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The Pink Panther Strikes Again

2022-08-14T12:25:34Z

216.237.234.191: /* Cast */

{{short description|1976 American British comedy film by Blake Edwards}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = The Pink Panther Strikes Again
| image = pink_panther_strikes_again_movie_poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Blake Edwards]]
| producer = Blake Edwards [[Tony Adams (producer)|Tony Adams]] (Associate Producer) '''Animation:''' [[Richard Williams (animator)|Richard Williams]]
| screenplay = [[Frank Waldman]] Blake Edwards
| starring = [[Peter Sellers]] [[Herbert Lom]] [[Colin Blakely]] [[Leonard Rossiter]] [[Lesley-Anne Down]]
| music = [[Henry Mancini]]
| cinematography = [[Harry Waxman]]
| editing = Alan Jones
| studio = Amjo Productions
| distributor = [[United Artists]]
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1976|12|15|United States|1976|12|22|United Kingdom}}
| runtime = 103 minutes
| country = United Kingdom United States
| language = English
| budget = $6 million
| gross = $75 million<ref name=gross/>
}}

'''''The Pink Panther Strikes Again''''' is a 1976 [[comedy film]]. The fifth film in ''[[The Pink Panther]]'' series, its plot picks up three years after ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]'', with former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus ([[Herbert Lom]]) about to be released from a psychiatric hospital after having finally been driven insane by new Chief Inspector [[Jacques Clouseau]]'s ([[Peter Sellers]]) unrelenting ineptitude in the previous films. A typically disastrous visit from Clouseau on the day of his release prompts a swift relapse which cancels Dreyfus's scheduled discharge, but he soon escapes anyway, and organizes an elaborate criminal plot to threaten the countries of the world with annihilation by a massive laser weapon if they do not assassinate Clouseau for him.

Unused footage from the film was later included in ''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]'' (1982), after Sellers's death.

==Plot==
After three years in a psychiatric hospital, former Chief Inspector of the [[Sûreté]] Charles Dreyfus ([[Herbert Lom]]), has recovered from his obsession to kill [[Jacques Clouseau]] ([[Peter Sellers]]) and is about to be released; Clouseau, who has since replaced Dreyfus as Chief Inspector, arrivies unannounced to speak on behalf of his former boss, and within minutes drives Dreyfus insane again. Dreyfus later escapes from the hospital and once again tries to kill Clouseau by planting a bomb while the Inspector (by periodic arrangement) duels with his manservant Cato ([[Burt Kwouk]]). The bomb destroys Clouseau's apartment and injures Cato, but Clouseau himself is unharmed, being lifted from the room by an inflatable hunchback disguise. Deciding that a more elaborate plan is needed to eliminate Clouseau, Dreyfus enlists an army of career criminals to his cause and kidnaps nuclear physicist Professor Hugo Fassbender ([[Richard Vernon]]) and the Professor's daughter Margo ([[Briony McRoberts]]), forcing the professor to build a "[[doomsday weapon]]" in return for his daughter's freedom.

Clouseau travels to [[United Kingdom|the UK]] to investigate Fassbender's disappearance, where he wrecks their family home and ineptly interrogates Jarvis ([[Michael Robbins]]), Fassbender's cross-dressing butler. Although Jarvis is later killed by the kidnappers, to whom he had become a dangerous witness, Clouseau discovers a clue that leads him to the [[Oktoberfest]] in [[Munich]], West Germany. Meanwhile, Dreyfus, using Fassbender's invention, disintegrates the [[United Nations headquarters]] in [[New York City]] and [[blackmail]]s the leaders of the world, including the [[President of the United States]] and his [[Secretary of State]] (based on [[Gerald Ford]] and [[Henry Kissinger]]), into assassinating Clouseau. However, many of the nations instruct their operatives to kill Clouseau to gain Dreyfus's favor and possibly the Doomsday Machine. As a result of their orders and Clouseau's obliviousness, all of the other assassins end up killing one another until only the agents of Egypt and Russia remain.

The Egyptian assassin ([[Omar Sharif]]) shoots one of Dreyfus's assassins, mistaking him for Clouseau, but is seduced by the Russian operative Olga Bariosova ([[Lesley-Anne Down]]), who makes the same mistake. When the real Clouseau arrives, he is perplexed by Olga's affections but learns from her Dreyfus's location at a [[castle]] in [[Bavaria]]. Dreyfus is elated at the erroneous report of Clouseau's demise, but suffers from a painful toothache and sends for a dentist; when Clouseau hears a dentist is needed at the castle, he disguises himself as an elderly German dentist and finally gains entry to the castle (his earlier attempts at sneaking in the castle had been repeatedly foiled by his general ineptitude and the castle's [[drawbridge]]). Unrecognized by Dreyfus, Clouseau ends up intoxicating both of them with [[nitrous oxide]]. When 'the dentist' mistakenly pulls the wrong tooth, Dreyfus immediately figures out it is Clouseau in disguise. Clouseau escapes, and a vengeful and now totally insane Dreyfus prepares to use the machine to destroy [[England]]. Clouseau, eluding Dreyfus's henchmen, unwittingly foils Dreyfus's plans when a medieval [[catapult]] outside the castle launches him on top of the [[Doomsday device|doomsday machine]], causing it to malfunction and fire on Dreyfus and the castle itself. As the remaining henchmen, Fassbender and his daughter, and eventually Clouseau himself escape the dissolving castle, Dreyfus plays "[[Tiptoe Through the Tulips]]" on the castle's [[pipe organ]] while he himself disintegrates, until he and the castle vanish into thin air.

Returning to [[Paris]], Clouseau is finally reunited with Olga. However, their tryst is interrupted first by Clouseau's apparent inability to remove his clothes, and then by Cato's latest surprise attack, which causes all three to be hurled into the river [[Seine]] when the reclining bed snaps back upright and crashes through the wall. Immediately thereafter, a cartoon image of Clouseau emerges from the water, which has been tinted pink, and begins swimming, unaware that a gigantic version of the Pink Panther character is waiting below him with a sharp-toothed, open mouth (a reference to the then-recent film ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'', made further obvious by the thematic music). The film ends as the animated Clouseau chases the Pink Panther up the Seine as the credits roll.

== Cast ==
{{castlist|
* [[Peter Sellers]] as [[Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau]]
* [[Herbert Lom]] as Former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus
* [[Colin Blakely]] as Inspector Alec Drummond
* [[Leonard Rossiter]] as Superintendent Quinlan
* [[Lesley-Anne Down]] as Olga Bariosova
* [[Michael Robbins]] as Ainsley Jarvis
* [[Richard Vernon]] as Professor Hugo Fassbender
* [[Briony McRoberts]] as Margo Fassbender
* [[Burt Kwouk]] as Cato Fong
* [[André Maranne]] as François
* [[Vanda Godsell]] as Mrs. Leverlilly
* [[Tony Sympson]] as Mr. Shork
* [[Patsy Smart]] as Mrs. Japonica
* [[Norman Burton]] as Mr. Bullock
* [[Dudley Sutton]] as Inspector
McLaren
* [[Dick Crockett]] as the President of the United States ([[Gerald Ford]])
* Byron Kane as the US Secretary of State ([[Henry Kissinger]])
* [[Paul Maxwell]] as CIA Director
* [[Gordon Rollings]] as Inmate
* [[John Clive]] as Chuck
* [[Damaris Hayman]] as Fiona
* [[Deep Roy]] as Diminutive Assassin
}}

=== Cast notes ===
* Owing to Peter Sellers's heart condition, whenever possible he would have his stunt double '''Joe Dunne''' stand in for him. Because of the often physical nature of the comedy, this would occur quite frequently.
* [[Julie Andrews]] provided the singing voice for the female-impersonator "Ainsley Jarvis".<ref>Allmovie [https://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:38171~T2 Cast]</ref> The scene in the nightclub when Jarvis sings is in many ways similar to scenes in Edwards's later film ''[[Victor Victoria]]'' (1982), in which Andrews plays a woman pretending to be a man who is a female impersonator.
* [[Graham Stark]], a longtime friend of Sellers, once again made an appearance in the series, albeit in a small role as the desk clerk of a small German hotel. Since his role as Hercule LaJoy in ''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]'', he has appeared in small roles in every Pink Panther sequel except ''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]'', in which Sellers did not play Clouseau.
* Scenes featuring [[Harvey Korman]] as Professor Auguste Balls and [[Marne Maitland]] as Deputy Commissioner Lasorde were deleted from the film, but were later seen in full in ''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]'' in 1982. Graham Stark would assume the role of Professor Balls in the next film, '' [[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]'' (1978).
* [[Omar Sharif]] appeared, uncredited, as the Egyptian assassin.
* [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]] sang the Oscar-nominated song "Come to Me".
* The role of Olga Bariosova was originally played by [[Maud Adams]], who was replaced after filming a few scenes. Blake Edwards then intended to cast [[Nicola Pagett]] after seeing her in ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs (1971 TV series)|Upstairs, Downstairs]]'' but instead ended up casting Pagett's castmate [[Lesley-Anne Down]] in the role.
* Though the character of the [[President of the United States]] (portrayed by [[Dick Crockett]]) is unnamed in the film, it is obviously based on then current U.S. President [[Gerald Ford]]; Crockett bore more than a passing resemblance to the President and Ford's somewhat exaggerated reputation for clumsiness as depicted in the film was a national joke at the time. The President's unnamed somber [[Secretary of State]] (portrayed by Byron Kane) is obviously based on then current Secretary [[Henry Kissinger]].
* [[Blake Edwards]] made a cameo appearance in the background of the nightclub scene.

==Production==
''The Pink Panther Strikes Again'' was rushed into production owing to the success of ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]''.<ref name=tcmarticle>Thames, Stephanie [http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title.jsp?stid=17706&category=Articles "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" (TCM article)]</ref> Blake Edwards had adapted one of two scripts that he and Frank Waldman had written for a proposed "Pink Panther" TV series as the basis for that film, and he adapted the other as the starting point for ''Strikes Again''. As a result, it is the only ''Pink Panther'' sequel which has a storyline (Dreyfus in the insane asylum) that explicitly follows from the previous film. Oddly, the plot has nothing to do with the famous "Pink Panther diamond" of previous films, but comes off more like a parody of James Bond movies.

The movie was in production from December 1975 to September 1976, with principal photography taking place between February and June 1976.<ref name=imdbbiz>IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075066/business Business Data]</ref> The strained relationship between Sellers and Blake Edwards had further deteriorated by the time production of ''Strikes Again'' was underway. Sellers was ailing both mentally and physically, and Edwards later commented on the actor's mental state during production of the film: "If you went to an asylum and you described the first inmate you saw, that's what Peter had become. He was certifiable."<ref name=tcmarticle />

The original cut of the film ran for around 180 minutes, but was drastically trimmed down to 103 minutes for theatrical release. Edwards originally conceived ''Strikes Again'' as an epic, zany chase film, similar to Edwards's earlier ''[[The Great Race]]'', but UA vetoed this long version and the film was edited down to a more conventional length. Some of the excised footage was later used in ''[[Trail of the Pink Panther]]''. ''Strikes Again'' was marketed with the tagline ''Why are the world's chief assassins after Inspector Clouseau? Why not? Everybody else is.'' Like its predecessor and subsequent sequel, the film was a box office success.

During the film's title sequence, there are references to television's ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]'' and ''[[Batman (1966 film)|Batman]]'', also the films ''[[King Kong (1933 film)|King Kong]]'', ''[[The Sound of Music (film)|The Sound of Music]]'' (which starred Blake Edwards's wife, [[Julie Andrews]]), ''[[Dracula A.D. 1972]]'', ''[[Singin' in the Rain]]'', ''[[Steamboat Bill, Jr.]]'' and ''[[Sweet Charity (film)|Sweet Charity]]'', putting the [[Pink Panther (character)|Pink Panther character]] and the animated persona of Inspector Clouseau into recognizable events from said movies. There is also a reference to ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'' in the ending credits sequence. The scene in which Clouseau impersonates a dentist and the use of laughing gas and pulling the wrong tooth are clearly inspired by [[Bob Hope]] in ''[[The Paleface (1948 film)|The Paleface]]'' (1948).<ref name="Starks1982">{{cite book|last=Starks|first=Michael|title=Cocaine fiends and Reefer madness: an illustrated history of drugs in the movies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i2lZAAAAMAAJ|date=October 1982|publisher=Cornwall Books|isbn=978-0-8453-4504-7|page=190}}</ref>

[[Richard Williams (animator)|Richard Williams]] (later of ''[[Roger Rabbit]]'' fame) supervised the animation of the opening and closing sequences for the second and final time; original animators [[DePatie-Freleng Enterprises]] would return on the next film, but with decidedly Williamesque influences.

Sellers was unhappy with the final cut of the film and publicly criticized Blake Edwards for misusing his talents. Their tense relationship is noted in the next Pink Panther movie's opening credits (''Revenge of the Pink Panther'') listing it as a "Sellers-Edwards" production.

French comic book writer [[René Goscinny]] of [[Asterix]] fame was reportedly trying to sue Blake Edwards for plagiarism at the time of his death in 1977 after noticing strong similarities to a script titled "Le Maître du Monde" (The Master of the World), which he had sent Peter Sellers in 1975.<ref>{{in lang|fr}} Pascal Ory, ''Goscinny (1926–wall): la Liberté d'en rire'', Paris: Perrin, 2007, {{ISBN|978-2-262-02506-9}}, p. 221.</ref>

==Reception==
On [[review aggregator]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 77% based on 22 reviews, with an average score of 7.30/10.<ref>{{Citation |title=The Pink Panther Strikes Again |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pink_panther_strikes_again |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |language=en |access-date=2022-06-04}}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' gave the film two and a half stars out of four and wrote, "If I'm less than totally enthusiastic about ''The Pink Panther Strikes Again'', maybe it was because I've been over this ground with Clouseau many times before," stating that a time would have to come "when inspiration gives way to habit, and I think the ''Pink Panther'' series is just about at that point. That's not to say this film isn't funny—it has moments as good as anything Sellers and Edwards have ever done—but that it's time for them to move on. They worked together once on the funniest movie either one has ever done, ''[[The Party (1968 film)|The Party]]''. Now it's time to try something new again."<ref>{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|title=The Pink Panther Strikes Again Review (1976)|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-pink-panther-strikes-again-1976|access-date=June 2, 2017|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=December 20, 1976}}</ref>

[[Vincent Canby]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that the characters of Clouseau and Dreyfus "were made for each other," and further stated, "I'm not sure why Mr. Sellers and Mr. Lom are such a hilarious team, though it may be because each is a fine comic actor with a special talent for portraying the sort of all-consuming, epic self-absorption that makes slapstick farce initially acceptable—instead of alarming—and finally so funny." Canby also enjoyed Clouseau's French accent, and wrote, "Both Mr. Sellers and Mr. Edwards delight in old gags, and part of the joy of ''The Pink Panther Strikes Again'' is watching the way they spin out what is essentially a single routine".<ref>{{cite news|last=Canby|first=Vincent|title=Pink Panther Team Unflappable In Fourth High-Spirited Caper|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C04E3DD133FE334BC4E52DFB467838D669EDE |access-date=June 2, 2017|work=The New York Times|date=December 16, 1976}}</ref>

The film earned [[theatrical rental]]s of $19.5 million in the United States and Canada<ref name=ww>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=January 11, 1978|page=3|title=UA Film Rental Highlights of 1977}}</ref> from a gross of $33.8 million.<ref name=mojo>{{Cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=pinkpantherstrikesagain.htm|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Box Office Information|access-date=23 January 2012}}</ref> Internationally, it earned rentals of $10.5 million for a worldwide total of $30 million.<ref name=ww/> By March 1978, the film had grossed $75 million worldwide and was hoping to earn another $8 million by the end of the year.<ref name=gross>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=March 22, 1978|page=39|title=New 'Pink Panther,' Set For July Bow, Tops $7-Mil in Blind Bids}}</ref>

==Awards and nominations==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award<ref>IMDB [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075066/awards Awards]</ref>
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
|-
| [[49th Academy Awards|Academy Awards]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1977 |title=The 49th Academy Awards (1977) Nominees and Winners |access-date=2011-10-03 |work=oscars.org |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111214401/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1977 |archive-date=2015-01-11}}</ref>
| [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]]
| "Come to Me" Music by [[Henry Mancini]]; Lyrics by [[Don Black (lyricist)|Don Black]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Evening Standard British Film Awards#1978 Winners|Evening Standard British Film Awards]]
| Best Comedy
| [[Blake Edwards]]
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[33rd Golden Globe Awards|Golden Globe Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/pink-panther-strikes-again |title=The Pink Panther Strikes Again – Golden Globes |website=[[HFPA]] |access-date=July 5, 2021 |ref={{harvid|HFPA|1977}}}}</ref>
| colspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy|Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]]
| [[Peter Sellers]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[29th Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|title=Awards Winners|work=wga.org|publisher=Writers Guild of America|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551|archive-date=2012-12-05|access-date=2010-06-06}}</ref>
| [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|Best Comedy – Adapted from Another Medium]]
| [[Frank Waldman]] and Blake Edwards
| {{won}}
|}

;[[American Film Institute]] Lists:
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs]] – Nominated<ref>[http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/laughs500.pdf AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs Nominees]</ref>
* [[AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes]]:
** "Does your dog bite?" – Nominated<ref>[http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/quotes400.pdf AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes Nominees]</ref>

==Play adaptation==
Around 1981, the film was adapted into a play by William Gleason - mostly for high school or community theatre productions. The storyline bares similarities to the film, although the locations are occasionally changed; women dressed as pink panthers also do scene changes. The play currently can be licensed through Dramatic Publishing.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Pink Panther Strikes Again |url=https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/the-pink-panther-strikes-again |website=Dramatic Publishing |access-date=9 April 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0075066}}
* {{Tcmdb title|17706}}
* {{Amg title|38171}}
* {{AFI film|id=56171|title=The Pink Panther Strikes Again}}

{{Pink Panther}}
{{Blake Edwards}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pink Panther Strikes Again, The}}
[[Category:1970s heist films]]
[[Category:1970s police comedy films]]
[[Category:1976 films]]
[[Category:American crime comedy films]]
[[Category:American heist films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:British crime comedy films]]
[[Category:British heist films]]
[[Category:British sequel films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Blake Edwards]]
[[Category:Films involved in plagiarism controversies]]
[[Category:Films scored by Henry Mancini]]
[[Category:Films set in 1976]]
[[Category:Films set in England]]
[[Category:Films set in France]]
[[Category:Films set in West Germany]]
[[Category:The Pink Panther films]]
[[Category:United Artists films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Blake Edwards]]
[[Category:1976 comedy films]]
[[Category:American films with live action and animation]]
[[Category:1970s English-language films]]

Trail of the Pink Panther

2022-08-14T12:18:51Z

216.237.234.191: /* Cast */

{{short description|1982 comedy film by Blake Edwards}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Trail of the Pink Panther
| image = Trail of the Pink Panther poster.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Blake Edwards]]
| producer = Blake Edwards [[Tony Adams (producer)|Tony Adams]] '''Animation:''' [[Marvel Productions]]
| screenplay = [[Frank Waldman]] [[Tom Waldman]] Blake Edwards Geoffrey Edwards
| story = Blake Edwards
| starring = {{plainlist|
* [[Peter Sellers]]
* [[David Niven]]
* [[Herbert Lom]]
* [[Richard Mulligan]]
* [[Joanna Lumley]]
* [[Capucine]]
* [[Robert Loggia]]
* [[Harvey Korman]]
}}
| music = [[Henry Mancini]]
| cinematography = [[Dick Bush]]
| editing = Alan Jones
| studio = {{plainlist|
* [[United Artists]]
* [[Blake Edwards|Blake Edwards Entertainment]]
* Titan Productions
}}
| distributor = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM/UA Entertainment Company]] (United States) [[United International Pictures]] (International)
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1982|12|17}}
| runtime = 96 minutes
| country = United Kingdom United States
| language = English
| budget = $6 million<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084814/business?ref_=tt_dt_bus|title=Trail of the Pink Panther|website=[[IMDb]]|date=17 December 1982}}</ref>
| gross = $9.1 million<ref name="mojo">[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl1131906561/weekend/ Box Office Information for ''Trail of the Pink Panther.''] [[Box Office Mojo]]. Retrieved 22 August 2012.</ref>
}}
'''''Trail of the Pink Panther''''' is a 1982 [[comedy film]] directed by [[Blake Edwards]] and starring [[Peter Sellers]]. It is the seventh film in ''[[The Pink Panther]]'' series, the first film in the series following Sellers's death and also the last in which he appeared as [[Inspector Clouseau]]. Sellers died 18 months before production began; his performance consists entirely of scenes from previous films (many of them deleted scenes). The newly shot material in the film stars [[Joanna Lumley]] as journalist Marie Jouveat searching for the missing Clouseau – and running afoul of the inspector's enemies who do not wish to see him return.

== Plot ==
When the famous Pink Panther [[diamond]] is stolen again from Lugash, Chief Inspector Clouseau ([[Peter Sellers]]) is called on the case despite protests by Chief Inspector Dreyfus ([[Herbert Lom]]). While on the case, Clouseau is pursued by the Mafia. Clouseau first goes to London to interrogate Sir Charles Litton (having forgotten that he lives in the South of France). Traveling to the airport, he accidentally blows up his car trying to fix a pop-out lighter, but mistakenly believes it an assassination attempt, and disguises himself in a heavy cast on the flight, which causes complications in the air and on land. He then is led to an awkward introduction to the Scotland Yard detectives at Heathrow. Meanwhile, Dreyfus learns from Scotland Yard that Libyan terrorists have marked Clouseau for assassination, but permits him to continue. At the hotel, Clouseau has a miscommunication with the hotel clerk ([[Harold Berens]]) and gets knocked out a window several times, trying to get his message from Dreyfus.

Clouseau's flight disappears over the ocean ''en route'' to Lugash, and Marie Jouvet ([[Joanna Lumley]]), a television reporter covering the story, sets out to interview those who knew him best. Among the people she interviews are Dreyfus; Hercule Lajoy ([[Graham Stark]]); Cato Fong ([[Burt Kwouk]]); and former jewel thief Sir Charles Litton ([[David Niven]]) who is married to Clouseau's ex-wife Lady Simone ([[Capucine]]).

All of these interview scenes provides flashbacks to scenes of earlier Pink Panther films (''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]'', ''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]'', ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]'', ''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]'', and ''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]''); but Jouvet also interviews Clouseau's father ([[Richard Mulligan]]), at his winery in the south of France, providing glimpses of Clouseau's childhood (wherein he is played by Lucca Mezzofanti), and his early career during college, nearly leading him to commit suicide after a girl of his dreams marries another person, especially in the [[French Resistance]] (in which he is played by [[Daniel Peacock]]) involving him failing to detonate a bridge full of crossing Nazis. Jouvet also questions Mafia don Bruno Langlois ([[Robert Loggia]]), a mafia boss antagonist who would appear in [[Curse of the Pink Panther|the next film]], and tries to file a complaint against Langlois with Chief Inspector Dreyfus; but Dreyfus refuses to press charges.

The film ends with Marie hoping that Clouseau might be alive somewhere, as she states: "Did Inspector Clouseau really perish in the sea, as reported? Or for reasons as yet unknown, is he out there someplace, plotting his next move, waiting to reveal himself when the time is right? I am reluctant to believe that misfortune has really struck down such a great man." Clouseau (played by John Taylor, who doubled Sellers in ''[[The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu]]'' (1980).)<ref>{{cite book|title=The Life and Death of Peter Sellers|last=Lewis|first=Roger|author-link=Roger Lewis|page=634|publisher=Arrow books|year=2004|isbn=0-09-974700-6}}</ref> is seen glancing over a seaside cliff, when a seagull flies over and defecates on the sleeve of his coat. The words "Swine seagull!" are heard in the distinctive exaggerated French accent of Clouseau.

The next shot shows the animated Pink Panther in trench coat and trilby hat, revealed to be in place of Clouseau watching the sunset; he turns around to face the camera and flashes his coat open, but his trench coat reveals a montage of funny clips of [[Peter Sellers]] from his five ''Pink Panther'' films as a tribute to him, while the end credits roll.

== Cast ==
* [[Joanna Lumley]] as Marie Jouvet
* [[Herbert Lom]] as Chief Insp. Charles Dreyfus
* [[David Niven]] as Sir Charles Litton (voiced by [[Rich Little]])
* [[André Maranne]] as François
* [[Robert Loggia]] as Bruno Langois
* [[Richard Mulligan]] as Monsieur Clouseau
* [[Burt Kwouk]] as Cato Fong
* [[Capucine]] as Lady Simone Litton
* [[Graham Stark]] as Hercule Lajoy
* [[Ronald Fraser (actor)|Ronald Fraser]] as Dr Longet
* [[Colin Blakely]] as Alec Drummond
* [[Peter Arne]] as Col. Bufoni
* [[Harold Kasket]] as President of Lugash
* [[Daniel Peacock]] as Clouseau age 18
* [[Lucca Mezzofanti]] as Clouseau age 8
* [[Denise Crosby]] as Denise, Bruno's moll

=== Previously unseen footage only ===
* [[Peter Sellers]] as [[Inspector Clouseau|Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau]]
* [[Harvey Korman]] as Prof. Auguste Balls
* [[Leonard Rossiter]] as Superintendent Quinlan
* [[Dudley Sutton]] as Inspector McLaren
* [[Marne Maitland]] as Deputy Commissioner Lasorde
* [[Liz Smith (actress)|Liz Smith]] as Martha
* [[Harold Berens]] as Hotel Clerk
* [[Claire Davenport]] as Hotel Maid

=== Previously seen footage only ===
* [[Robert Wagner]] as George Litton
* [[Claudia Cardinale]] as Princess Dala
* [[Colin Gordon]] as Tucker

== Production ==
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2014}}
Sellers died in late July 1980, a year and a half before production began, and his performance was constructed from deleted scenes from ''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]''. [[David Niven]] appears in the film, reprising his role of Sir Charles Lytton, which he first played in the original ''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]'' of 1963. Niven was in the early stages of [[ALS]], and his voice subsequently proved too weak to [[Dubbing (filmmaking)#Automated Dialogue Replacement .2F post-sync|loop]] his own dialogue during post-production; as a result, his lines were dubbed by impressionist [[Rich Little]].

Returning series regulars include [[Herbert Lom]] as Chief Inspector Dreyfus, [[Graham Stark]] as Hercule LaJoy (last seen in the 1964 Pink Panther film ''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]''), [[Burt Kwouk]] as Clouseau's faithful man servant Cato and [[André Maranne]] as Sgt. François Chevalier. ''Trail'' featured the animated opening and closing credits, animated by [[Marvel Productions]] and written and directed by Art Leonardi. Director [[Blake Edwards]] dedicated the film to Sellers, "the one and only Inspector Clouseau."

Despite the dedication, Sellers's widow [[Lynne Frederick]] filed a $3 million lawsuit against the film's producers and MGM/UA, claiming that the film diminished Sellers's reputation, and was awarded over $1 million in damages.<ref>[http://www.nndb.com/people/905/000022839/ Blake Edwards]</ref> Despite this, however, there was a practical reason behind Frederick's suing of Edwards. Her primary objection was that Sellers had actually vetoed the use of outtakes from earlier ''Panthers'' in his lifetime and that his estate should have had the right to control the use of outtakes after his death. The reason the question of outtakes being used had come up in Sellers's lifetime was that Edwards had shot and edited a three-hour version of ''Strikes Again'', hoping to recapture the zany spectacle of ''[[The Great Race]]'', with Dreyfus as the melodramatic villain in the fashion of Jack Lemmon's Professor Fate. [[United Artists]] vetoed this long version and the film was drastically cut from three hours to just over an hour and a half.

After Sellers died, UA tried to get [[Dudley Moore]] to take on Clouseau in the Sellers-penned ''[[The Pink Panther|Romance of the Pink Panther]]''. Moore refused to do it without Edwards directing and was willing to play Clouseau only one time as a tribute to Sellers (knowing ''Romance'' was to have ended the series, according from a ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' interview with Moore in 1980). UA wanted the series to continue, but Edwards refused to cast another actor as Clouseau, possibly recalling the negative reception that ''[[Inspector Clouseau (film)|Inspector Clouseau]]'' (1968) suffered upon release. The production featured [[Alan Arkin]] in the title role, and was without the involvement of Edwards and Sellers.

After ''[[Arthur (1981 film)|Arthur]]'' made Moore a huge star, he was unwilling to talk about committing to a film series. MGM/UA wanted a transition film if Edwards was to introduce a new character as the series' star. Using outtakes was, according to Edwards, a brilliant idea (shooting scripts for ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther|Return]]'', ''Strikes Again'', and ''Revenge'' demonstrate a great amount of comedic material from the three films that was left on the cutting room floor). Edwards had originally hoped to construct a ''[[Citizen Kane]]''-esque narrative, with Clouseau having gone missing at the very beginning of the story, whilst the memories of the supporting characters would showcase the deleted or unused content. Unfortunately, MGM/UA refused to pay ITC the fee they were asking for the use of the ''Return'' outtakes, and Edwards fell behind schedule on shooting ''Trail''/''Curse'' (MGM/UA also ended up cutting both films' budgets considerably), with the result being that ''Trail'' failed to live up to its potential.

Edwards's wife, [[Julie Andrews]], has an unbilled cameo as a cleaning lady, dressed as her friend [[Carol Burnett]]'s charwoman character.

== Soundtrack ==
Unusually the soundtrack album by [[Henry Mancini]] featured a compilation of themes from other Pink Panther movies, with only "Trail Of The Pink Panther (Main Title)" and "The Easy Life In Paris" being from the film itself. The other tracks included "It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera)" (from ''[[The Pink Panther (1963 film)|The Pink Panther]]''), the title theme from ''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]'', "The Return Of The Pink Panther (Parts I And II)" and "The Greatest Gift" (from ''[[The Return of the Pink Panther]]''), "Come To Me", "The Inspector Clouseau Theme" and "Bier Fest Polka" (from ''[[The Pink Panther Strikes Again]]''), and "Simone", "After the Shower" and "Hong Kong Fireworks" (from ''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]'').

The [[soundtrack album]] for the film was released by [[Liberty Records]] (LT-51139).

== Critical and commercial reception ==
The film was a critical failure. Although the film was marketed as a tribute to Sellers, the sequel was universally disdained. On [[review aggregator]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 23% based on 13 reviews, with an average score of 4.30/10.<ref>{{Citation |title=Trail of the Pink Panther |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/trail_of_the_pink_panther |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |language=en |access-date=2022-03-19}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 43 out of 100 based on 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{Citation |title=Trail of the Pink Panther Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/trail-of-the-pink-panther |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=2022-03-19}}</ref>

It was released for Christmas 1982 and grossed only $9 million – $22,971,889.12 in 2017 dollars ($1,341,695 on opening weekend in 800 theaters; $3,247,458 on opening week) against its $6 million budget.<ref name="mojo" /> In contrast, the previous film in the series, ''[[Revenge of the Pink Panther]]'', had made over $49 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3429729793/|title=Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)|work=boxofficemojo.com}}</ref> Nonetheless, it was soon followed by a further ''Pink Panther'' film, ''[[Curse of the Pink Panther]]'', which was shot concurrently with ''Trail''. That film did not feature Peter Sellers at all (with the exception of some archival voice work, for which he was not given credit) and instead featured [[Ted Wass (actor)|Ted Wass]] as Clouseau's replacement Clifton Sleigh. The latter film was also a critical and commercial disaster.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb title|0084814}}
* {{tcmdb title|93779}}
* {{Amg movie|50710}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|trail_of_the_pink_panther}}

{{Pink Panther}}
{{Blake Edwards}}

{{Portal bar|Film|1980s}}

[[Category:1980s police comedy films]]
[[Category:1982 films]]
[[Category:American comedy films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:British comedy films]]
[[Category:British sequel films]]
[[Category:Compilation films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Blake Edwards]]
[[Category:Films scored by Henry Mancini]]
[[Category:Films set in 1982]]
[[Category:Films shot at Pinewood Studios]]
[[Category:Films with live action and animation]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Blake Edwards]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films]]
[[Category:The Pink Panther films]]
[[Category:United Artists films]]
[[Category:1982 comedy films]]
[[Category:American films with live action and animation]]
[[Category:1980s English-language films]]