Revenge of the Pink Panther
Encyclopedia
Revenge of the Pink Panther is the sixth film in the Pink Panther film series. Released in 1978, Revenge of was the last entry featuring series star Peter Sellers
, who died in 1980. The opening credits were animated by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
.
, is facing a falling out with their New York Mafia drug trading partners because they believe him not capable of properly conducting business. To demonstrate otherwise, Douvier's aide Guy Algo suggests to have the man killed who is currently presenting the greatest danger to their trade: Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau - a plan which Douvier sanctions after some consideration.
Douvier's attempt to blow Clouseau up with a bomb
fails, and the subsequent attempt by a Chinese martial artist called Mr. Chong (an uncredited appearance by the Founder of American Kenpo
, Ed Parker
) is thwarted when Clouseau accidentally knocks him out of a window, believing him to be his (Clouseau's) valet
Cato, who had orders to keep his employer alert by means of random attacks. That night, Douvier anonymously calls Clouseau and poses as an informant to tell him the whereabouts of an important criminal involved in the French Connection
. Despite being warned by Cato that it has to be a trap, Clouseau- concluding that it is so obvious that it couldn't possibly be a trap- drives toward the location, but his car and clothes are stolen at gunpoint by a transvestite criminal named Claude Rousseau (Sue Lloyd
). Rousseau drives into the trap and is killed by Douvier's men. Subsequently, the majority of people believe Clouseau to be dead, and as a result of this assumption, Clouseau's mad boss, ex-Commissioner Charles Dreyfus (Herbert Lom
), is deemed sane, and is to be released from the Mental Asylum to try to crack the case, while Douvier's plans continue.
In Russo's clothes, Clouseau is taken to the mental asylum (a scene featuring a cameo by Andrew Sachs
, whose character apparently believes himself to be Hercule Poirot
), but escapes into Dreyfus' room. Dreyfus faints at the sight of Clouseau, whom he believed dead, whereupon Clouseau disguises himself as Dreyfus and is driven home in a car by operative François. At home, Clouseau finds Cato, who (despite having turned Clouseau's apartment into a Chinese-themed brothel
) is relieved to see him alive. Having settled Clouseau's initial anger at Cato, the two plan their revenge
on the person who ordered Clouseau's assassination
, taking advantage of the belief
that Clouseau is dead to conduct their investigations.
Dreyfus, led to believe that the man he saw was Claude Rousseau, is assigned to read a eulogy
at Clouseau's funeral. His objections are overridden by political necessity when it is revealed that the speech was composed by the police chief's wife, who was apparently fond of Clouseau. During the recital, Dreyfus is unable to control his laughter at the statements he is obliged to speak, but conceals his amusement by giving the impression that he is weeping rather than laughing. But when Clouseau surreptitiously reveals himself among the attendants of the funeral, Dreyfus faints into the burial pit moments before the master of ceremonies completes his oration.
Shortly after his wife threatens him with a divorce, Douvier, needing her respectability and her silence pertaining to his crime
s, tells his secretary/paramour Simone LeGree (Dyan Cannon
) that their courtship must end. Angry, Simone storms out of Douvier's office. Because she was quite intimately involved in his business, Douvier gives orders to have Simone killed at a nightclub called Le Club Phut (a play on the word "clubfoot").
Having been told by a seafaring informant (Alfie Bass
) of the possibility of trouble at the nightclub, Clouseau and Cato investigate and accidentally save Simone from being murdered by Douvier's assassins; Simone takes Clouseau (whom she considers her savior) home. At Simone's flat, Clouseau tells Simone that he is the supposedly dead Chief Inspector; although Simone does not believe him at first, he eventually convinces her of the truth, prompting her to reveal that Douvier ordered Clouseau's assassination as part of his attempt to impress the American Godfather. When another duo of assassins force their way in, Clouseau and Simone escape into the flat below, in which lives Dreyfus. Dreyfus overhears Simone telling Clouseau of Douvier's plans to meet with the New York Mafia Godfather, Julio Scallini, in Hong Kong
, but again faints when he sees Clouseau.
Clouseau, Cato, and Simone travel from Paris to Hong Kong and tail Douvier, unaware that Dreyfus has also arrived. Clouseau impersonates Scallini, while Simone distracts the real Scallini so that Clouseau can uncover Douvier's plans. He succeeds, but the plan goes awry when Clouseau's disguise is exposed. A car chase begins, terminating in a crash at the Hong Kong docks. Here, Dreyfus recognizes Clouseau, loses his mind again and tries to kill Clouseau, chasing him into a firework warehouse. Inside, Dreyfus inadvertently sets the stored fireworks alight, and the resulting explosions sow chaos between all the participants, which eventually leads to the arrests of Douvier and Scallini. Clouseau is awarded for their arrest by the President of France. Thereafter, he and Simone spend an evening together.
, who had been involved with the series since the animated titles of the original 1963 film, The Pink Panther
. It was the first time since Inspector Clouseau in 1968 that DePatie-Freleng animated the opening titles of a Pink Panther film (Return and Strikes Again having been done by Richard Williams' Studio). They later went on to produce the animated television series The All-New Pink Panther Show. Trail of the Pink Panther
and Curse of the Pink Panther
would be animated by the retitled Marvel Productions
.
to set up a transitional film (Trail of the Pink Panther
) with new linking footage shot on the set of the new film (Curse of the Pink Panther
).
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
, who died in 1980. The opening credits were animated by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
.
Plot
Philippe Douvier, on the outside a respected business man, but secretly the leader of the French ConnectionFrench Connection
The French Connection was a scheme through which heroin was smuggled from Turkey to France and then to the United States. The operation reached its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when it provided the vast majority of the illicit heroin used in the United States...
, is facing a falling out with their New York Mafia drug trading partners because they believe him not capable of properly conducting business. To demonstrate otherwise, Douvier's aide Guy Algo suggests to have the man killed who is currently presenting the greatest danger to their trade: Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau - a plan which Douvier sanctions after some consideration.
Douvier's attempt to blow Clouseau up with a bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
fails, and the subsequent attempt by a Chinese martial artist called Mr. Chong (an uncredited appearance by the Founder of American Kenpo
American Kenpo
American Kenpo or Kenpo Karate is a system of martial arts created by Ed Parker, characterized by the use of quick moves in rapid-fire succession intended to overwhelm an opponent...
, Ed Parker
Ed Parker
Edmund Kealoha "Ed" Parker was an American martial artist, promoter, teacher, and author.-Life:Parker was born in Hawaii, and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He began his training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later boxing...
) is thwarted when Clouseau accidentally knocks him out of a window, believing him to be his (Clouseau's) valet
Valet
Valet and varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer.- Word origins :In the Middle Ages, the valet de chambre to a ruler was a prestigious appointment for young men...
Cato, who had orders to keep his employer alert by means of random attacks. That night, Douvier anonymously calls Clouseau and poses as an informant to tell him the whereabouts of an important criminal involved in the French Connection
French Connection
The French Connection was a scheme through which heroin was smuggled from Turkey to France and then to the United States. The operation reached its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when it provided the vast majority of the illicit heroin used in the United States...
. Despite being warned by Cato that it has to be a trap, Clouseau- concluding that it is so obvious that it couldn't possibly be a trap- drives toward the location, but his car and clothes are stolen at gunpoint by a transvestite criminal named Claude Rousseau (Sue Lloyd
Sue Lloyd
Sue Lloyd was an English model turned actress with numerous film and television credits.-Biography:...
). Rousseau drives into the trap and is killed by Douvier's men. Subsequently, the majority of people believe Clouseau to be dead, and as a result of this assumption, Clouseau's mad boss, ex-Commissioner Charles Dreyfus (Herbert Lom
Herbert Lom
Herbert Lom is a Czech film actor, best known for his role as former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus in the Pink Panther movie series.-Life and career:...
), is deemed sane, and is to be released from the Mental Asylum to try to crack the case, while Douvier's plans continue.
In Russo's clothes, Clouseau is taken to the mental asylum (a scene featuring a cameo by Andrew Sachs
Andrew Sachs
Andrew Sachs is a German-born British actor. He made his name on British television and is best known for his portrayals of Manuel in Fawlty Towers, a role for which he was BAFTA-nominated, and Ramsay Clegg in Coronation Street.-Early life:Sachs was born in Berlin, Germany, the son of Katharina , a...
, whose character apparently believes himself to be Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot
Hercule Poirot is a fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Along with Miss Marple, Poirot is one of Christie's most famous and long-lived characters, appearing in 33 novels and 51 short stories published between 1920 and 1975 and set in the same era.Poirot has been portrayed on...
), but escapes into Dreyfus' room. Dreyfus faints at the sight of Clouseau, whom he believed dead, whereupon Clouseau disguises himself as Dreyfus and is driven home in a car by operative François. At home, Clouseau finds Cato, who (despite having turned Clouseau's apartment into a Chinese-themed brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
) is relieved to see him alive. Having settled Clouseau's initial anger at Cato, the two plan their revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
on the person who ordered Clouseau's assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
, taking advantage of the belief
Belief
Belief is the psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true.-Belief, knowledge and epistemology:The terms belief and knowledge are used differently in philosophy....
that Clouseau is dead to conduct their investigations.
Dreyfus, led to believe that the man he saw was Claude Rousseau, is assigned to read a eulogy
Eulogy
A eulogy is a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially one recently deceased or retired. Eulogies may be given as part of funeral services. However, some denominations either discourage or do not permit eulogies at services to maintain respect for traditions...
at Clouseau's funeral. His objections are overridden by political necessity when it is revealed that the speech was composed by the police chief's wife, who was apparently fond of Clouseau. During the recital, Dreyfus is unable to control his laughter at the statements he is obliged to speak, but conceals his amusement by giving the impression that he is weeping rather than laughing. But when Clouseau surreptitiously reveals himself among the attendants of the funeral, Dreyfus faints into the burial pit moments before the master of ceremonies completes his oration.
Shortly after his wife threatens him with a divorce, Douvier, needing her respectability and her silence pertaining to his crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
s, tells his secretary/paramour Simone LeGree (Dyan Cannon
Dyan Cannon
Dyan Cannon is an American film and television actress, director, screenwriter, editor, and producer.-Early life:...
) that their courtship must end. Angry, Simone storms out of Douvier's office. Because she was quite intimately involved in his business, Douvier gives orders to have Simone killed at a nightclub called Le Club Phut (a play on the word "clubfoot").
Having been told by a seafaring informant (Alfie Bass
Alfie Bass
Alfred Bass was an English actor. He was born in Bethnal Green, London, the youngest in a Jewish family with ten children; their parents had fled persecution in Russia...
) of the possibility of trouble at the nightclub, Clouseau and Cato investigate and accidentally save Simone from being murdered by Douvier's assassins; Simone takes Clouseau (whom she considers her savior) home. At Simone's flat, Clouseau tells Simone that he is the supposedly dead Chief Inspector; although Simone does not believe him at first, he eventually convinces her of the truth, prompting her to reveal that Douvier ordered Clouseau's assassination as part of his attempt to impress the American Godfather. When another duo of assassins force their way in, Clouseau and Simone escape into the flat below, in which lives Dreyfus. Dreyfus overhears Simone telling Clouseau of Douvier's plans to meet with the New York Mafia Godfather, Julio Scallini, in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, but again faints when he sees Clouseau.
Clouseau, Cato, and Simone travel from Paris to Hong Kong and tail Douvier, unaware that Dreyfus has also arrived. Clouseau impersonates Scallini, while Simone distracts the real Scallini so that Clouseau can uncover Douvier's plans. He succeeds, but the plan goes awry when Clouseau's disguise is exposed. A car chase begins, terminating in a crash at the Hong Kong docks. Here, Dreyfus recognizes Clouseau, loses his mind again and tries to kill Clouseau, chasing him into a firework warehouse. Inside, Dreyfus inadvertently sets the stored fireworks alight, and the resulting explosions sow chaos between all the participants, which eventually leads to the arrests of Douvier and Scallini. Clouseau is awarded for their arrest by the President of France. Thereafter, he and Simone spend an evening together.
Cast
- Peter SellersPeter SellersRichard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
– Chief Inspector Clouseau - Herbert LomHerbert LomHerbert Lom is a Czech film actor, best known for his role as former Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus in the Pink Panther movie series.-Life and career:...
– Chief Inspector Dreyfus - Dyan CannonDyan CannonDyan Cannon is an American film and television actress, director, screenwriter, editor, and producer.-Early life:...
– Simone - Robert WebberRobert WebberRobert L. Webber was an American actor who starred as Juror #12 in the 1957 film 12 Angry Men.Webber was born in Santa Ana, California, the son of Alice and Robert Webber, who was a merchant seaman. He was a U.S. Marine during World War II serving on Guam and Okinawa...
– Douvier - Paul StewartPaul Stewart (actor)Paul Stewart was an American character actor known for his tough, guttural voice. He frequently portrayed villains and mobsters throughout his lengthy career....
– Scallini - Burt KwoukBurt KwoukBurt Kwouk OBE , born Herbert Kwouk, is an English actor of Chinese descent, known for many television appearances and for his role as Cato in the Pink Panther films.-Career:...
– Cato - Tony BeckleyTony BeckleyTony Beckley was an English character actor. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Beckley went onto carve out a career on film and television throughout the 1960s and 1970s often playing villainous roles, as well as being a veteran of numerous stage productions.-Film career:He made his...
– Guy Algo - Robert LoggiaRobert LoggiaRobert Loggia is an American film and television actor and director.- Early life :Loggia, an Italian American, was born on Staten Island, the son of Elena Blandino, a homemaker, and Benjamin Loggia, a shoemaker, both of whom were born in Sicily, Italy...
– Al Marchione - André MaranneAndré MaranneAndré Maranne is an Anglo-French actor who appeared chiefly in English-language roles from the mid 1950s.-Career:Born in Toulouse, France, Maranne's most prominent recurring role was Sergeant François Chevalier in six of The Pink Panther films, alongside Peter Sellers and Herbert Lom. Before the...
– Sgt. François Chevalier (as Andre Maranne) - Graham StarkGraham StarkGraham Stark is an English comedian, actor, writer and director.Stark was born in Wallasey on the Wirral in Cheshire, England. He first came to prominence on BBC Radio, making his debut in Happy Go Lucky and going on to Ray's A Laugh, Educating Archie and substitute on The Goon Show...
– Professor Auguste Balls - Alfie BassAlfie BassAlfred Bass was an English actor. He was born in Bethnal Green, London, the youngest in a Jewish family with ten children; their parents had fled persecution in Russia...
– Fernet - Sue LloydSue LloydSue Lloyd was an English model turned actress with numerous film and television credits.-Biography:...
– Claude Rousseau - Danny Schiller – Cunny
- Douglas WilmerDouglas Wilmer-Early life:Wilmer was born in London and educated at King's School, Canterbury and Stonyhurst College. He trained at RADA but was called up to the Army in World War II. Posted to an antitank battery in the Royal West African Frontier Force, he was invalided out after he acquired tuberculosis. He...
– Police Commissioner - Ferdy MayneFerdy Mayne-Early life:He was born Ferdinand Philip Mayer-Horckel, in Mainz, Germany. His German father was the Judge of Mayence, and his half-English mother gave singing lessons. Because his family was Jewish, he was sent to England to protect him from the Nazis, and he stayed with his aunt, the photographer...
– Dr. Paul Laprone
Theme music
The theme music, and much of the soundtrack from this entry in the series, draw heavily from the "disco" trends of the late 1970s. The theme itself was reworked to include a more dancy bassline, electric piano, and guitar solo.Opening animation
The opening animated titles in the film were designed by DePatie-Freleng EnterprisesDePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
, who had been involved with the series since the animated titles of the original 1963 film, The Pink Panther
The Pink Panther (1963 film)
The Pink Panther is a 1963 American comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and co-written by Edwards and Maurice Richlin, starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine, and Claudia Cardinale...
. It was the first time since Inspector Clouseau in 1968 that DePatie-Freleng animated the opening titles of a Pink Panther film (Return and Strikes Again having been done by Richard Williams' Studio). They later went on to produce the animated television series The All-New Pink Panther Show. Trail of the Pink Panther
Trail of the Pink Panther
Trail of the Pink Panther is a 1982 comedy film starring Peter Sellers. It was the seventh film in the Pink Panther series, and the last in which Peter Sellers starred as Inspector Jacques Clouseau, although Sellers died before production began and the film thus contains no original material...
and Curse of the Pink Panther
Curse of the Pink Panther
Curse of the Pink Panther is a 1983 comedy film, the eighth installment of the The Pink Panther series of films started by Blake Edwards in the early 1960s....
would be animated by the retitled Marvel Productions
Marvel Productions
Marvel Productions Ltd. , last called New World Animation, was a television and film studio subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment Group , based in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, then New World Entertainment and News Corporation/Fox...
.
Romance of the Pink Panther
Romance of the Pink Panther is a Pink Panther film Sellers was working on, and willing to make without Edwards, before Sellers' fatal heart attack. UA considered recasting the role before convincing Blake Edwards to return to the series. Edwards chose to replace Clouseau with a new character rather than replace Sellers as Clouseau and to utilize outtakes from The Pink Panther Strikes AgainThe Pink Panther Strikes Again
The Pink Panther Strikes Again is the fifth film in the Pink Panther series and picks up where The Return of the Pink Panther leaves off...
to set up a transitional film (Trail of the Pink Panther
Trail of the Pink Panther
Trail of the Pink Panther is a 1982 comedy film starring Peter Sellers. It was the seventh film in the Pink Panther series, and the last in which Peter Sellers starred as Inspector Jacques Clouseau, although Sellers died before production began and the film thus contains no original material...
) with new linking footage shot on the set of the new film (Curse of the Pink Panther
Curse of the Pink Panther
Curse of the Pink Panther is a 1983 comedy film, the eighth installment of the The Pink Panther series of films started by Blake Edwards in the early 1960s....
).