One might wonder why director Blake Edwards has clung to the "Pink Panther" series through hell, high water, the death of star Peter Sellers and costly legal battles with its releasing studio. But with so little to depend upon in today's world, each new installment has become like a visit
with old friends who are often annoying and frequently boring, but are missed in some strange way when they're not around.
In mythical Lugash, site of the very first PINK PANTHER adventure, the King (Oliver Cotton) comes under siege when terrorists led by Hans (Robert Davi) kidnap the beautiful Princess Yasmin (Debrah Farentino), demanding the throne and $100 million in cash for ransom. Behind the plot is the Queen
(Shabana Azmi) and her lover General Jaffar (Aharon Ipale). Transporting the Princess through France for no discernible reason, they have a traffic accident not only with the late Inspector Clouseau's buffoonish illegitimate son Jacques Gambrelli (Robert Benigni), but also with Police Commissioner
Dreyfus (Herbert Lom), whose familiar Clouseau-era facial tics return even before he learns Jacques' identity. Without knowing who she is, Jacques glimpses the Princess in Hans' van and is immediately smitten.
After Hans makes several attempts on Jacques' life, Dreyfus plays a hunch and shows Jacques a picture of the Princess, whom he immediately recognizes. Dreyfus sends Jacques to Lugash to be killed while attempting to rescue the Princess but relents and calls him back after falling for Jacques'
mother Maria (Claudia Cardinale). A lover of opera and epic poetry, Jacques will not be deterred, however. Luckily, the King has uncovered the Queen's plot and assembles a multi-national force to be unknowingly led by Jacques in storming the kidnappers' hideout. Under the King's orders, Jacques
gets all the credit, and the court at Lugash barely survives Jacques' attempts to re-scabbard his sword at his knighting. Meanwhile, at his marriage to Maria, Dreyfus is disturbed to discover not only that he is to become stepfather to Clouseau's son, but that Jacques has an equally klutzy twin
sister, Jacqueline (Nicoletta Braschi).
True connoisseurs of the Panther movies know that it has never really been about its star, whether it's Sellers, Benigni, or even Ted Wass, who stepped in for CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER. It has been, is now, and always will be about Dreyfus, the hapless Everyman, who wants nothing more than to
live his life in peace and retire graciously when the time comes. For most of us, however, life is filled with constant tiny interruptions, aggravations, and humiliations that keep true peace of mind just out of reach. Dreyfus has just one big aggravation. Call him Clouseau, call him Gambrelli,
call her Jacqueline, but he or she needs Dreyfus as much as the Marx Brothers need Margaret Dumont (glimpsed on a TV in SON). SON is Dreyfus' reward after 30 straight years of suffering (since the first film) at the capricious hands of chaos. He's less caricatured here than usual. He tics and
twitches, he goes a little nuts, but he wouldn't be Dreyfus if he didn't. Nevertheless, he also has achieved a degree of inner placidity and wisdom that has come with age and, for once, allows him to effortlessly and decisively solve the case. For once, he gets to be the hero, and he even gets the
girl, even if she does conceal the true size of her family and with good reason--Jacqueline introduces herself to Dreyfus by nearly taking his head off. In terms of the greater scheme of the series, however, it is significant that Dreyfus makes his peace with chaos by marrying into it. It's hard
not to wish him well. In his best moments, Benigni is an engagingly besotted blend of Harpo Marx and Buster Keaton, and most of the regular crew, from Graham Stark to Burt Kwouk, are back and in fine, if rapidly greying, fettle. But Lom is the real heart of the series. Long may he twitch.
(Violence, adult situations.) leave a comment
