Réalisation:
Blake EdwardsPhotographie:
Philip H. LathropMusique:
Henry ManciniActeurs·trices:
David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine, Brenda De Banzie, John Le Mesurier, Claudia Cardinale, Michael Trubshawe, William Bryant (plus)Résumés(1)
Le Fantôme, audacieux voleur qui ne s’en prend qu’à la bonne société, se rend dans la station de ski Cortina d’Ampezzo, où la princesse indienne Dala, détentrice de la fameuse Panthère rose, le joyau le plus cher au monde, attire tous les regards. Ennemi acharné du Fantôme, l’inspecteur Clouseau est sur les lieux, prêt à tout pour contrecarrer ses plans. Mais le voleur n’est autre que sir Charles Lyton, un habitué des salons mondains, et sa complice… Simone Clouseau, l’épouse de l’inspecteur ! L’arrivée impromptue de George, le neveu de sir Charles, va bouleverser leurs projets. Récalcitrants ou franchement hostiles, les objets et les portes se transforment en chausse-trapes pour le malheureux policier, tandis que la course-poursuite en voiture, classique des classiques, implique un zèbre, deux gorilles, un chevalier en armure et un bouffon tout aussi médiéval. Une impeccable logique du chaos dans laquelle le reste de la distribution, si éclatant soit-il, se voit relégué au rang de faire-valoir. Dès cette entrée en scène, Clouseau devient culte, tout comme le célébrissime thème de Henry Mancini et le dessin animé exubérant qui lui sert de générique. (Arte)
(plus)Critiques (4)
I never got attached to the introduction of the series because it simply doesn't belong to the Clouseau series. It is just a slightly mediocre crime comedy with an unremarkable cast, where Peter Sellers steals all the attention, whom I don't laugh at as much as I feel sorry for him, for having such a witch by his side. The joke comes at the end, the car chase with the zebras is unforgettable.
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This film is my second favorite of the entire Pink Panther series - and it's so different from the subsequent films, in which Inspector Clouseau is going all out. Peter Sellers has undoubtedly created a legendary character, but at the same time it would be unfair to neglect the interplay between David Niven and Claudia Cardinale (the evening flirtation scene is very beautiful) or the lovely Capucine as Clouseau's wife (and therefore probably the most patient woman in the known universe), or forget the spectacular masked finale, culminating in an animal car chase that will make even mummified viewers laugh.
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Sellers is delicate from his first appearance, Niven is extremely charismatic and Claudia Cardinale is beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, but the best moments of Commissar Clouseau are yet to come. The pilot puts him too much in the background and his story is not one of those that we would happily devour and whose jokes we would tell to our friends the next day... 65%
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Even after all these years, The Pink Panther still gets me. It's not that the story is absolutely brilliant, although it's not bad, but it's the fact that the acting is absolutely superb, essentially in every role. Peter Sellers may not stand out as much here, but that's okay because Niven, Cardinale, Capucine, and Wagner are equally fantastic.
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