Octavia Hansen

The Pink Panther Is NOT Peter Sellers

Posted: Thursday, February 09, 2012

by Octavia Hansen
Octavia Hansen

The Pink Panther, the original Blake Edwards film, will be 50 years old next year. It's been out on DVD for a few years and well worth seeing, still a feast for the eyes and ears.

The Pink Panther, referred to in the title of the movie, was NOT Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers), it was in reference to a flaw within the gem, presented to the Princess, as a little girl, at the very beginning of the movie. As the camera stares into the jewel, the Pink Panther comes to life and presents the credits.

David Niven was supposed to be the star and did get top billing, but the Peter Sellers' character was so hypnotically funny, he literally stole the movie. He went on to work with Blake Edwards as the bumbling French detective in four more movies. Then Inspector Clouseau became the cartoon nemesis to the very popular Pink Panther who had appeared before only in the many movie credits. There have been a couple of recent remakes that don't hold a candle to the style of the original film.

This is still a very stylish film, a time piece showing fashion in the early sixties. The

ever elegant Capucine (Madame Clouseau) and Claudia Cardinale (Princess Dahla) wore

Yves Saint-Laurent designs. Even today these outfits are quiet colors, striking lines and hang beautifully no matter if the women are sitting, standing or walking. Other characters have similar clothing but these women are a walking billboard to the well dressed. Magazines can only show one side of a garment in an advertisement, this was a two hour fashion feast that would be copied for the next five years. This is also a beautiful people fantasy land . . . not a hair out of place, even while skiing, no dirt, no strings and no one has a wrinkle on their face or clothing. Madame Clouseau makes a stunning change in an elevator while eluding police, entering wearing one breath-takingly fitted suit and emerging in a different but equally fab outfit in a matter of minutes. If only fashion were that quick, easy and beautiful.

Of course, as usual, this movie is too polite to show toilets but there is a very funny scene with Capucine in a bathtub. In keeping with the double standard sixties, when she's in the hot steamy bathtub you assume she's naked -- but she stands up only to reveal she's completely dressed. Oh, you tease!

The locations are spectacular -- Italy, France and Cortina d'Ampezzo, an exclusive ski resort for the rich and reclusive. Every outdoor shot is a panoramic work of art. At the ski resort, everyone is fashionably dressed for the slopes or the lodge.

And speaking of the lodge, the show stopper song and performance is by Fran Jeffries, singing in Italian the Henry Mancini song "It Had Better Be Tonight". She's a Venus in a skin-tight ski sweater, tiny-tiny waist, mile high 60's hairstyle and an attitude! Unfortunately this song was NOT on the soundtrack album, of which I will NEVER forgive that. The song is in English on the album so you know what she's singing, but it's not sexy when sung by a plain mixed studio chorus. You'll just have to watch the film. Even while she's singing, Peter Sellers has funny bits going on in the background.

The biggest scenes are at a costume ball. And of course, not only is everyone dressed but their costumes are better than any regular person's best. Full head to toe gear that not only fits but flatters -- rare in any costume. Again Sellers has the best scene -- a knight in armor holding a roman candle while clearing the party. Everything ends in an obligatory chase scene, massive car pile up where miraculously everyone not only survives but argues about it at the scene of the accident.

As in every movie, there's more to it than can be described here. There are few "farce" movies made today. "Screwball" comedies were fare for many years in 30s and 40s Hollywood but the ability to laugh at themselves has since escaped. Everyone now is young, beautiful and interchangeable. Good thing they all have names, otherwise it looks like the same people over and over in not-as-good-as-before scripts.

I can hear her singing now . . . "If you're every gonna kiss me . . . it had better be tonight . . . for someone body else may kiss me, then whisper the words just right . . ."
Octavia (Yes, that's her real name!) is a busy gal in Las Vegas, NV. From New York City parents and Texas birth, she began in the best of both worlds, literate and comical. Extensive US family travel in her younger years, now she's on her third passport and numerous cars driven to pieces in the name of wanderlust. The Big O settled in Las Vegas, which she compares to running away to join the circus - IT'S FUN! Comedy and alternative thinking come easily. When she's not writing, she sings, she writes songs, produces her own CDs, attracted to shiny objects, looks stunning at renaissance festivals across the country and is only stopped by lack of time for all the projects she has in mind. What a woman!
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Top-level comments on this article: (4 total)
» left by Dawn Novotny
 98 days 1 hour ago.
19 fans.
Hi Octavia,

Talk about a "feast for the eyes" that would be your way with words, you are a terrific writer.

Best, dawn

» left by candela estereo
 97 days 9 hours ago.
Radio Colombiana en Vivo y en directo con Webcam en la cabina de trasmisiones... Solo xitos entra oye la musica ahora
» left by Ron Kelley 97 days 7 hours ago.
8 fans.
--

O,

Thanks for the memory. They were all a good set, weren't they?

Ron
» left by Christofer French
 84 days 5 hours ago.
74 fans.
I loved reading this and it brought back in vivid detail all my memories. You have such a way with things that others of your age would not seem to be interested. But then, you are you. Great job.
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