A Shot in the Dark 1964/1965 by AverageMansReviews

A Shot in the Dark 1964/1965 by AverageMansReviews

Previously instalment: The Pink Panther 1963 Link https://averagemansreviews2017.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-pink-panther-1963-by.html

Review Time

Warning: there is flashing effects/colourful effects/shooting/drugs/stabbing/impaling/animal cruelty/medical/references to sexual assault

You are on the case... You are off case... You are on the case...: briefly; accidentally Inspector Jacques Clouseau [Peter Sellers:] a bumbling French inspector gets assigned this murder case, but the number one suspect is innocent her name is Maria Gambrelli [Elke Sommer:] but okay it doesn't look like when someone sees her with the smoking gun literally in hand at the time of the murder and we meet Cato [Burt Kwouk:] he is a martial arts training; but highly skilled martial artist anyway/training partner and servant to the Inspector where he can spring up at anytime or anywhere.

Generally speaking: the art in the opening credits is of Inspector Jacques Clouseau; trying to solve this case and at one point we see the Can-can; this is really priceless animation; you can't replace hand drawn art; it has a timeless quarterly to it as with broadly speaking computer animation; depending on how it looks when it first goes out has by and large a tougher time being timeless, because computer animation and computer technology is always changing and updating. The storyline/script is excellent; it is a murder mystery obviously including comedy as well and because the script is excellently written you can place fluent and consequently natural skit scenes, which are plentiful and we even get one breaking-the-fourth-wall; where we have our Inspector looking directly at the camera for a split second, as we have these many characters arguing behind him, so conversely the framework and pacing of this 102 minutes film is good, but it also moves with purpose and a lively nature

Action, comedy and art; we have some elements of usual action with various weapons being used, with our Inspector sluicing around various locations or trying to without being sent directly to Cato training from out of anywhere at anytime or/and with this individual missing their intended target. The Inspector is still very clumsy be it falling out of somewhere or sets his coat on fire and trying to synchronise his watch with someone else's watch and for taste of the art amongst other things we have Spanish, Hawaiian/Persian and/or Russian dancing; but broadly speaking throughout the set designs, landscapes and/or wardrobe and accessories are of the highest quality; so there is always something to look and fresh or experience.

Character developments and performances; the character developments are good versions of what they are meant to be; based on towards the closing stages of this movie, they did this whole; getting the suspects into one room with the Inspector and do the whole finger pointing thing; which is always an excellent or should be an excellent crescendo to a mystery movie, so the character developments have to follow a good yet reliable character type for this kind of styles work properly in the closing stages. The cast of performers are also defined in their characters, which gives them an element of excellent chemistry and sharpness to live performances, for Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau; you can see and feel that as this is the second time in this role, he has more of an understanding as this character, consequently he makes this role is very own, he also has spot on chemistry with Burt Kwouk as Cato and vice versa; they really do get each other's character and performer even though they spend only a little time on screen now and again in this movie

This film receives: 10/10, this film is top-notch entertainment; for its lively and enthusiastic nature of fluently being able to live alone, moving on to essentially the next skit in conjunction with as I have already alluded to character developments that were and are good versions, but so much more importantly enthusiastic performances from the cast for a willingness to have an excellent sense of camaraderie to make this project the very best they can, if you're into old school comedy crime caper, you need to see this film once-in-a-lifetime, for a moment there is an ongoing seen underneath the closing credits and yes it does have some awards accredited to its name such as; 3 Nominees which include but not limited to BAFTA Awards 1966 BAFTA Film Award Best British Costume (Colour) Margaret Furse