![A Shot in the Dark [VHS]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51V3C0C4VWL.__AC_SX300_SY300_QL70_ML2_.jpg)
The second of the five Pink Panther features (I don't count 1982's Trail of the Pink Panther since it was mainly deleted scenes and outtakes cobbled together from previous films), A Shot in the Dark (1964) was the first to actually star Peter Sellers (What's New, Pussycat, The Party, Murder by Death) in his signature role as the ever bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau (The original Pink Panther film featured David Niven as a well to do cat burglar, while Seller's role as Clouseau was more of a supporting one). Produced, directed, and co-written by Blake Edwards ("Peter Gunn", The Party, Revenge of the Pink Panther), the other co-writer being William Peter Blatty (The Exorcist), the film includes Elke Sommer (Baron Blood), Herbert Lom (Spartacus), George Sanders (Village of the Damned), Tracy Reed (Casino Royale), Graham Stark (The Return of the Pink Panther), and Burt Kwouk (You Only Live Twice).
As the film begins we see various figures furtively sneaking about a large, French chateau, punctuated by some gunshot ringing out in the night. We soon learn a passionate Spaniard chauffeur has been murdered, and a housekeeper named Maria Gambrelli (Sommer) is prime suspect, due to the fact she was found in the room with the body, holding a smoking gun in her hand. As it turns out the murder occurred on the estate of a wealthy businessman named Benjamin Ballon (Sanders) and Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Sellers), mistakenly assigned to the case, soon makes the scene, along with his assistant Hercule (Stark)...I say mistakenly as given the prominence of those involved, Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Lom), who despises Clouseau with a passion due to his bumbling antics, would have never knowingly allowed Clouseau to investigate such a delicate case. Anyway, Clouseau is quickly removed from the investigation but is soon re-instated as interested parties, for reasons unknown, pull a few strings on his behalf. As Clouseau blunders his way forward, he's convince Maria didn't commit the murder, and that she's covering for someone else, but one wonders if Clouseau's belief stems from the fact he's quickly falling for the accused. Things go seriously awry as Clouseau tries various methods to determine the identity of the killer, which really only results in two thing, the first being an increasing body count as various members of the Ballon household suffer deaths by unnatural causes, and the second being to drive Chief Inspector Dreyfus further and further to the brink of insanity. Not only that, but a mysterious assassin is on the loose, intent on killing Clouseau himself! Things eventually come to a head once Clouseau gathers all interested parties in one room, the intent being to expose the killer who he surely believes is among the group.
Many would say A Shot in the Dark is the best among the Pink Panther films, and I'd be hard pressed to argue, but I've always been partial to The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), the one where Dreyfus, after escaping an asylum, threatens to destroy the world unless in an effort to coerce the nations of the world to send their best assassins to eliminate Clouseau once and for all. While A Shot in the Dark may not have been as screwball as some of the later Pink Panther films, it's still extremely funny, entertaining and worth most anyone's time given the strength of the writing and the wonderful performances. Sellers is, well Sellers, the bumbling, awkward, nincompoop of a detective who, somehow always manages to come out on top (but not without a few bumps and bruises along the way). It's difficult picturing anyone else in the role after seeing Sellers' performances, but we were given the opportunity to do so with a 2006 release starring Steve Martin. I have yet to see the new film, but I really have no desire to do so as I don't think it will live up to the originals. Sellers had perfected the role, and I have little interest in seeing someone else trying to top something I doubt could be topped. Anyway, Sellers is helped along the way with great performances by Herbert Lom, as Clouseau's beleaguered supervisor and Graham Stark as Clouseau's unfortunate assistant. Throw in a lot humorous dialogue, goofy situations galore, and Henry Mancini's memorable scoring and you've got one heck of a comedic adventure. Some of my more favored parts of the film include the running gags, particularly the one where Clouseau dons any number of disguises, all of which end up in him being arrested for various misdemeanors (in one scene he's disguised as a street vendor selling balloons in order to follow Maria unnoticed, but he's quickly arrested as he doesn't possess a street vendor's license). Another great sequence occurs when Clouseau tries to follows Maria surreptitiously into a nudist colony, and he can't gain entrance until he strips down himself. I've never seen so many carefully place set pieces as to obscure all the naughty bits inappropriate for a PG rated film. And then there are the various bits with Clouseau's manservant Kato (in the later films he's known as Cato), played by Burt Kwouk, who's instructed by his employer to attack Clouseau when he least expects it, if only to continually improve his employers ability to deal with the unexpected. Finally there's the finale, as Clouseau gathers those remaining in one room, and gets a whole lot more than he bargained for once the revelations begin coming at a furious pace. All in all this is a terrific murder/mystery comedy, one worth watching more than once.
The picture, presented in both widescreen anamorphic (2.35:1) and fullscreen (1.33:1), looks very clean, and the Dolby Digital mono audio, available in both English and French, comes through clearly. As far as extras, there's an eight page booklet, an original theatrical trailer, and subtitles in English and French. There's also a hidden feature, one that can be found by clicking on the title on the main menu, revealing a vintage promotional ad.
Cookieman108
By the way, if you don't happen to own any of The Pink Panther films on DVD but are interested in buying them, look for The Pink Panther Film Collection DVD set which includes The Pink Panther (1963), A Shot in the Dark (1964), The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976), Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978), and Trail of the Pink Panther (1982). The only one not included within the set is The Return of the Pink Panther (1975), only because MGM somehow lost the rights to the film to Universal Pictures, who did release the movie onto DVD in 2006 (thankfully).
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Kaarlo Suotamo
Not bigger but better than life
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 28, 2014