CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER (1983)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
The plot deals with the disappearance of the Pink Panther diamond, an object sought over the course of two decades of this D.O.A. franchise. Ted Wass is on hand as a clumsy New York police detective (selected from a computer - how very early 80's) named Sgt. Sleigh (as in One-Horse Open, the best comic line the writers could think of). He is selected to find Chief Inspector Clouseau, who is either dead or living with a Countess (played by the bewitching Joanna Lumley, who played the unnecessary reporter in "Trail"). Assassins are trying to kill Sleigh in case he finds Clouseau. Hijinks ensue with Wass filling in for Sellers' pratfalls and slapstick. Burt Kwouk reappears as Cato, as a reminder of how good this series once was. David Niven, the master of polite restraint (with his ailing voice replaced by impressionist Rich Little), is also on hand along with Capucine and Robert Wagner. The series' regulars merely have an extended cameo and it is a shame that Edwards did not use these actors to spice up the proceedings overall. Reliable Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Dreyfus is hysterical as always.
"Curse of the Pink Panther" is technically well-done and has a few gags that work (love Ed Parker as he does a karate demonstration with a huge rock or the rainstorm that sweeps Sleigh off his feet). The final scenes are also funny with a surprise cameo but, unfortunately, it is Ted Wass who brings down the film to the level of cumbersome mediocrity. He is not even close to replicating Sellers' comic timing or finely tuned pratfalls - Wass comes across as a village idiot who pretends to be clumsy. Sellers made it work because he was believably clumsy and justified his every move. It is something that the actor who plays Clouseau at the end understands better than Blake Edwards or anyone else associated with this needless continuation.
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