine. Knowing he will be suspected, Litton sets off for Lugash to find the real criminal while Clouseau sets off for Nice to investigate Sir Charles' home - and wife. Clues lead both Clouseau ("I am NOT Guy Gadbois") and Sir Charles to a Swiss hotel (and the parrot sequence.) All is revealed in the final confrontation where more than one policeman proves to have been playing a double game.

Someone here said it hasn't aged well but I'd say almost the opposite - the first time you see it you'll probably think it hilarious - but it may pall the second time around.

I enjoy a vast majority of the Pink Panther movies with Peter Sellars, with A Shot in the Dark being my personal favourite. The Return of the Pink Panther is for me the second best of the series, and one of the funnier entries. The production values are wonderful with striking cinematography and elegant locations and costumes. And who can forget Henry Mancini's iconic music and the opening sequence? The story is interesting, it isn't as slow as The Pink Panther or as ridiculous as Revenge of the Pink Panther which I did appreciate.

The cast and comedy were what elevated this film though. The dialogue is very inspired especially Clousseau's wooing of Catherine Schell's Claudine with his chat up lines that are oddly reminiscent of the style of Humphrey Bogart. The slapstick is bumbling and always delivered, with the best scenes being Lytton's escape from the thugs, Clousseau's distraction during the bank robbery, Clousseau posing as a telephone repair man and especially the scene with the runaway vacuum cleaner. The characters are wonderfully crazy, and the acting is very good, as good as Catherine Schell, Herbert Lom(with his mental breakdown another highlight) and Christopher Plummer are, it is Peter Sellars who steals the show, his Clousseau as always is a riot.

Overall, a great comedy and film. If there was anything that wasn't as good with the film, it was perhaps the length, the film could've done with being 5-10 minutes shorter. But it is a genuinely funny and well performed film and for me one of the better entries of the series. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This is probably the fourth best film in the series, rating only ahead of 'Revenge' in terms of the original Sellers' films. There is some very funny stuff, but not quite up to the standards set in some of the other films.

For me, the sequence starting with Clouseau vacuuming Lady Linton's apartment is the best in the movie. Our first meeting with Guy Gadua (sp?) is hysterical as well.

Christopher Plummer is good, but Niven would have been better. Too bad he was unavailable.

The only one of the films not included in the traditional DVD boxset so often overlooked, it's not bad at all it has some hilarious moments (the blind man with the monkey and the musical instrument at the start is genius and laugh out loud) but there are often periods in the film where it's not so funny. I love Christopher Plummer but I don't think he was that great as the Phantom. Nevertheless Peter Sellers is as great as ever and so is the rest of the regular cast.

7/10: Side splittingly funny in places.

Peter Sellers returns as Inspector Clouseau after an 11 year absence, in this amusing sequel which finds the Pink Panther diamond being stolen again, and Clouseau is convinced that suspected jewel thief the Phantom is behind it, which means Sir Charles Litton(Christopher Plummer taking over from David Niven) is the prime suspect, along with his beautiful wife(played by Catherine Schell, though oddly, despite the end of the original film, doesn't seem to be Clouseau's ex-wife?) Herbert Lom again plays Dreyfeuss, and is portrayed as being on the verge of insanity. Burt Kwouk plays Cato, still trying to combat his employer Clouseau! Funny film has lots of inspired scenes, as Clouseau's disguises start to become elaborate. Leads directly into "...Strikes Again!"

This movie was recommended to me by a friend, so we watched it together on his DVD player. Yawn. Way too much dialogue, and jokes which have been done 100 times before. Examples include sloppily disguised cherry bombs, pies to the face, chase scenes ceasing so that one of the parties can answer a phone call, etc... etc... I felt rude doing so, but nonetheless I left for bed in the middle of the movie, as I felt myself nodding off anyways.

The film was simply very slow moving for a comedy. They take a normal slapstick style joke, like the crushing of a cream-filled pastry over a man's head, and drag it out so that it takes two minutes to set up and twenty seconds to execute. I would estimate this movie to be about as entertaining as any given Merrie Melodie slowed down to 1/8 speed.