I have seen The Pink Panther (1964) before but it was so long ago, I don't remember the finer detail of the movie. It was a different movie, almost that is. In it, David Niven and Robert Wagner was teh lead while the famous Inspector Clouseau's part was that of supporting. I learned that director Blake Edwards was amused by the applause the funny Inspector was getting, hence the sequel A Shot In The Dark, and the rest of the Pink Panther series. I am now desperately trying to get all of them.

Revenge of The Pink Panther starts very solemnly. A French mob has to prove his counterpart in New York, that he is strong. As a demonstration he agrees to the suggestion of the killing of the most important man in France (after the President, of course), ie Inspector (chief Inspector now) Clouseau, played brilliantly by the ever great Peter Sellers. The pre-title scene is somber, grim and details the mob scene like any other run-of-the-mill action movie. Then the title starts, the cartoon version of the Pink Panther and Clouseau chases each other, with gun, cannon, you name it. It sets the mood for what is following. It simply means that you have to park your brain outside and enjoy the show.

The earlier films have a lot going for it, apart from Sellers. But from the third film onwards, most critics grumbled that the only thing they could enjoy is Sellers and nothing else. I concur. This film is a total crap. It is one of those episodes in any series (including second Bond film), where the protagonist becomes target of assassination.

This film, like its predecessors, gives Sellers more opportunity to strut his staff. Thanks to Dr. Balls (endless puns are made of that name) an eccentric disguise provider, Sellers gets to don many many disguise and my favourite is the one where he plays a drunk sailor, complete with an inflated parrot in the shoulder. He had to keep inflating it to keep it perched, till it bloated up and shot out of its legs. I roared in laughter. Only Sellers. Only Sellers. His deadpan facial expression and silly accent is priceless. What is Beuwwmb? What is Pewp? Or Leuw? Watch this movie to find out.

Despite all the silly things going on, how Sellers is intact and consistent as the bumbling inspector is beyond me. I saw The Son of Pink Panther and found it to be a disgrace. Don't associate Pink Panther with anyone else but Peter Sellers. He owns it now. It is a great memory that we can witness again and again.

My final verdict is this: Watch is for Sellers. The movie is total crap. Just sit back, relax and witness a comic genius at work. Just watch out for some racially slurred jokes concerning the colour 'yellow'. It may not be in good taste now.