Stolen

The Pink Panther (1963)

David Niven stars here as the upper class English jewel thief out to steal the jewel that the film is named after however there are a number of surprises and mishaps along the way in this comedy. What should have been a routine comedy is itself stolen along the way by Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau.

If you like silly and slapstick comedy this film delivers it in spades with Sellers as the Sultan of stupidity. Before we even get started the title sequences gives a good example of what is to come and is not to be skipped as the cartoon pink panther tries to run amok. From the moment Sellers falls off the globe in his office you should know what you are in for. While the scenes without Clouseau do lack the comedy of the rest of the film there is more than enough of him to keep the film very funny and not over do it.

Originally this film was conceived as a start of a series of films based around the David Niven character and while he is the definitive upper class Englishman there is nothing really unique about his character so it is not hard to see how a funny little French policeman walked off with the plaudits. What holds this back from being a great films is that sadly without Seller's star turn it would be a distinctly average and entirely miss-able foot note in cinema however it still remains one of the great comedies 4/5.