Reviews (97)

Nostalgic Comfort Viewing Perfect for a Family Night
THE GREAT RACE may not be a masterpiece--but it is a perfect choice for a cold and rainy night: stylish, frothy, and often flatly hilarious, it makes for "comfort viewing" at its best.

One of the movie's several charms is that it draws heavily from Victorian cliches that still linger in the public mind, gives them a gentle comic spin, and then drops them into the tale of an early 1900s auto race from New York to Paris by way of Siberia. Add to this a heap of favorite character actors, a big budget, flamboyant period costumes, and the biggest pie fight ever filmed, and you have a movie where there is always something to enjoy on the screen.

The great thing about THE GREAT RACE are the performances, which are very broad but endowed with a sly humor. The comedy accolades here go to Jack Lemmon and Peter Falk as the notorious Dr. Fate and his bumbling sidekick Max--wonderful bits of acting that will have you hooting with laughter in every scene--and Dorothy Provine scores memorably in a cameo as Lily Olay, the bombshell singer who presides over the most rootin'-tootin' saloon this side of the Pecos.

But every one, from Tony Curtis and the lovely Natalie Wood down to such cameo performers as Vivian Vance, get in plenty of comic chops as the film drifts from one outrageous episode to another: suffergettes crowding a newspaper, the biggest western brawl imaginable, polar bears, explosions, daredevil antics, and a subplot lifted from THE PRISONER OF ZENDA agreeably crowd in upon each other. True, the film does seem over-long and may drag a bit in spots, but it never drags for very long, and it's all in good fun--and the production values and memorable score easily tide over the bare spots.

The DVD bonuses aren't anything to write home about, and the film has not been restored per se--the color seems a bit faded here and there--but the print is remarkably clean and the widescreen format is an essential. This would be an excellent selection for a family movie night--or for any evening when you're alone and feeling a bit blue. Break out the popcorn, curl up on you sofa, and... as Dr. Fate would say... "Push the button, Max!"

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Great Race DVD -It's about time!!!
I have been waiting for this movie to come out on DVD. I've even written to Blake Edwards asking, "What is the hold up?"
Get ready, citizens of Boracho! Finally it's coming out!
Every time I saw Jack Lemmon in interviews I was always curious and disappointed that 'The Great Race' was never mentioned among his favorite films. Of course he made many other wonderful classic movies and I enjoyed his performance in all of them...but 'The Great Race' has been my favorite comedy for a long time. I practically can recite it along with the characters. I enjoyed some of the other reviewer's (here) favorite lines from the movie. They are my favorites too.
If you haven't seen this movie or if you haven't seen it in a long time...do yourself a favor and grab it. The laughs never stop. The casting is perfect...Tony Curtis with Keenan Wynn as his sidekick...Jack Lemmon with Peter Falk as his...Natalie Wood...Ross Martin...Vivian Vance...Larry Storch ("Now will you give me some fightin' room?!")...and many others. It doesn't get any better or funnier than this.
Hurray for the DVD. Believe me, you'll enjoy it.

A Big Ole Moose Butt
A classically structured old time villian vs the good guy film, with the obligatory sidekicks and the beautiful love interest, who will eventually succumb to the charms of The hero. More about that later. OK, the stereotypes are there, but that's what the movie was about. Charging from the gate with the player piano, boos and hiss when the cast boards are shown, the movie brings the viewer up to speed very fast with humor and great slapstick. Following a PR auto race in the early days of the 20th century, the film follows the main characters through the landscape of the US and Europe. Sight gags abound and the scenery is often breathtaking. The plot is easy to floow and it's good fun. For the movie fan who doesn't want to disect a movies' every nuance, this is especially fun and worth seeing time and again. The characters will keep you laughing long after the soundtrack has ended,. I would comment more on the plot, but nearly 100 people already handled that - look, just take a chance on it. It's great fun.

A lot of fun, but not what it should have been.
Epics were in vogue in the Sixties, and even the early Seventies(although I can't really see a hippie watching any of them), and it was only natural that comedies would get the "big" bug. IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD and THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL make up two of the big three. The other is THE GREAT RACE, Blake Edward's 159 minute slapstick excursion, restored on DVD in complete roadshow fashion, with overture, intermission, entr'acte, and exit music. And yet, for a film of this type, it is less about the race than about the rivalry between Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon) and the Great Leslie (Tony Curtis). There is precious little racing, and though the film is far from boring and has much going for it (the finale to Part One is brilliant) one can't help but wonder what it would have been like if the other entries in the race regrouped after being snuffed out and made their mad dashes for the forefront. That would make it THE GREAT RACE. Also, the lack of other challenge leaves a depressing side effect; the film seems mildly unfinished and undernourished, like 2 hours and 40 minutes of a 3 plus hour movie. And yet, the film has so much going for it that to ignore it is rather unfair. What there is (I should note that due to the previously noted flaws, the chapters on the disc make it a more pleasing experience) is very well made, and one can appreciate what they put into it.

If only they put more.

Jamie Teller

DVD version is fullscreen not widescreen
The movie is spectacular. This DVD version is a bomb. Shame on Warner Brothers for their greediness and lack of effort to bring widescreen versions to the masses including updated soundtracks and clean film reels! ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Bulls-eye!
The best noir ever made for the small silver screen, this classy series exudes as much pizzazz today as in its heyday! The dark streets glisten with rain and neon, the nightclubs steam with sultry jazz and smokey-voiced women, and stalwart men stalk the unlit alleyways, shadowy docks, and hitman hideouts of the urban jungle. The storyline of each half-hour-slotted epidode is tight and to the point, but time is still taken to explore the relationahip between Gunn and his glib, glamourous girlfriend Edie, his matron-with-moxie chum Mother, and the dogged, job-bound Lt. Jacoby. The series has a timeless ambience. It oozes with hot, on-the-surface sexuality without being brazenly explicit, and the violence is palpably throbbing without being gratuitous or gorey. As terrific television, it's right on target!

16 slices of late '50s "cool"
Unfortunately in the 23-24 minute length of each episode there isn't all that much time for plot or character development, so for better or worse, we get right down to the nitty gritty. But for a taste of 1950s "Cool", being the TRUE "cool", it doesn't get much tastier than this. Bet you can't watch just ONE! Peter Gunn (Craig Stevens) is a sharp P.I. in a sharp suit who hangs out in a jazz club called "Mothers". His singer/girlfriend, Edie (Lola Albright) has got to be one of the most gorgeous 50s babes outshining even "Hawaiian Eye" cutie Connie Stevens and "77 Sunset Strip" bombshell Jacqueline Beer. And not a word of sass, just cool... so refreshing! Gunn's way-out beatnik buddy, Wilbur, is a welcome addition in selected episodes. The rain-soaked streets at night, the menacing docks area, the 1950s cars, great character actors like Whit Bissell, Jack Weston, Gavin McLeod, Frankie Darro, etc. show up, also guest musicians Shelley Mann, Shorty Rogers and others in on-camera appearances PLUS that Mancini score!! Today's teens, with their laughably misguided concept of "cool," should look in, take note, and shut up! They couldn't be this smooth if they tried. Some episodes are better than others, but all of the shows have great moments. The picture quality varies a little as well, but overall, considering the vintage of this stuff, it's pretty good. I have no complaints and highly recommend both Vol.1 and Vol.2

peter gunn sucks
Peter Gunn sucks,and "mother" is a rotten singer.However,Lola Albright is lovely and the music score by Henry Mancini is wonderful.

The bar was set low, and I don't mean in Mother's
I recalled some details of this show, but no particulars. Bought it because I thought it might be a gem, like "Have Gun, Will Travel," which holds up spectacularly well.

But Gunn? The scripts are by folks with attention deficit disorder. The characters are above average in large part, but there's virtually no attempt to consider a vague plot.

There's a ridiculous trivia quiz in which you view scenes from the episodes a second time -- geez, they were ridiculous enough the first time -- and then you're given a memory quiz, such as, "Who offered Peter Gunn a chair?" in this scene. Who cares? Trivia should be questions such as, "Were producers looking for a TV version of Cary Grant when they cast Stevens and told him to talk with clipped, Grant diction?" At least we might have learned something.

And rights could be an issue, but if not, why not include some of this fine music on a few tracks?

Oh. Gunn gets beat up more than Mannix. In real life, he would have had Parkinson's Syndrome at 45 from all the brain battering. Maybe if he'd look behind himself once in a while.

The epitome of cool
If the world wants to know what cool is watch Peter Gunn.
I was very lucky to watch it on TV as a tot.
The music soundtrack is maximum cool,too.
Craig Stevens plays it smooth.
He is the hero you know in your gut will be there for you when no one else will.
TV shows are not made like this anymore. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

Sheer delight
For my money this is Blake Edwards' most enjoyable movie. I've viewed it perhaps a dozen times, and its combination of a peerless cast, fine songs, supremely witty script and sure-footed direction make this a real gem that I will never tire of watching.

Robert Preston (in a role originally intended for Peter Sellers) practically steals the show as Toddy, a gay nightclub perfomer in 1930s Paris. Preston's vitality and charisma make the character of Toddy so warm, humorous and believable that he feels like an old friend by the end of the movie. What a shame Preston made so few films! (We do, however, have his memorable aoppearance in SOB - another Edwards triumph - to be grateful for.)

Julie Andrews is perfectly cast, with her distinctive voice and seemingly ageless face and figure all contributing to a convincing portrayal of a supposed female impersonator. The rapport between her and Preston is a joy to behold, and one can only applaud their classy professionalism.

The rest of the cast is top-notch, and the film reunites Julie Andrews with James Garner 18 years after their first movie together, the 1964 Americanization of Emily. Garner shows a fine comic touch - as always - and Lesley Ann Warren is inimitable as his supremely irritating ex-girlfriend.

The film positively overflows with 1930s Parisian atmosphere and sophistication. In short, Victor/Victoria is a real treat that offers a little something for everybody.

Essential viewing.

Le Jazz Hot!
Although he has just recieved an honorary Oscar, Blake Edwards is often looked upon as a purvayer of low comedy. Although he is the genius behind such sparkling classics as The (original) Pink Panther and Breakfast at Tiffanys, many people frown upon him for his later films such as S.O.B., Blind Date and Switch (let's not mention the post-Sellars Panthers). Victor / Victoria falls, chronologically, between the two sets of films and, in my view, is Edwards at his peak.
Edwards directs his wife Julie Andrews (never better and that includes being a nanny and a nun), in a tale of a [woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman]. The central plot serves as an excellent backbone on which to hang a wonderfully farcical script, some hilarious set-pieces and the fantastic song-and-dance numbers (Bricuse and Mancini's score makes you wish they'd worked together more often).
Andrews, as I say, is flawless coming somewhere between the innocence of Poppins and the lewdness of S.O.B. and giving a fantastic performance. From under her very nose though, the film is stolen by the ever-watchable Robert Preston as Toddy. Preston brings great depth and love to a part that could quite easily have been, as he is refered to in the film, 'a pathetic old queen'. James Garner commendably plays the straight-man (in more ways than one!) with a twinkle in his eye and Lesley Ann Warren hilariously chews every bit of scenery she lays her hands on.
The script, which bears Edwards' name as a co-writer, is as witty and moving as anything written in Hollywood's 'Golden Era' and the musical elements have as much vibrancy as MGM's in their hey-day. Musical highlights include Le Jazz Hot and The Shady Dame from Seville (not to mention the riotous reprise as performed by Preston for the films finale). One-liners don't come much better than "A lot of men can't get it ... up to now, you've been fine", "You look like a raccoon" (you need to see it) and the entire scene in the restaurant that leads to the line "It is a moron who takes advice from a horse's arse" (Edwards regular Graham Stark at his dead-pan best).
The extras on the DVD are limited to trailers and a commentary. The commentary by Edwards and Andrews is informative, if a little disappointing considering the wildness of the film and mainly consists of Edwards enjoying watching the film and Andrews making sure that all of the on and off-screen talent is name-checked.
A real unsung gem that deserves to be seen as often as possible. Tell your friends!

JULIE ANDREWS! A LEGEND!
I remember sitting through it in 1983 in the theatre with Mama and Grandmother. We all LOVED it. With Poppins, Maria and Gertrude; Julie`s Victor/Victoria is HER BEST effort on celluloid. Leslie Ann-Warren, James Garner, Robert Preston, Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini & Leslie Bricusse ALL excell in this comedy. It may be a trifle long and the Hercule Poirot-imitation unnecessary; but it really is the last of the GREAT MGM MUSICALS(although it was shot i England, released by MGM). The set-designs are a treasure 2 behold.

One Big Riot
There is one word that best describes this film, and it's RIOT. The film is one big and grand RIOT. The cockroach-instigated riot scene in the restaurant is memorable. Mr Edwards shot this from the outside so that we get to see a third-person view of what is going on inside through the windows. Also, look at that RIOTY performance by Leslie Ann Warren: the scene where she walks down the train aisle spurting out vehement %$&*$# should be made a classic!! Again, this was shot using a third-person view so that we see inside the train windows but never actually hear her. The film delights in its RIOTS, we get the feeling that it makes fun of its characters in this way, albeit a tender way.
But beneath all the film's RIOTS, is a warm heart (highlighted by Henry Mancini's score.) This warm-hearted attitude transcends even through all those nightclub brawls; and I believe that without this formula, the film might not have been able to handle the issue of homosexuality so well. Excellent performances by Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston (in a delicious drag queen finale,) Leslie Ann Warren (show stealer) and the whole cast. The musical numbers are also winners. Certainly not for the Lazy Afternoon viewing, but for the Friday/Saturday night film. To those who are offended by gay contents, be warned, the film insists. This is one GAY & RIOTY film.

Blake Edwards - Musical Gender Bending At It's Best!
This is most definitely musical gender-bending at it's best!

Not many musical/comedies are produced nowadays, let alone good ones like Rocky Horror Picture Show & Little Shop Of Horrors to name a few that come to my mind.

This 80's musical/comedy is set in 1934 GAY and I DO MEAN GAY Paree! This film is quite unparalled in the fact that Victor/Victoria was a movie BEFORE it made it to The Great White Way. Julie Andrews played Victor/Victoria in both movie and on stage.

Great songs in - Julie's "Le Jazz Hot" & Lesley Warren's bimboesque "Kings Can-Can". The sexual chemistry is A+++ between Andrews & a sexually confused James Garner who plays "King Marchand" a Chicago club owner, who is so TOTALLY out of his element in Paris, let alone being sexually frustrated and confused over his crush on the beautiful, stylish and gay, Victor.

Great cast, great songs and a greater storyline with lots of slapstick comedy make Victor/Victoria a classic of it's time!

Happy Watching! ... Read more

Reviews (92)

misinterpreted, by far
I'd like to point out a thing or two about this movie, that most of our "would-be" reviewers, like myself, have missed. First off a grand Excellent performance by the great Peter Sellers. Yes, "Birdie num-num's" and all that aside, he made his character very loveable, as a bumbling East Indian actor, who is mistaken for some acting wizz. Unfortunately for the producers of the in-movie movie, he is not that at all, he is not good with lines, and he does some physical humor and actions that have the movie management up in arms, "who is this guy?". Perhaps the most incredible aspect of this Edwards/Sellers movie is the fact that they were trying to make a political statement at the last half hour of the movie, with the party hostess' hippy daughter and her friends, the elephant, and all that. Yes, I said Peter Sellers was in a politically based movie. One thinks, "poking fun at authority"? Well, yes, what in the world motivated the whole Pink Panther genre of movies? Blake Edwards was a political activist and liked to reflect that at certain points in lots of his movies. All in all, with that in mind, now, watch the movie and understand, and finally you can laugh with the movie. Nothing less than 5 Capitol stars from me. Just a thought!

"Birdie Num Num"
This is one heck of a funny movie. I have seen it a few times and it always cracks me up. Peter Sellers plays an character by the name of Hrundi V. Bakshi, an Indian actor, who accidentally gets invited to a posh, exclusive, Hollywood party and proceeds to inadvertantly make a shambles of the entire affair. There are so many gags in this movie, you really have to watch it more than once to appreciate it. One interesting fact about this movie I recently read..."The Party" was improvised from a 40-page outline. Each scene was shot in sequence, and built upon the previous scene. To aid in this experiment, the film's producers had a video-camera tube attached to the Panavision camera and connected to an Ampex studio videotape machine - allowing the actors and crew to review what they had just filmed. Thus, "The Party" was the first movie ever shot with the now-standard "video assist" system.

If you enjoy the Pink Panther movies, then you will most likely enjoy this. Instead of a bumbling French detective, Sellers portrays a bumbling Indian actor, and look for a great performance by Steve Franken as Levinson, a waiter at the party who likes the drink a bit too much. Also, I though Denny Miller was great as 'Wyoming Bill' Kelso. This was directed by Blake Edwards, and is the only non Pink Panther movie he and Peter Sellers made together. Original music by the Great Henry Mancini. Just a whole lot of fun!

Simply put...The best of Peter Sellers
The first time I saw this movie I was already a Sellers fan. What I liked most was that Sellers talent did not go to waste on meaningless chatter....just 100% PURE Sellers at his best! I purchased the movie at the same time I bought my first DVD player! Better than all of the Pink Panther movies!

my favorite sellers movie
I stumbled upon this movie when I was a freshman in college and walked into a room where everyone was stoned and watching the party. It is simply a riot. One of my all time favorite movies.

Hilarious.
I've seen this movie like 50 times and everytime that I watch it makes me laught out of control.
You may know Peter Sellers from the classic movies "Pink Panther" from the 60's.
"The Party" is about an indian actor (Sellers) that comes to America for a leading role in a movie but he's so clumsy that ruins a whole location. So when the director calls the boss to inform him about the mess that had been made, he writes Hrundi's (Sellers) name in the guest list of a party that he was having at home.
When Hrundi arrives to the party finds out the his white shoes are dirty with car oil so he cleans them in a water canal of the house entry making him loose his shoe. Then he gets bored because anybody knows him, so he starts to talk to the people but they're not interested in him so he explores the house while making disasters. Then he doesn't even have a place in the dinning table and well I can tell you that he goes from that to ruin the master's room bathroom.
Honestly if you buy this movie you won't be sorry AT ALL, it's not very long and you can listen to it in English, French and Spanish. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not the most classic of classic TV
Novel plots, zany characters and Blake Edwards' superb jazz sound track distinguish this series. But all told they do not compensate for its lack of other outstanding features nor make it the best of its genre. Those who love classic TV and/or private investigator/police drama have many other better choices available.

Even better than the first set, if that's possible!
This show is very addictive and it serves to remind us what REAL "cool" is all about. No kiddies, it's not a face full of rings and studs and a tattoo on your butt. It's not some numb-nutted, no-talent, rap-squawking pimp-daddy grabbing his croth on the Leno show. It's not the concept of bacterial life in Martian rocks. It's not your baseball cap on backwards and a pair of stupid-looking three-quarter-length baggy pants. Here is the truth: Peter Gunn is COOL personified! A smooth, immaculately dressed private eye who hangs out in a jazz club (where his girlfriend is the Julie London-esque chanteuse) and mixes with, truly, some of life's beatnik eccentrics.... all to the sounds of a perfect Henry Mancini score and produced by Blake Edwards. How cool is that? Also what is really good about this series (especially for you older guys out there) is the number of familiar faces and character actors that we used to see in 50s/60s TV shows and Elvis movies. I swear that while I was watching this dvd I asked myself "When is Floyd the Mayberry barber from the 'Andy Griffith Show' gonna turn up?", and lo and behold, in the very next episode, there he was as an eccentic antiques dealer. I also like the bongo-playing skindiver with the apartment full of hula girls.... this is Atomic Age bachelor pad excess, I love it!! Yeah, I agree that the transfers are not up to the usual A&E excellence and in some shows the tape hiss is very noticable but hey, given the vintage of this stuff, I'll live with it. Can't wait for further volumes of this ultra cool TV noir and hope and pray A&E release BOURBON STREET BEAT, 77 SUNSET STRIP, SURFSIDE 6 and HAWAIIAN EYE in box sets. I highly recommend this dvd. Buy it, check it out, let the "cool" flow over you like molasses and put it up there on your shelf next to "Jazz On A Summer's Day" and "The Saint" mega-set.

Gunn-derful!
Nothing is overdone here. The acting, the sets, the music (oh, yes, enjoy the MUSIC) and most of the stories are cool. Craig Stevens is sublimely in control in the title role, Lola Albright's unspectacular singing voice but unmitigated charm fit into the unspectacular but charming setting of Mother's, the nightclub where Gunn hangs out with her, and Herschel Bernardi is the harried and weary police detective sometimes at odds with Gunn, the private detective. But how often have you seen that cop/dick relationship overplayed on TV series and in movies. Here it is understated. That is not to say the show is so low-keyed as to be boring. There are mysteries, there's humor (including an episode in which the immaculately tailored Gunn is scurrying about town with a trained seal in tow), and a good rock 'em sock 'em fight every episode. And all this is surrounded and united by the brilliant Mancini music. You will have fun and won't get tired even if you watch a bunch of episodes at one sitting.

Would you buy a film for its music? I did.
A great experience in life: all that mystery involved in a "film noir" crime scene. The splendor of the "Peter Gunn" series, one of the most wonderful and famous TV series. And the music of Mancini setting the scene! It's a treasure! It's a perfect demo of how to prepare our hearts and minds with music for a movie scene. Mancini is a master forever. This package is very worth of the impact of watching to the complete series at a time or at least half of it. There are volumes 1 and 2. Buy both for the complete series.

Better than we remembered.
Forty years old and still high quality entertainment. The quality
of the images and sound are better than we ever saw or heard on those primitive TV sets of the 60's. The acting is clearly for fun and the dialog is laced with good comedy moments. The talent of Blake Edwards, Henry Mancini, the actors and musicians, is clearly on display. You will watch it again and again. Whenever there is nothing worth watching on the networks or dish we enjoy Peter Gunn all over again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Blake Edwards's delightful 1959 comedy stars Cary Grant as a World War II submarine captain whose preference for a by-the-book command reluctantly yields to certain realities. Chief among those is that Grant's first officer (Tony Curtis, who impersonated Grant that same year in Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot), a shameless hustler, is better than the navy at delivering whatever supplies the ship and crew need to keep going. But when Curtis sneaks a handful of Philippine refugees and several gorgeous nurses onto the all-male sub, the skipper not only has to cool down his crew but deal with an unexpected feminine influence on ship protocol. The film is a great deal of fun, sprinkled with the director's trademark sight gags (including one of Edwards's best, involving a torpedo and jeep), and graced with his unmistakable lilt. Grant is in great form, his comic brilliance almost impossibly effortless. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (33)

One of the best
Operation Petticoat is one of those movies that makes you laugh no matter how many times you see it. The cast is led by none other than Cary Grant as the commander of a decrepit submarine, caught behind the Japanese advance in the Pacific, trying hard to sail her back to safety and repair at a US base. Grant makes a fine picture as a tough yet sentimental commanding officer. In counterpoint is Tony Curtis as a totally amoral rascal with a talent for getting things done, usually by breaking all rules. Despite their mutual dislike, the two have to work together to get the sub home and the result is a truly bizarre voyage. Curtis' expertise in scrounging supplies for the damaged sub extends to a group of stranded army nurses, who predictably create havoc on the submarine. And as the sub approaches safety, it improbably ends up as a maternity ward to the consternation of Grant and the delight of the crew. I would hate to spoil the surprises but let me say the manner of the sub reaching safety is simply hilarious. Of course, all ends well - this is a movie after all - and the right lessons are learned by all. A great movie to laugh over with some superb dialog lines for Grant in particular and a string of great one-liners all around. Highly recommended.

All Hands will Emergency Surface with Laughter
My favorite part of this hilarious Cary Grant and Tony Curtis romp was when Tony Curtis reports for duty to a WW II submarine in his dress whites. The rest of the crew -- greasy and grimy from trying to get their critically damaged boat into good enough condition to limp to another friendly base laugh their heads off when looking through the periscope they spot Curtis looking a little out of place on the busy pier. However, much to their surprise, Curtis proves himself invaluable as the boats "Supply" officer who does an unequalled job in "procuring" the badly needed parts for the boat in early supply shortened portion of the war in pacific. Come to find out this smoozing, angle hunting "idea man" who had been on the Admiral's staff and "Champion Rumba Dancer" (with the Admiral's wife) really was a street-wise guy from wrong side of the tracks in NY City.

And to top it off the Boat ends up with stranded Army Nurses all this makes for a great movie -- how the submarine ends up pink and how they torpedo an enemy truck I will leave to you find out. Do yourself a favor and get this movie. What a hoot!-- K.K. Dunn (Submarine Veteran), Kansas City

A must in Cary Grant Fans
This is a great comedy and a must for Grant Fans. Cary Grant as the commander of a very peculiar submarine sailing thru the Pacific with an even more peculiar crew. Great Movie

The Cast
Tony Curtis and Cary Grant are at their handsomest. You should see Cary in his admiral outfit. But, in my opinion, you may disagree, a very obvious flaw is the weak cast of women. I was casting it in my mind as I watched. Marilyn Monroe would have been hilarious-- and Thelma Ritter as the mechanic. Of course, with a stellar cast, the parts would have had to be better for them. The pink sub is hilarious and the men seem very relaxed, glad to get non-challenging roles. This is a must for the 50's comedies collector and has that great super-bright photography.

lightweight WWII comedy still worth catching
Like submarines, this flick really doesn't have that much keeping itself above the waterline. The USS Sea Tiger is almost completely destroyed when attacked by the Japanese in port in 1941. Through the pluck of its commanding officer, Matt Sherman (Cary Grant) and the scheming of his very un-military XO (Tony Curtis), the stricken sub is pulled together enough to make it out to sea, where it suffers a series of embarrassing misadventures - the crowning indignity being the coat of pink paint it must wear when their isn't enough gray. In between, the sub faces off against a squad of army nurses, a family of Filipino refugees, a goat, and a torpedoed jeep - all without killing a fly. It's not great comedy, but the flick gets by with Curtis as Holden who can always get what he wants, and never wants active-duty (when he tells Grant that he had seen action on a destroyer, Grant is dumbstruck that Curtis ever found time for it between golfing with admirals and dancing at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel). The flick actually belongs to Grant as the prim and perfect Sherman who tries to mold Curtis into a proper officer and finds himself being molded in his likeness instead. (When sailors find their port facilities stripped to provide replacement parts for Sea Tiger, a forlorn admiral concludes that they've witnessed "Sherman's march to the sea".) The leads aside, "Petticoat" is actually a great time capsule of a time in Hollywood when the military was still respected - in more modern flicks, the street smarts of Curtis's character would make him the hero and the wisest of all. But the script makes him a pathetic weasel to be whipped into shape by the proper Sherman, who of course sees right through Holden. ... Read more

Reviews (156)

Fascinating ......they're after the same rainbow end
I love this film.From the first scene when the yellow cab stopped with Holly alighting,having her breakfast in front of Tiffany's to the very last scene when Holly & Paul reconciled and kissed in the rain...

Simply marvellous piece of work. With the flawless performance from Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard. The unique mood of the movie.And my fave song "Moon River". Who can forget the part when Holly sitting by her window plucking the guitar strings and singing...."Moooonnn River...." Great adaption from Truman Cropte's book with many magical touches and refinements. It's about a free-spirit girl Holly's struggle in Life,her fear of Love and commitment, she didn't even think she own her nameless 'cat'. Paul is a struggling writer who actually a 'kept-man' by a rich lady. Fate brought them together,first as neighbours to friends and eventually lovers. They were soul mates who needed each other and are made of each other....they are after the same rainbow end.

The idea was refreshing....esp.doing things that each have never done:- Strolling down New York street in the morning, stealing, visiting the Library and of course Tiffany's. Simply amazing, fantastic and romantic .

The best part about it was both Holly and Paul were practical people with dark secrets and not really perfect human beings and it make the story more realistic but not losing the romantic fairy tale feel.

This film is one of the best in movie history. It touches my heart my soul with scenes with the perfect combo of laughter,sadness,ironic,truth,secrets,romance,life,etc....... Timeless and Unforgettable......

Fascinating¿They are after the same rainbow end!
I love this movie. From the first scene when Holly(Audrey Hepburn) alighted from the yellow cab to have breakfast in front of Tiffany to the very last scene when Holly and Paul(George Peppard) reunited and kissing in the rain.

Mesmerizing film, shine in all departments. Excellent adaptation from Truman Capote's same name novel. Skillful directing by Blake Edwards and flawless performances from both the leads and not forgetting great supporting casts. This role was made for Audrey Hepburn, she was graceful, witty, charismatic and totally awesome. One of her best performance ever!

The story was about a free spirited and helpless Holly Golightly who lived with a nameless 'Cat', didn't want to own anything and afraid of love and commitments. Life pretty much socializing because holly's goal in life to marry one of the richest man under 50. Things take a twist with Paul Varjak moved into the apartment below hers. Paul was a struggling writer who actually a kept man by a rich lady. They became neighbour to friends then soul mate and eventually lovers.

This is not the usual romance story, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is a timeless classic, showed sincerity, sensibility and class.

I also love the song of this movie "Moon River". Who can forget the part when Holly plucking the strings of the guitar and singing it "moonnn----riv---ver"......

This movie touch my heart with memorable characters, song, etc and I've watched it from time to time because each time I watch it, I renewed the feeling. Marvellous vintage classic.Simply divine!

One of the best chick flicks ever
I loved Breakfast at TIffany's. I had read about it from all of the gossip girl books and eventually became curious about the movie. I figured the movie would be good but I didn't expect to fall in love with it as much as I did. It is one of the best romantic comedy, chick flicks I have ever seen.

Good for ALL ages!
Because of the fact that I'm only 17 years old, I just got around to watching this movie. I'd always heard about it but I never knew what it was about. And, to be quite honest, I didn't even think about watching it because I thought it was in black and white! (Eh, I didn't know when it was made!)

My dad made me watch it this past weekend and I fell in love with it! Unlike most romantic comedies made today, both main characters are broke. It doesn't follow the mold of: poor/average girl falls for rich guy blah blah blah or the other way around. It was funny (Mickey Rooney's character was HILARIOUS!) and sad (when Holly finds out about Fred) and sappy (the last 20 minutes) all at the same time.

This movie is great for anyone, whether you saw it the first time around or you're a "late viewer" like me.

my fav movie!
i love this movie so much!
it is a love story but its not sappy it is so fun to watch

it is not an earlier version of pretty woman at all (as another review stated) audrey hepburn does not play a prostitute really she just has a lot of suitors. Anyway i completely recommend it so worth the $ ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Great movie, not-so-great DVD
Peter Sellers was one of the most gifted comic actors of the 1960s and 1970s; Inspector Clouseau was his most beloved role. Blake Edwards, the film's director and creator, was a master of both subtle humor and slapstick. For these reasons, The Return of the Pink Panther is a true classic for many of us. It's a movie that never fails to leave me in a great mood. However, as other reviewers have noted, there are some serious issues with the DVD. I purchased it (and am glad I did) because I didn't have a VHS copy of the film. To be honest, I don't know what advantage this particular DVD can offer versus a VHS, since there are no real extras here, and no choice between widescreen and full screen (and no anamorphic widescreen!). I sincerely hope that this film is reissued in the future, complete with outtakes and remastered sound, and treated with the respect it deserves.

More Important for what it accomplished
The best thing about this film is that it returned Peter Sellers to the role of Inspector Jacques Clouseau under Blake Edwards' direction after Alan Arkin's single portrayal in 1968's INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU directed by Bud Yorkin. More importantly it did not only return Sellers but it also instituted the Pink Panther and Sellers as Inspector Clouseau in a legitimate film series instead of just a few sporadic sequels and it launched a huge cinematic rebirth and phenomenon. Unfortunately this film seems to lack the magic of 1964's THE PINK PANTHER and the sophistication of A SHOT IN THE DARK. Christopher Plummer replaced David Niven as Sir Charles Lytton in this film. Plummer is good but it seems a shame since Niven reprised his role later in 1982's TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER and 1983's CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER, which were made after Sellers' death (in 1980) in an attempt to revive the series without him. Catherine Schell as Claudine Litton lacked the charisma of earlier leading ladies Capucine and Elke Sommer. On the plus side, Sellers is brilliant as Clouseau as are Herbert Lom as Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus and Burt Kwouk as Kato back and featured prominently in the rest of all the subsequent Pink Panther films. Much needed and returning is a score composed by Henry Mancini a very integral component of this series. THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER has some very good comic sketches and a very good opening jewel heist but the script just doesn't seem to be a very cohesive force. However, better things were yet to come. As for the DVD, the quality is just average. For me, the picture quality is just too soft. The MGM prints of the other Pink Panther films on DVD are much crisper.

DA DUM DA DUM, DA DUM, DA DUM DA DUM DA DUM...
Has there ever been a more catchy theme than Mancini's "Pink Panther?" I can't think of any off hand, and in this third entry in the Clouseau series, the music and the animated panther are back in fine form.
Mainly a vehicle for the superb Peter Sellers, this sequel is tired in plot, and struggles for some of its laughs, but one cannot deny the superlative hijinks of Sellers as the impossibly inept Inspector Clouseau. He has so many brilliant moments, it's hard to think of them all, but Sellers is in top form. Christopher Plummer and Catherine Schell do okay, but Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk as Dreyfuss and Kato are outstanding in their supporting roles. Lom's slow decline into mental illness is hilarious in its cartoonish way, and Kato's fights with Sellers are priceless.
It's an entertaining if inconsequential movie, but I had lots of fun watching it!!

Fair to middlin' sequel
The movie had a few humorous moments, but I found some of it tedious. Cato and Dreyfus are still a riot. though. Cato and Clouseau have their karate fights, culminating in Cato dressing as a Japanese waitress. Clouseau finally drives Dreyfus into the nuthouse after Dreyfuss repeatedly shoots himself with a cigarette lighter.

I still prefer "A Shot in the Dark" and think it is the best of the series. I did not care for the original "Pink Panther" as I found it unfunny.

Although the picture was not razor-sharp, it is not as bad as the one-star whiners would have you believe. With minimal extras, if you don't have high expectations, then the low-priced DVD may be worth your time.

Inspector Clouseau strikes again...

Peter Sellers is great as Inspector Clouseau, with his mispronunciations and bumbling, especially when teamed up with Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus (Herbert Lom), who hates him.

The wonderful David Niven, of course, is gone from the series, but is replaced by Christopher Plummer as Sir Charles Lytton (The Phantom).

Both Lom and Sellers are a great comedy team and provide a laugh a minute, as they try to catch a jewel thief in Lugash.

I suggest you see the whole pink panther series.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Days of Wine and Roses is one film not to watch if you are melancholic by nature, as this tale of middle-class alcoholism rings very true. Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick are the besotted couple who find that life is not always fun when viewed through rosé-colored glasses. He's the San Francisco business executive who marries Remick and seduces her into a cocktail culture that soon overpowers them both. It is not a pretty picture when their life shatters around them, but this film is extremely compelling for their performances. It is matched only by Billy Wilder's Lost Weekend and the more explicit Leaving Las Vegas. This was nominated for five Academy Awards and won for the title song by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. Filmed by Blake Edwards in 1962, it is based on a Playhouse 90 television production from 1958, starring Cliff Robertson and Piper Laurie. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (27)

HEARTBREAKING
"Days of Wine and Roses" ranks right up there with "Lost Weekend," "Leaving Las Vegas" and "I'll Cry Tomorrow" as the most powerful cinematic portrayals of the destructiveness of alcoholism. Jack Lemmon gives one of his most honest and powerful performances as a man who lures his young bride into a life of alcohol induced pleasure and, ultimately, pain and suffering. Lee Remick is equally marvelous as his helpless wife who's own addiction proves more overwhelming than her husbands. A very personal and intimate film that will prove most unsettling to anyone who's known, first hand, the horrors brought on by alcohol abuse. Fantastic but, be warned, very depressing.

Drink It Up
I grew up laughing out loud, as film director Blake Edwards teamed with the likes of Peter Sellers, in the Pink Panther movies, and Dudley Moore in 10. These comedies went straight for the funny bone. The slapstick stuff was just outrageous. While I have seen the likes of some of his latter films, including SOB and Victor/Victoria, they weren't as "classic" as those I mentioned before. Up until the 2004 Oscar Ceremony, I had no idea that Edwards even did any dramatic films. The fact that The Days Of Wine And Roses starred one of my all time favorite actors, the late great Jack Lemmon, just made me want to finally see the movie all the more.

The film is a disturbing adaptation of J.P. Miller's Playhouse 90 story. Joe Clay, (Lemmon) is a San Francisco public relations man who likes to hoist a few and have a good time. When he meets secretary Kirsten Arnesen (Lee Remick), who doesn't drink, he is taken be her, and after a short time they marry. After a few more months, Kirsten is able to put away as much liquor as her husband. As the years pass, Joe loses one job after another and his wife neglects their child until he begins to realize that both of them are alcoholics. soon the couple moves into her father's (Charles Bickford) nursery to dry out, but following a couple of weeks "on the wagon", they go on a total drinking binge. Joe nearly destroys a greenhouse in a fanatic search for a drink and ends up in hospital ward. Former alcoholic Jim Hungerford (Jack Klugman) tries to help them both...

Edwards offers an unflinching look at alcoholism. I remember seiing The Lost Weekend (also featuring an alcoholic) in film school, and being amazed, I felt the same way after I saw this movie. Lemmon and Remick are very good together. The film avoids any cliche about the subject and can make you feel for the couple, while at the same time being repulsed by some of their behavior at the same time--not an easy task. Anyone expecting a laugh riot from the director need not apply or want to. Edwards comedies are funny--most of them anyway--it's nice to know that his was willing to tackle a tough issue.

The DVD boasts a fine audio commentary by from Edwards. He is very easy going and informative about the production. You also get to see a vintage interview with Jack Lemmon, in which, he also discusses the film. The theatrical trailer tops off the bonus material.

To those viewers, who want to see Lemmon in one of his best dramatic roles, watch this. I still can't believe it took me this long to see this movie--I'm very glad I did

LAUGH AND RUN AWAY
When this movie first came out, I was much too young to appreciate the veracity and power. Blake Edwards helms an extremely powerful, if tragic, tale of alcoholism and how it affects the marriage of two middle class individuals.
Jack Lemmon proves what a tremendously versatile actor he was, and he gives a performance that is honest, brutal and unbelievably brilliant. His scenes in the greenhouse and in the drying out unit are some of the best acting caught on celluloid. Lee Remick, the late and underrated beauty, matches Lemmon's performance which is even more devastating as her plunge into alcohol is at Lemmon's urging, and she's the one who can't go without a drink. Remick is mesmerizing in the motel scene where she forces Lemmon to drink with her again.
Wonderful support comes from Charles Bickford as Remick's father and Jack Klugman as Lemmon's AA friend. Of course, the score by Henry Mancini is one of the best.
This is a must see for anyone who wants to see powerful acting and an unforgettable movie.

A Message For All Young People About The Dangers Of Alcohol
The Days of Wine & Roses has equal impact today, as it did more than 40 years ago. It tells the story of alcoholisim as seen through the eyes of a "normal", white, middle class couple. The sickness creeps up on the viewer gradually until it's almost unbearable to watch. This is yet another fine example of the marvelous tempo all Billy Wilder movies posessed. Sunset Blvd had it in Spades. But The Days of Wine and Roses is perhaps the only Wilder movie, so completely void of humor.

Lemmon and Remmick are compelling as is the fine supporting cast. This is a great movie to covey the message about the dangers of drinking to young people. As a side note, I attended high school and was quite freindly with one J. D. Miller's sons. Unfortunatly the lessons of the story were not learned by his offspring. Then again, that was almost 40 years ago. Maybe there's a happy ending in there somewhere.

Skip the DVD version
A classic, no doubt about it. But if you're buying the DVD version for anything but the widescreen effect, forget it. The "extras" consist of two versions of a self-congratulatory trailer (Jack Lemmon breaking character to expound on what a bold movie they'd made.) Meanwhile, the much-touted "interview" with Lemmon is a corny promotional device apparently aimed at local TV stations, with the actor, seen talking on the phone, rattling off answers to trite pre-scripted questions, giving the impression that he was actually having a phone interview with local TV personalities whose own images were later edited into the split-screen featurette.And the less said about director Blake Edwards' "commentary", the better.After explaining that he's not much good "at this kind of thing," Edwards proceeds to prove it in spades by confessing he hasn't seen the movie in 40 years, professing to be surprised when he realizes (10 minutes in!) that the film wasn't shot in color, then actually wonders aloud how audiences will be able to understand the plot if he keeps talking throughout the movie. Sad! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although A Shot in the Dark is often cited as the best of the Pink Panther comedies starring Peter Sellers, the fifth film in the series--The Pink Panther Strikes Back--is a close runner-up. Combining a James Bond-ish plot with Sellers's trademark lunacy as Inspector Clouseau, the film finds Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) driven insane by Clouseau's incompetence, threatening global destruction unless Clouseau is eliminated once and for all. Of course, the bumbling Clouseau leads a kind of charmed life, emerging relatively unscathed (and completely oblivious) from a phalanx of 26 unlucky assassins! Along the way, Sellers dons a variety of costumes and hilarious accents, and his improvisational style is given free reign. Karate showdowns with his valet, Cato (Bert Kwouk), once again keep Clouseau on his toes, and lovely Lesley-Anne Down plays a would-be assassin who finds Clouseau amorously irresistible. Highlights include the memorable "Does your dog bite?" scene between Clouseau and a goofy innkeeper, and a dental extraction scene in which Sellers and Lom reached the peak of their on-screen comedic antagonism. For good ol' fashioned slapstick comedy, they don't get much funnier than this. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (34)

The Bumbling Inspector Clouseau's Best Movie
This is the Pink Panther I remembered as a kid. Peter Sellers as the bumbling inspector Jacques Clouseau. Herbert Lom as Dreyfus, the former chief inspector that's been committed to a mental institute due to Clouseau's ineptitude. While there's no stolen diamond (as the previous "Pink Panther" movies usually had), this movie centers around the two main characters. A simple plot... Dreyfus wants to stop at nothing to rid the world of Clouseau. Memorable scenes: the opening scene at the mental institute with Dreyfus falling into the lake time and time again; Clouseau trying on his new hunchback disguise followed by an explosion; Clouseau disguised as a dentist working on Dreyfus' tooth; many failed attempts to get into Dreyfus' castle by Clouseau; and the apartment entry fight scene between Clouseau and his trusted Asian servant Cato. Memorable lines: "What kind of Bomb was it? ("The exploding kind"); "Does your dog bite? ("No") -the dog bites Clouseau- "I thought you said your dog doesn't bite?" ("That's not my dog"). Director Blake Edwards did a wonderful job guiding Sellers and then letting him go off on his own when needed while the camera was rolling. I can see where this movie was inspired by the James Bond series. As well as this movie proved to be a big inspiration to anything Austin Powers ever did. This movie has very few extras... a trailer, an 8-page booklet with some insight from the director, and your choice of full/wide screens. Picture is clear and sound is (only) average. Good movie overall and still fun to watch after all these years.

The funniest "Panther"
The inimitable Peter Sellers strikes again as Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau, in this fourth installment of the classic "Pink Panther" series, "The Pink Panther Strikes Again," directed by Blake Edwards. Given the fact that the assessment of comedy is intrinsically subjective, this film is arguably laugh for laugh and sight gag for sight gag the funniest of the five (followed closely by the second of the series, the hilarious farce, "A Shot In The Dark). In this one, former Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) is about to be released from the mental hospital-- in which he has resided since being driven crazy by Clouseau-- when on the very afternoon of his hearing he is visited by none other than Clouseau himself, who has come to speak on behalf of his former boss. Suffice to say that by the time Clouseau is through "helping," he is driven from the premises by the relapsed, raving madman, Dreyfus. And it's only the beginning of the inept French Inspector's antics that, before it is over, will include a trip to the Ocktoberfest, encounters with a dozen hit-men from around the world, a beautiful Russian spy named Olga (Lesley-Anne Down), a surprise Egyptian spy (who will remain nameless) and a one-man assault on a castle. As Laurel and Hardy proved so many times before, for every action there is a reaction; a theorem of which proof is unequivocally provided here by the relationship between Sellers and Lom. This was the film in which Edwards and his stars not only further devised, but honed to perfection, their foolproof formula for laughs: After the "first wave" of hilarity provided by Sellers, it is followed up-- in just enough instances to be totally effective-- by Lom's reaction to 1.) Sellers directly (as in the first, classic scene at the mental hospital), or 2.) Lom's reaction to Seller's antics as they are related to him by a third party. It's a one-two punch that never fails and which, in effect, derives twice the fun from a single gag. And it's brilliant. But at the end of the day, it must be noted that there is one element above all else that accounts for the success of this film, and that, of course, is the Man himself, Peter Sellers. Sellers must be regarded as-- if not "the," then at least one of the-- funniest actors ever to grace the silver screen. There was no end to the ways he could make you laugh; from the subtlest expression-- an eye averted or perhaps the slight raising of an eyebrow-- to the broadest slapstick, it was all within his personal domain, and he was the Master. Physically, practically all he had to do to get a laugh was show up; consider the scene in which he arrives at the hospital to visit Dreyfus: As he saunters across the lawn of the vast grounds surrounding the buildings, a croquet mallet and ball lying to one side catches his eye; there is just the slightest hesitation in his step, the subtlest change of expression in his eyes and the merest inclination of the head. And there, in that briefest of moments upon the screen, you know-- beyond the shadow of a doubt-- what is about to transpire. And you're right; a moment later Clouseau has the mallet in his hand and his foot on the ball, and even as it's happening-- just as you knew it would in that split second before it did-- he has you on the floor laughing. That was the gift-- and the genius-- of Peter Sellers. Was every film he made a classic? A great film? Of course not; but you would be hard put to find a single performance of his, even in a bad film (Like 1970's "There's A Girl In My Soup"), that did not embody that unique spark that defined him. It was certainly alive in his portrayal of Clouseau (possibly the definitive Seller's character), and in retrospect, what a shame it seems that there were only five "Panther" movies ever made. But so it is, and shall ever be. The supporting cast includes Burt Kwouk (as the ever faithful and attacking manservant, Cato), Andre Maranne (Francois), Colin Blakely (Alec Drummond), Leonard Rossiter (Inspector Quinlan), Richard Vernon (Dr. Fassbender), Briony McRoberts (Margo) and Michael Robbins (Jarvis). A funny movie that showcases one of Cinema's truly unique and funny actors, "The Pink Panther Strikes Again" is a side-splitting, fun movie you can watch over and over and never grow tired of. The best of the series, it stands as a glowing tribute to the comedic genius of Peter Sellers.

"The Phone Is Ringing....Relax, I'll Get It."
This is my all time favorite Pink Panther film. I think that I like it the best of the series as is dwells so totally on Herbert Lom's madness, which is, of course, entirely caused by Clouseau. The opening scene of the film sets the pace, with the brilliant slapstick 'Dreyfus in the lake' segment (I am particularly fond of the role of the rake in that scene.)

The characterizations of Dreyfus and Clouseau are totally wonderful in this film. Watching Dreyfus descend into total madness is one of the all time greatest comic performances. Sellers as Clouseau is wonderful playing off of Lom, in such great segments as the 'hallucinatory dentist' and the 'hunchback and the bomber' scenes. This film is much less subtle than my other favorite from the series "A Shot in the Dark", but what it loses in subtlety, it gains in situational humor unrivalled in any other comedy ("Does your dog bite?"..."No."..."I thought you said your dog did not bite."..."That is not my dog.") Only Sellers could make these scenes work, and work they do, brilliantly so.

There are so many great scenes and lines that I couldn't possibly list them. Some of the best lines ever written for a comedy are in this film. To go with the brilliance of the script, the excellent direction from Blake Edwards, the always entertaining animated credits, the beautiful sets, the acting from everyone, led, of course, by Sellers and Lom, is letter perfect.

The DVD is an excellent transfer, and very pleasant to watch. The only real options are language and subtitle related, though there is an original trailer. I would have loved to have seen some outtakes as extras. Reportedly the cast frequently broke up laughing during the filming of this movie, and there is no wonder, given how funny the material is.

I first saw this in the theater when I was a kid. I loved it so much then that I went back several more times, and never tired of it. Now, almost thirty years later, I still never tire of this film. If you haven't seen "The Pink Panther Strikes Again", by all means do so at once. If you have, it's time to get reacquainted with a brilliant old friend!

Classic Clouseau
Unlike the other Panther films, which still mix in some of director Blake Edwards' skillful subtle comedy ala "Breakfast at Tiffany's," this Panther outing is strictly high caliber slapstick. The plot, which is far-fetched, exists simply as a framework to get star Peter Sellers out of one comic situation and into another. This is not a bad thing - some of the funniest comedies are the ones that have the skimpiest storytelling. I've seen all the Panther films many times, and this is the one that I always laugh the loudest at. It's hard not to enjoy Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and how he unintentionally outwits his former superior Dreyfus (Herbert Lom). The DVD release contains both the widescreen and fullscreen versions of the film (though no real extras)and is a step up from the old VHS release. It's always nice to have this choice on a single disc. I honestly don't know what extras could be included as most of the outtakes were unfortunately recycled in the inferior "Trail of the Pink Panther." I recommend this DVD to anyone who enjoys a slapstick approach to comedy.

By Far the Best in the Series
Since there have been other reviewers here who have taken the time to write in detail why this movie was so good, I will just agree in saying that it is indeed an excellent film! It is by far the best in the entire Pink Panther series and will have you laughing the entire time. If you enjoy this film, be sure to check out the rest of the series. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The history of film comedy would have been much altered if Peter Ustinov had stayed in the role of Jacques Clouseau, the bumbling French police inspector in The Pink Panther. But Ustinov dropped out, the role went to Peter Sellers, and a classic character was born: suspicious, blundering, with a pompous little mustache and a sometimes impenetrable accent, Clouseau was always one step behind everybody else in the room. The Pink Panther introduced Clouseau hot on the trail of a famous jewel thief (David Niven), who may be planning to make off with an expensive gem known as the Pink Panther. Set in a European ski resort, this bubbly comedy is a wonderful dose of '60s style, from the famous Henry Mancini theme music to the presence of two of Europe's top sex symbols of the era, Claudia Cardinale and Capucine. The film also introduced the popular cartoon Pink Panther, slinking around to Mancini's music in an animated credits sequence. The film's success brought a follow-up, A Shot in the Dark, also released in 1964; after 11 years, Sellers and top comedy director Blake Edwards (10) returned with three more sequels. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (38)

My Favorite Panther
Which Pink Panther/ Inspector Clouseau film is your favorite? I can't really decide between THE PINK PANTHER and A SHOT IN THE DARK. My heart is really with THE PINK PANTHER because I saw that in the theatre first. THE PINK PANTHER was really an event for me. It was such an 'in' film at the time. To me David Niven is really the main character of this film and he brings a lot of himself to the role, which elevates the distinction of the film quite a bit. Niven is the personification of class. The great cast also includes Robert Wagner, Capucine, Claudia Cardinale, Brenda de Banzie and Fran Jeffries (with choreography by Hermes Pan). Besides the cast I also did like the score composed by Henry Mancini. The Pink Panther Theme will live forever. Mancini was a true professional. Plus it has beautiful great outdoor scenery, photography and elegant sets, which makes it very likable and memorable in a way strangely akin to Hitchcock's TO CATCH A THIEF. The costume ball (costumes by Yves Saint-Laurent) was a real showstopper and is one of the most memorable scenes of all time. This is a highly visual told film. For me this is the best Pink Panther film.

Oh my, who was she?
agree with the last reviewer on the scene in the alpine lodge. The girl was indeed beautiful and the scene was perhaps the one I remember the most and the one I look forward to seeing over and over again(and the one I always replay at least once). However, the object of this review would have to be the movie itself.

This was perhaps the only movie that I enjoyed with Peter Sellers as Clouseau. His depiction as the bumbling inspector in Pink Panther was superb. It's unfortunate that he decided to change his style with subsequent Panther movies.

As usual, David Niven was equally magnificent as the "cat burgler" with Capucine and Robert Wagner equally enjoyable in their roles. For those who have not seen this movie, it centers around the eventual attempted theft of the Pink Panther - a jewel of immense value. It belongs to a Princess (portrayed by Claudia Cardinale) who obviously comes from some ficticious Muslim country whose enemies of her regime wishes the bauble be returned to the people. The acting is first-rate as is the cast of this fantastic comedy. It is one of those movies I enjoy over and over again and never tire of it's showing. Of course, I will always enjoy the scene in the alpine lodge, as well as the young lady who performed so magnificently and one who I have had a crush on for far too many years.

No! Not The Stradivarius!
This, the first of the exquisite Pink Panther series, is an amazing film. To know that originally Peter Ustinov was cast to play Jacques Clouseau as a straight, inept French detective is a sobering thought. After Ustinov dropped out, of course, Peter Sellers got the role and after consultation with Blake Edwards, decided to make him not only inept, but also bumbling and accident prone, a characterization that defines how we think of Clouseau today. This film is interesting in that since it is the first of the series it is interesting to see the origins of the character, and how different he is here than in later 'Panther' films. Here is clumsy and prone to pratfalls, but is less flamboyantly slapstick than in the later films.

The film also stars the wonderful David Niven, who plays the perfect suave English thief, and a very young Robert Wagner as his equally debonair nephew. Female stars are the beautiful Claudia Cardinale and Capucine, two of the top European actresses and models from the era.

The movie is a bit more sedate than the later films in the series, but still is one of the funniest movies of the sixties. 'A Shot In The Dark', also released in 1964, as the first sequel, began the transformation to the later formulas with additions such as the wonderful Herbert Lom. 'The Pink Panther' does introduce the animated 'Pink Panther' short for the first time, as well as the often imitated, never duplicated title theme. Other viewers will have their own favorite scenes, and the costume party is surely one of the highlights of the film, but for my money the best scenes in the film revolve around Clouseau trying to woo his wife by playing his Stradivarius violin, over many protestations. The look of pain on David Niven's face during his playing is worth the price of the film alone

If I were doing it today, I would buy this DVD as part of the multi DVD 'Pink Panther' set, where it also includes a few interesting bonuses such as a 'trivia track', which adds great tidbits about the film.

Peter Sellers was a comic genius, and the world still waits for another genius of his stature. I think we will be waiting a long, long time.

Not what i remember.
David Niven, (Sir Charles Lytton) and Peter Sellers (Inspector Jacques Clouseau) star in the Pink Panther, the first in a pretty successful but flawed series.

I was really looking forward to seeing this when I popped it in my dvd player, I have good memories of the bumbling Clousea but wasn't aware that his character didn't really take shape till the next film "A shot in the dark", subsequently I did not enjoy this one and found it rather boring and unfunny. I will give the sequel a chance however as, from what other reviewers have said on here, they are far funnier and contain the Clouseau that I remember.

As far as this one goes, it was boring. The scene with Niven and the princess in his room went on forever, I ended up hitting eject soon after and watched the excellent Wuthering Heights instead.

Thanks for reading, but give the next couple a chance as I will do.

Better as a self-contained movie
Than as the start of the Panther series. Too many questions arise:

1)Where is Chief Inspector Dreyfuss in all this?

2)How is Clouseau ever going to be a cop again if he was convicted of diamond theft?

3)Where is the former Mrs. Clouseau in Return of the Pink Panther?

4)Where is Cato in this film?

And many others. Too uneven. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A surprisingly good film
At first glance, this film appears like many afterlife concept films of its time: flawed man dies, must return to earth to do a good deed, agents in heaven and hell await the outcome. But this movie is surprisingly different, on a number of counts. First, it is less a tale about morality and goodness than it is about gender. And as a comedy about gender, it is both excelent and unique. This is in no small part due to the extremely talented Ellen Barkin, whose skill at physical comedy shines in this role as a man on earth in a woman's body.

The film takes quite a few unexpected turns before ending much too neatly, its greatest flaw.

worth it for Barkin's acting
This well-done remake of "where's charlie" is made all that better by Ellen Barkin's performance.

Surprisingly deep
At first glance, this film looks like it's going to be a slapstick clone of so many other Blake Edwards' productions. And, in fact, the film does contain a great many scenes that would tend to belong under the "slapstick" genre. Surprisingly, however, there is much more to this film.

The plot centers around a man named Steve Brooks who is a womanizer squared. He's handsome, charming, well built & has a "way" with women. Unfortunately, he also has a heart of granite & leaves a wake of heartbroken women behind him.

One day, 3 ex-girlfriends plot their revenge. They lure him into a hot tub and murder him. Steve makes it to Purgatory, but is told he is right on the borderline between having his final destination be heaven or hell.

To break the deadlock, God (who is both male & female) sets forth a task: he must find a woman who truly likes him for who he is (and not for some fast-talking come-on line) in order for him to get inside the pearly gates. At the last moment, the Devil enters the picture and puts on a twist: Steve must get a woman to like him AS a woman!

Ellen Barkin is marvelous as a man trying to figure out how to be a woman. Barkin does a particularly impressive job moving like a man thru out the film and her performance truly steals the show.

So far, it sounds like your typical gender-switching comedy, only with a twist. However, the plot contains many more unanticipated twists. It also deals with some very serious issues that make it nothing short of a dark comedy. Again, this is quite unexpected from looking @ the cover.

I would recommend this film for people who enjoy getting a little more than what they bargained for. As the religious deities obviously parody the Judeo / Christian tradition, I would NOT suggest this film for people who are easily offended. In short, the film takes turns poking fun @ men, poking fun @ women & poking fun @ religion. It turns out to be a good comedy, but a dark one.

See How The Other Half Lives!
Blake Edwards does a fine job of directing his own original script for his gender, but not comically challenged film. .............. We open with advertising executive Steve Brooks (Perry King), a cad in every sense of the word. We are clear that Steve has broken many hearts, three of which turn on him at once. As three of his scorned women decide to lure him into a hotub where he thinks the women have invited him for a multiple seduction, they get their revenge and drown him instead. .............. Now Steve is dead, but hasn't quite reached heaven yet. I suppose you could say he's in purgatory, until, as god requires, he can get one female to truly love him. That would be a cinch for the unrepentant romeo except for the fact that at the last minute, the devil intervenes and decides he must get a female to truly love him AS another female, enter a great comic performance from Ellen Barkin. ................ Ellen Barkin playing a female version of Perry King's Steve was great casting, since the two DO look so similar. Barkin is truly comical as Amanda. She tells Ad boss Tony Dow, that she's Steve's sister, again, believable. What's not believable? A high powered Ad agency letting a top executives sister, fill his now high-heeled shoes. Hey, no one said this film was realistic. However, the stepping in and filling anothers shoes becomes forefront, as Amanda takes over for Steve. She also has to get used to being a woman. This is not an easy task. She desperately confesses to one of her murdering ex-lovers who she really is. The ex then comes to Amanda's aid, teaching her how to do all the things girls do. Barkin is worthy of Lucille Ball slapstick status as she hilariously teeters around on those hard to fill high-heel shoes, tripping and grasping walls. She must also remember that since she is a woman physically, mentally she must think and feel as one too, and can no longer covet fellow women. All that to keep in mind, while dealing with lascivious glances and advances from men as well. In particular she has to fight off boss Tony Dow, and figure out the relationship with her buddy from work played by Jimmy Smits. Amanda also tells Smits she's really Steve, and he will be the one person that can get her to heaven and out of this jam, but I can't tell you how, you'll have to watch and see! ................ The most confusing part for Amanda will be how she is to deal with a sought after client (Lorraine Bracco) who is a lesbian, and wants a relationship with her. She could wrap up the deal if she submits to Bracco's advances, but doesn't feel comfortable as a man inside a womans body, making love with a woman who doesn't like men. Confusing? Not at all. I can guarantee you'll be amused at every scene. ................ While "Switch" was not a tremendous commercial success for Blake Edwards like "10", amongst many others in his career, and treads in a similar water with his "Victor/Victoria", it is a highly watchable, humorous and delighfully happy film that you should not miss. If you are a fan of actress Ellen Barkin, she really shines here in a fine comical AND sympathetic performance. I mention sympathetic because, when the script and direction are done right, you WILL care about the characters. When Steve is sent back to earth as Amanda and tries her hardest to find a female to truly love her, you as the viewer, female OR male, will fall in love too, with her AND this unique comedy film.

An Absolute Laugh Riot
Ellen Barkins character starts out the movie as a man who thinks nothing of using women like toilet paper. He is an ad exec who ends up killed by three women who truly despised being used by him. He is ressurected as a female after a disagreement between god and the devil, for you see Barkin's character has a limited time to find a woman who truly loves him. Jimmy Smits play's the best friend of Barkin's character. When he has sex with her (she's passed out-drunk), things get interesting, and only more complicated. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The sixth Pink Panther comedy was the last to star Peter Sellers (the following film in the series incorporated previously unseen footage), and it was also the last in the series to show any signs of genuine inspiration. It's a weak entry in the Panther pantheon, involving a rather mundane plot about a "French Connection" drug deal that leads Inspector Clouseau--presumed murdered and now sleuthing incognito--to Hong Kong for a brash, slapstick finale that almost compensates for the routine gags that precede it. Sellers and director Blake Edwards are coasting along smoothly here, and some of the gags pay off in well-earned laughs--particularly with a clever nod to Dr. Strangelove when Clouseau dons a Toulouse-Lautrec costume. Another highlight finds Clouseau disguised as an old sea captain, complete with a leaky inflatable parrot (it looks more like a purple puffin) resting limply on his shoulder. But a later attempt to spoof Mafia kingpins is hardly up to snuff for a talent as original as Sellers, and Dyan Cannon lacks the comedic sensibility to make the most of her role as a druglord's vengeful ex-mistress. Some of the physical gags are amazingly elaborate, and it's still a riot to hear Sellers perfecting (or is that murdering?) his hilarious French accent, but while it's adequately enjoyable this movie makes you long for the glory days of the Pink Panther franchise. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Funny film, with a few faults
This movie