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The Mirisch company should have tried harder. It is bad enough having an Inspector Clouseau movie without Peter Sellers, but why no Blake Edwards to direct or William Peter Blatty[A shot in the Dark] to script? Instead we have a rather clever and better looking than Clouseau should be, in the shape of Alan Arkin and a rather boring director in Bud Yorkin. The problem itself is with the script which is unoriginal, tedious and not in the least bit funny. Served with a good script Arkin would have become an adequate Clouseau, but still not as funny or entertaining as Peter Sellers. This is like someone else trying to play Frank Spencer or Rigsby, from british television. Despite this Arkin is at times quite good for the film, wich does have its moments. But i suppose the lesson to be learned is if it aint broke dont fix it. If you haven't seen any other Clouseau movies then you will like this i am sure. Otherwise hunt down A shot in the Dark or The Pink Panther Strikes Again. A total waste!

I guess it would be redundant at this point to say Alan Arkin's Clouseau can't touch Peter Sellers, which is certainly true. Nevertheless, I admit I liked this movie (though a lot less than the Pink Panthers, of course), the plot is actually credible and there are some truly funny moments. I give Arkin credit for attempting a role heavily identified with another- and better- actor, and he's OK in it. It's not a total disaster, as some people have claimed and worth watching, if only for the comparisons. ** 1/2 out of 4

Comparisons between Alan Arkin and Peter Sellers may be unfair, but let's face it, there's no way they're not going to be made, and when they are, Arkin unfortunately comes out on the short end of the stick. Sellers is so closely identified with the role of Jacques Clouseau that it's doubtful if ANYONE could have succeeded in playing him. Arkin actually wasn't a bad choice, though, when you get down to it. His comic talents have been proved time and again, he bears a close enough resemblance to Sellers to make die-hard Sellers fans comfortable, and the script is by two veteran "Pink Panther" writers.

So why is it such a complete dog?

Much of the blame can be laid at the feet of director Bud Yorkin, who completely botched the job, but the script is no prize, either; maybe the Waldmans didn't have their heart in it because Sellers wasn't doing it (or maybe Sellers and/or Blake Edwards had more input into the scripts of their films than anyone realized). Part of it is that Arkin doesn't have anyone of the caliber of the great Herbert Lom as Inspector Dreyfuss to work off of, or even a top-notch character actor like Graham Stark as Hercule, Clouseau's much-put-upon assistant. But I think a lot of the reason is, unfortunately, Arkin himself. Sellers' Clouseau was a catalyst for the disasters that inevitably befell him; he CAUSED most of his own problems without ever realizing it. To him they were just minor setbacks on the way to solving the case he was working on, because he was so thoroughly convinced of his own abilities--which, as we all knew, were virtually nonexistent--that he knew beyond a doubt he would solve the case and become the hero, which he usually did. You felt comfortable laughing at Sellers' Clouseau because, for all his bluster and misplaced conceit, you actually liked him. That's where Arkin's Clouseau fails. Whatever he is, he's not likable in the way that Sellers' Clouseau was, and doesn't engender the affection and sympathy the audience had for Sellers' Clouseau, despite his many failings.

While James Bond can go through several different actors' characterizations of him, there's really only one Inspector Jacques Clouseau, and that's Peter Sellers. Arkin tried, but he just couldn't do it. He shouldn't feel too bad, though; I don't think anyone could have.

This 1960s film is a real oddity - a Clouseau comedy without director Blake Edwards OR star Peter Sellers. Alan Arkin plays the French sleuth.

It starts off well, with the usual comic cartoon credits - sans Henry Mancini score however. Clouseau arrives in England by plane, as he gets onto terra firma he realises he's in his socks and tries to barge past back onto the plane. There's a good line in some English bigwig's office, said bigwig says superciliously "I must say, it was not my idea to bring you onto this case." "You are too modest," replies Clouseau, oblivious to the insult.

But my, it goes downhill quick. Arkin, who looks like Freddie Mercury and has a bit of Borat about him, or maybe the English spy dressed as a policeman in Allo Allo!, is proud and bumbling enough, but lacks the boldnesss of Seller's portrayal. Arkin is too low key; Sellers's man would enter a room (or reum) and take command - when someone would make a fool of him without even trying he would suddenly turn brusque and a bully to reclaim the initiative.

Twenty mins in there seems to be no plot, just Clouseau faffing about, going to the Edinburgh Festival, which seems to be in London for some reason. Even as a curiosity, you feel the wind go out of your sales. You don't even know what the plot is, as the Pink Panther jewel is sadly absent too. There's the obligatory gadget rundown, with the usual "That's not a gadget, that's my electric razor/inhaler/lunch!" gag, later used in the actual James Bond films.

Arkin's Clouseau put me in mind of Johnny Depp when he's not chewing the scenery as Captain Jack but just fading into the background and being uncharismatic in films like Blow. Overall the film has a fourth-rate 1960s British comedy feel about it. You get the impression that even a lead actor wouldn't be bothered to rewatch this one. There is, however, a funny scene where Clouseau eavesdrops on a gangster's funeral service that made me laugh out loud.

Avoid.

Many reviewers claim this production stinks because Sellers isn't in it. Okay, those are the Sellers fans. But fans of the Pink Panther series (rather than die-hard Sellers fans) may not have minded so much that it wasn't Sellers in the driver's seat so much, had the movie not been a completely disgusting spectacle. This work holds NOTHING of the wit, the humor, or the heart of the others.

I'm sorry to say that this attempt was a failure, and this chapter may comfortably be left out of your Pink Panther collection, as the finished product holds nothing in the way of charm or character.

Sadly, it rates a 2.8/10 from...

the Fiend :.

Most peoples opinion of the Pink Panther series is that as long as Peter Sellers was alive the films were classics. The ones made with leftover footage of Sellers, not so good, and the ones without Sellers ("Son Of PP", The Ted Wass "Curse Of PP", the Steve Martin remake)stink.

Well I am NOT of that opinion. Sure, it's nearly impossible to watch ANYONE else pretending to be the good Inspector, or a relative. But for me the best Panther films are the first 2 60's gems, "Pink Panther" and "A Shot In The Dark". Once Blake Edwards resurrected the series in 1975 with "Return" and "Strikes Again" the films got more and more silly and preposterous. I mean Clouseau' boss Dreyfus in an insane asylum or as the "Phantom Of the Opera" ruined the films for me long before most fans cried foul.

The thing I loved about the original 2 films were that, silly as they were, they were within the realm of possibility. That wasn't the case after "The Return of The Pink Panther", which I recall actually seeing in the movies on it's original release.

Perhaps that's why i'm much more forgiving of films like "Curse Of The PP" (the Ted Wass vehicle) because they didn't get as far out as the 1970's entries in the series with Sellers.

After finally catching the much maligned "Inspector Clousea" I have to say, although missing Sellers all the same, this is actually my 3rd favorite entry in the series right after the original two, and much better than the Steve Martin remake.

Of course one of the things for me that adds to it is the entire 60's vibe-I feel this is simply the most enjoyable time period to place this type of farce in. There's allot of 60's-isms that just fit in with this type of comedy. There's a reason Austin Powers tapped into the 60's thing for much of it's humor.

Arkin doesn't imitate Sellers (unlike Steve Martin) and plays Clousea a bit understated, but for me it works much better-again as one tries to image these things happening within the realm of real life. It's just too bad we don't have Herbert Lom as Dreyfus or a Henry Mancini music score (though there really is nothing wrong with the movies score at all as it is).

At this point in my life i've see the original Panther" and "Shot In The Dark" multiple times, but "Inspector Clousea" only twice making it my very favorite "Panther" movie to pull off the shelf and watch on my DVD burned from a cable TV showing of the flick.

Go into it with an open mind (especially those who somehow may not know the other movies in the series very well) and you could easily enjoy this very much..Far from a failure in my book..

A lot of people dismiss this stance in the Pink Panther canon simply because it does not feature the great Peter Sellers in the titular role of Inspector Clouseau. Unfortunately, there's a whole bunch of other reasons this movie is simply bad.

First of all, the story is silly, naive, full of holes and outrageous plot devices and it generally feels as if it was written by a six year old after watching the first two Pink Panther films. I understand that this is supposed to be a comedy (and also that the Peter Sellers Pink Panther films are not IQ bending mysteries either), but I honestly can not believe that the writers thought the audience would buy this.

The acting in general is on a school play level, with a good actor such as Alan Arkin failing miserably somewhere in between the attempts to copy Peter Sellers and to develop a character on his own. The expression "wooden acting" applies here literally - Arkin's screen appearance seems as if he was in fact made of wood or forgot a coat hanger in his jacket, and although somewhat stiff motion was one of the signature traits of Sellers' Clouseau, it simply does not suit a ten years younger and much more physical Arkin here. However, Arkin does manage to extort a few chuckles here and there, but mostly so just by being laughably unconvincing in a role tailor-made for another actor.

All in all, it's a sad attempt at comedy, at if this film was made in its own right instead of being made part of a hugely successful and memorable series, it would have been completely forgotten by today. Which, considering Alan Arkin's otherwise fruitful career, would have probably been for the best.

2/10

When I first saw this film, I hated it. But the reason I hated it, was because I kept comparing Alan Arkin's Closeau to Peter Sellers' portrayal. Alan Arkin's portrayal of the bumbling French detective is way out of Sellar's league. I had seen several Pink Panther films before this and thought they were highly funny.

But when I watched this film again the other day, when it was shown on Sunday lunchtime, I tried to forget about the other Panther films, and Peter Sellars.

I found myself enjoying it. And I think Alan Arkin did a great job as the Inspector. Although, still nowhere near Sellars, he brings his own unique charm to the role, and when he originally took the part, it must have been a brave decision to make, knowing how much Sellars was admired for the role.

The film itself is enjoyable and worth watching. And Arkin is funny as Closeau. If you can forget about Peter Sellers playing the role, and give Arkin a chance, you might enjoy it yourself.

6/10 .

From the reviews of Pink Panther enthusiasts and the commentary of the people involved in its production, I figured this movie would be an embarrassing disaster. Having seen it, I have to wonder if the overly negative reaction is more due to the heresy of not having Peter Sellers in the titular role and Blake Edwards behind the camera. As a standalone movie, Inspector Clouseau could have been so much worse.

Don't get me wrong: this isn't a lost gem. It has a serviceable story that would not feel out of place on a Saturday morning cartoon and the jokes only land about 60% of the time. The romantic subplot is so tacked on it makes you wonder why it is there. It doesn't do the movie any favors that it was the follow-up to A Shot in the Dark, one of the funniest films ever made (in my humble opinion).

However, is it a cinematic crime along the lines of Adam Sandler's Jack and Jill? No. It's a single watch film, something diverting to wile away the time on a slow afternoon. Forgettable, but forgivable.

As Clouseau, Alan Arkin isn't bad. He's not Sellers. No one could be. And he's not in top comic form like he is in something more inspired like The In-Laws. However, he does get some laughs and carries the movie fine enough.

If this movie hadn't been connected with the PP franchise and was titled "The Adventures of Inspector Wacky" or something so generic, I think it wouldn't be as infamous as it stands.

One has to keep in mind that, when this was made, only 2 other Clouseau movies existed, THE PINK PANTHER and A SHOT IN THE DARK. At that time it may not have been clear to the whole world that only Sellers could really play Clouseau. Maybe this movie helped prove that.

Anyway, it seems that Arkin's Clouseau starts with the character as he was in SHOT and takes him in a different direction than the '70s movies with Sellers would. Sellers' Clouseau at that point didn't yet have his totally ridiculous accent but sounded more like a real Frenchman, so it's only natural that Arkin would sound like one as well. Like Sellers' Clouseau, Arkin's is well-intentioned but with incredibly bad judgment, clumsy, prone to focus on what's not important, and easily thrown off course by a pretty face. Unlike Sellers' Clouseau, Arkin's is not only emotional but prone to panic, and is not only aware of but comes to mourn his ineptitude. It takes some time to get used to his voice, lower and thicker than Sellers. So, this is not the Clouseau we know, though the character here is well-defined and interesting in its own right.

The animated opening credits barely even try for the humor and charm of those in the Sellers films. The score by Ken Thorne (who scored the Beatles' "Help" and the Monkees' "Head") is the next best thing to Mancini, though.

Whatever complaints one might have about the plot and the directing (I won't repeat the ones already made, other than to note that the flow early in the movie is rather bumpy), I'll say this: the Pink Panther films made after this one came so much to rely on familiar formulas that it's actually refreshing how this film does NOT use them. There is no superior of Clouseau's being driven mad by Clouseau's ineptitude -- just one reacting to it like a real person would. The crime plot here is actually pretty interesting -- much more so than the theft of the Pink McGuffin that got so overused later. Sellers' Clouseau always sounded like a Frenchman among Englishmen, even when he was in France, which didn't make sense. So it was a good idea in this case to actually *put* him among Englishmen. (His malapropisms come off, quite logically, as due to his unfamiliarity with English.) And the rather obnoxious fantasy elements present in STRIKES AGAIN are nowhere to be seen here.

So, to sum up: Different from, and not as good as, most of the Sellers entries. But give me Arkin's Clouseau over Ted Wass' Clifton Sleigh.

A few highlights:

• The nicely choreographed scene in Braithwaite's office near the beginning ("And what makes you think I trust YOU?")

• The scene with the tape recorder in the graveyard.

• Clouseau "eavesdropping" on the gang's bank robbery plans.

Item of special interest: the use of an Amphicar as a getaway vehicle. Cool!

It would be understandable to not like this film simply because of comparisons to the Pink Panther movies. But I stayed home one day and it came on the Mystery channel and I laughed pretty hard. Alan Arkin did a great job playing the bumbling French Detective. From his accent to his clueless pride he plays him well. There is no Kato in this film, but that's good because it would make too close comparisons to Peter Sellers' Inspector. Lot's of funny laughs and lines, if you get a chance, take a look at this one.

"Inspector Clouseau" is the most obscure entry in the Pink Panther franchise, even more obscure than "Curse of the Pink Panther" or "Son of the Pink Panther." Technically the third movie in the series, "Inspector Clouseau" finds Alan Arkin in the title role of French Inspector Jacques Clouseau, a character Peter Sellers had started to make famous in two previous movies and a character that Sellers would become inextricably linked to in four more afterwards. "Inspector Clouseau" lacks the boundless energy of director Shawn Levy and actor Steve Martin's 2006 entry in the franchise or the subtle sophistication of any of director Blake Edward and actor Peter Sellers' indisputable classics, but director Bud Yorkin and actor Alan Arkin's entry is undeniably unique and actually quite entertaining.

"Inspector Clouseau" finds the ever klutzy Clouseau heading from France to London to France again and then onto Switzerland to take on the psychotic gang behind the Great Train Robbery, led by the mysterious "Johnny Rainbow" (Clive Francis). Clouseau is assisted by shifty Scotland Yard Inspector Weaver (Frank Finlay, who played Inspector Lestrade in "A Study in Terror" and again in "Murder by Decree") who arms Clouseau with an array of James Bond-style gadgetry. Along the way Clouseau, as he's always had the knack to, finds his way into the arms of beautiful babes and takes out dangerous underworld assassins trying to kill him, all completely on accident.

Bud Yorkin's directing style is quite different from Blake Edward's, and the whole movie feels like a completely different animal from any of the other Pink Panther flicks. But the movie finds a charm and sense of fun all its own. A lack of a jazzy Henry Mancini score adds to the distance from other Panthers, but Ken Thorne's hummable score is a suitable replacement. Memorable moments include a scene where Clouseau moves from chair to chair while being debriefed by the Scotland Yard commissioner (Patrick Cargill), a scene where he finds himself "modeling" for a seductive photographer, and a hilarious sequence where he and Weaver become intensely competitive playing games on a speeding train. There's also a sufficient number of twists and turns that make this movie worth a look despite its obscurity.

Peter Sellers once said that only he could play Inspector Clouseau, and while he his synonymous with the role, people forget that others have donned the trench coat and adopted a French accent.

Like Alan Arkin here, who tries his best to make at times weak material work.

There are moments to enjoy here, it's not quite the waste of time that others on this site have made it out to be, but it cannot be denied that there are too many ploddy scenes, or very similar ones where plot points of rammed home.

Arkin's take on the character is fun (Steve Martin ironically seems to have borrowed from this version with his later portrayal) and this film certainly doesn't deserve the flak it received.

It's just not the same without Sellers in the role, and perhaps much like 'Trail of the Pink Panther', 'Curse of the Pink Panther', and 'Son of the Pink Panther' was always destined to fail.

"Inspector Clouseau" is a film that's ineptitude bod almost everything imaginable almost rivals the ineptitude of Tommy Wiseau's "The Room". Is it as bad as "The Room"? No. However, this film is so badly written, so blindly directed, so in constant hatred of its audience that as you watch it you can't help but be offended. I'm convinced that tpeople who made this film hate movies. Hate making movies. Hate acting in movies. Hate everything about movies. It's almost a genius film if you see it as an anti-movie. It's so blatantly bad and on purpose that you are fully aware everyone hated being in this movie and making it. The contempt for the audience in this film is almost legendary. I've watched many episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and RiffTraxx and never have I ever seen a film have such contempt for its audience. Alan Arkin gives what I would call an "anti-performance". It is so evident in every scene that he hates being in this movie and playing this character. He sits in almost every scene in a stupor and a look that says "god, how did I get in this pile?" The writing is so bad. It's like an alien race who had no concept of comedy tried to make a comedy. It's "anti-funny". The whole film plays like a gigantic middle finger being shoved right in the audience's face. The filmmakers and actors are so completely drained of any enthusiasm and care that it's almost exhausting watching this movie. It's like listening to a person complain for two hours. There's a scene where Alan Arkin arrives in London and walks down the ramp off of the airplane and as he gets down the ramp he realizes he doesn't have any shoes on. But we the audience are never told why he doesn't have shoes on. Did he take them off on the plane to relax? Did he lose them somewhere on the plane? Did a missing reel just not get included back into the film? It's an attempt at humor that is so inept and bad that it's not funny, it's baffling. Another example of wtf, is Clouseau is getting a shave by the prison barber, when all of a sudden he's drugged and put to sleep. Then the prison barber opens a hatch in the room and just disappears down it. I have no idea what that hatch is or why it is there. The drugging is never explained and so a character literally before your eyes disappears with no explanation. If I hadn't mentioned it already, this movie is exhausting! Thank goodness that seven years later Blake Edwards, Peter Sellers, and Henry Mancini returned to the series. "Inspector Clouseau" is so bad its a franchise killer. Yet, an even bigger franchise killer than Jaws: The Revenge and Highlander 2. Luckily, the franchise rebounded in 1975 with "The Return of the Pink Panther". If anything, I mean if anything "Inspector Clouseau" proves it is that not everyone in movies with the opportunity and means to make a movie should make a movie. Those sort of things should probably be left to the professionals.

Detective Inspector Closeau is borrowed from the Surete on particular mission for Scotland Yard about some bank robberies have occurred in England in hopes that a fresh outlook will help the government recover the stash from the Great Train Robbery , which is being utilized to carry out a new crime wave . Then , to crack potential heist is called bungler Inspector Clouseau . Furthermore , in Switzerland take place a string of robberies and it's up to Inspector Clouseau to detain them . In Zurich , Clouseau is accused of bank robber and is arrested . As various members of a dangerous gang (Alan Arkin played the members with the other actors' voices dubbed onto the soundtrack) were disguised as Inspector Clouseau to execute numerous hold-ups .

This slapstick picture contains amusement , funny scenes , fresh and diverting moments but also flaws and gaps ; but it results to be a below average retelling based on the classic personage . Several chuckles and gags , the result of which is one mediocre entry from series and very inferior to previous and successive installments ; in addition , picture is not especially amusing . As Alan Arkin parodying this known role including his ordinary faces , grimaces and gestures . This is the first of the series without Peter Sellers , being regularly starred by Alan Arkin . Alan got the role of Clouseau because Peter Sellers was busy doing The party (1968), directed by Blake Edwards, who was also the director of the previous Clouseau films . Later , Sellers and Edwards would return to the series as well as the original composer , Henry Mancini . The main novelty turns out to be the Clouseau's coat and hat were introduced in this film and stayed part of the franchise . ¨The Pink Panther ¨ release was the first part of series of Inspector Clouseau from French Surete and being the last entry ¨Trail of the Pink Panther¨ by the late Peter Sellers though he would follow playing but with outtakes in other films . The role of Inspector Clouseau was originally offered to Peter Ustinov ; despite being relatively unknown internationally, Peter Sellers was offered the part, and was paid 90,000 pounds . The second Clouseau film titled , ¨A shot in the dark¨ , was released only three months after this film . It followed by ¨Return of pink panther¨ and ¨Revenge of pink panther¨. After that , it was continued by ¨The curse of the Pink Panther¨ that turned to be another flop and starred by Ted Wass and ¨The son of the Pink Panther ¨ starred by Robert Benigni , this is the eight part of Closeau series and a light comedy . Between 1964 and 1993, nine Inspector Clouseau films would be released, although Inspector Closeau starred by Alan Arkin and the movies made after Peter Sellers's death are mostly not considered canon . The reason they still kept The Pink Panther in the title was because it had become synonymous with inspector Clouseau . It appears some familiar secondaries such as Delia Boccardo who receives an "introducing" credit , Frank Finlay , Barry Foster , Beryl Reid , Clive Francis , Eric Pohlmann , Michael Ripper , among others . An animated Inpector Closeau was created for the opening credits because producers felt that the credits would benefit from some kind of cartoon character , being created by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng . Lively and atmospheric music by Ken Thorne , replacing ordinary Henry Mancini . Colorful and glimmer cinematography by Arthur Ibbetson in Panavison and De Luxe color ; being made in Great Britain and Zurich , Switzerland .

The motion picture was middlingly directed by Budd Yorkin . He was a producer and director, particularly known for Sanford and son (1972), The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (1956) and Start the revolution without me (1970). He was an expert on comedies , as proved in The Thief Who Came to Dinner , Never too late , He blows your horn , Divorce American Style and Arthur 2 on the rocks .

Alan Arkin playing Clouseau would have to rank as one of the most awful casting choices ever made. (Will Smith as Mohammed Ali? Close. Di Crapio as a tough guy in 19th-century New York? Very close.) Arkin has never played clowns, nor is he one. He is far too cynical-looking for this type of role. Watching him say his lines was an exercise in embarrassment and major cringing. I suppose that die-hard PP fans who have nothing better to do can have endless discussions as to who was worse: Martin or Arkin. Maybe it'll take another 40 years for someone to attempt to make a PP movie without Sellers. What with the direction Hollywood is heading towards in recent years, it'll be someone like David Arquette's son who'll be cast to play the goofy Frenchman...

One person here wrote that one should forget about Peter Sellers and watch this movie on its own merits. Maybe he/she can do that, probably with some help from hallucinogenic drugs, but personally I'd find that a task both impossible and stupid. The fact is that Sellers DID do Panther earlier and was about 1000 times better.

Arkin is terminally unfunny with the sight gags, but it's the dialogue that really exposes his miscasting: there isn't a single line he says that is even remotely funny.

In all fairness, though, the script is garbage. The story has no flow, just a bunch of barely connected scenes strung together, the gags being rare and rather pathetic. The only thing the movie has going for it are the high production values, which make it watchable, if nothing else.

After a number of unsolved burglaries which has bedeviled Scotland Yard, the English Prime Minister requests assistance from the French government to help them out. Needless to say, the Commissioner of Scotland Yard, "Sir Charles Braithwaite (Patrick Cargill), is embarrassed by his agency's inability to solve the case but reluctantly welcomes "Inspector Jacques Clouseau" (Alan Arkin) all the same. What he doesn't realize is just how clumsy and incompetent Inspector Clouseau actually is and the multitude of problems he will create as a result. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a decent comedy which suffered somewhat from the substitution of Alan Arkin for Peter Sellers who apparently had issues with the project from the start. Even so, Alan Arkin filled in reasonably well enough and he managed to provide some genuinely good humor here and there to keep things interesting. Likewise, having two attractive, semi-clad actresses like Tracey Crisp (as "Julie") and Katya Wyeth ("Meg") in the same scene certainly didn't hurt either. Admittedly, the ending could have used a bit of improvement but all things considered I enjoyed this film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Continuing to watch the "Pink Panther" film franchise, we come across a film that manages to be radically different from the two predecessors. It is a return to the franchise in which it seems that no one has returned together with it: Blake Edwards left his director's chair vacant to be occupied by Bud Yorkin and Peter Sellers, occupied in another job, was unable to wear Inspector Clouseau's raincoat, giving the opportunity to Alan Arkin. This, coupled with a weak and uninteresting script, makes this film an irritating failure.

The script doesn't even bother to create a good story that justifies the way Clouseau is called upon to collaborate with British justice after a series of mysterious robberies: the idea that they suspect a traitor among the police forces just doesn't seem enough to justify it, though I believe the French saw with relief the departure of this clumsy investigator for Her Majesty's lands. Of course, thanks to an almost insane dose of luck, the detective will stumble on the truth, as he is the target of a series of attacks, which leads us to think that the thieves can be bipolar: at the same time who seem intent on taking advantage of Clouseau's stupidity and making fun of him, also seem to regard him as a serious threat to their interests and activities.

The cast work is regular: despite not winning us over and making us feel like a usurper, Alan Arkin is effective and does a decent job. Unfortunately, he copies a lot of Peter Sellers' formula instead of believing in his own abilities and giving a more personal touch to the character he has been given. Frank Finlay appears little, but what little he does is convincing, and it works. Delia Boccardo is also not bad and gives the film some feminine charm, but she is far from being a sex symbol or a fashion icon like Claudia Cardinale or Capucine. Much less interesting, almost a mistake in itself, is the participation of Beryl Reid. Barry Foster is an obvious villain and proof that a ridiculous, poorly chosen hairstyle can make anyone laughable.

In fact, the most serious problem with this film turns out not to be the cast, but the bad script, the poorly written dialogues and the almost idiotic humor, which a disinspired Yorkin must have simply accepted with a careless shrug. There are moments in the film that make us wonder where the screenwriters had left their wits when they wrote the script: this is the case with the entire Scottish Festival sequence and an almost obscene advertisement for the Lindt chocolates. In fact, the film has very few accurate jokes and a lot of stupid humor.

The film has a regular cinematography, within what was done at that time, and brings to the film good scenes and easily recognizable London settings. There are few special effects, and what was used seems too cheap to be acceptable. The soundtrack, in turn, comes from the skillful hand of Henry Mancini and completely disappoints us, as does the horrible animated opening credits sequence, without any humor or creativity.

I had always been a fan of Peter Sellers' Pink Panther movies. Alan Arkin, however, made an excellent Clouseau. Lots of great quotable lines and holds up under repeat viewing.Actually better than some of the later Peter Sellers versions.

What struck me first was that I didn't like Alan Arkin's Inspector as much as Sellers', but as the movie progressed, he slowly makes the character his own. Much similar to the first Pink Panther movie, the character hasn't evolved entirely yet.

The standout is the writing. I have no doubt that if Blake Edwards had been involved there would be much more slapstick. If Peter Sellers had been involved it would have had more consistent delivery. But the jokes are good (e.g. "He said its all part of his plan" is classic Pink Panther). The pacing is much better than the previous two movies.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. I can see why it carries a dark mark, but I don't believe its entirely deserved. This one is far better than the other Seller-less panthers "Curse" and "Son". Give it a watch.