The Pink Panther

Details

Release year: 1963

Storyline

A clumsy Inspector travels to Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, to catch a notorious jewel thief known as "The Phantom" before he conducts his most daring heist yet: a princess' priceless diamond known as "The Pink Panther".

Top credits

Awards

0 wins & 1 nomination

Did you know

• An animated Pink Panther was created for the opening credits because writer and director Blake Edwards felt that the credits would benefit from some kind of cartoon character. David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng decided to personify the film's eponymous jewel, and the Pink Panther character was chosen by Edwards from over a hundred alternative panther sketches. The Pink Panther introduced in the opening credits became a popular film and television character in his own right, beginning with the cartoon short The Pink Phink (1964) the following year. It continues to be in the public eye more than 60 years on as the mascot for Owens Corning pink insulation.

• Blake Edwards and Peter Sellers enjoyed working together to develop Clouseau down to every move and nuance of voice and expression. "For years I'd been getting bits of what I wanted into films, as writer or director . . . but I had never had an area in which to exploit my ideas to the full," Edwards said. "Then along came Peter, a walking storehouse of madness, a ham with an almost surrealist approach to the insanity of things, and we found an immediate affinity."

• Blake Edwards wanted Audrey Hepburn to play The Princess. Hepburn declined but she suggested that he cast her friend, Claudia Cardinale.

Box Office

Gross (Domestic): $10,878,107

User reviews

Technical specs

Sound mix

4-Track Stereo, Mono

Aspect ratio

2.20 : 1, 2.35 : 1

Color

Color

FAQ

• Who was the Phantom's associate at the beginning of the film who prevents the police from pursuing the thief?
• How did the Pink Panther diamond get its name?
• Does the Pink Panther diamond really exist?