HotToastyRag Peter Sellers died in 1980, but Blake Edwards made two more installments of the Pink Panther series without him, both of which were a little hard to watch for those who missed him. In Trail of the Pink Panther, the film used archival footage from previous films, so Peter Sellers is still seen in the movie. Depending on your point of view, that's either comforting or even sadder. In the next film, Curse of the Pink Panther, Peter was completely absent from the film.Other old standbys from the original series were in this seventh installment, including David Niven, Herbert Lom, Capucine, and Burt Kwouk. The plot tries to make sense of Peter's lack of sufficient screen time by explaining that he's gone missing, and everyone's out to find him.It's up to you whether you want to see this one to support the famous slapstick series, or if you'd rather only watch the Peter Sellers ones. David Niven was ill during the making of the movie, so if it will upset you to see him without his usual vigor, you might want to just stick to the original. But, if slapstick is the name of your game, and you can appreciate the spirit of the series, go for it!

WakenPayne OK this is the 2nd appearance of The Pink Panther even though there were several other titles with that name it has nothing to do with it it was only in for a cameo where someone steals it and Cluesau is kidnapped (after the abomination of the first one I'm celebrating) and some journalist asks questions about Cluesau (Cluesau isn't in this one only in Archive Footage I know a complete ripoff even though so was the rest of the series) and they ask even Charles the real "Phantom" makes an appearance we see Clueseau's childhood and all this other crap which has nothing to do with anything if the journalist was really an author writing bio's about detectives who are so stupid it isn't funny (the only other thing in that category is FAMILY GUY) OK Clueseau isn't found. Oh we are all depressed *sarcasm*. seriously if I were to recommend any of the Pink Panther series which I am still trying to put my finger on why the #### anyone calls the series COMEDY (don't worry I get that a lot like with movies like Charlies Angels 2, Pirate Movie, Muriels Wedding (I am still ashamed I even watched it) (don't watch Full Throttle even if somebody pays you $100) well this movie is horrible not for anyone with intelligence (maybe from Cluesau to Clueless)

disdressed12 at least half of this movie isn't really a movie in itself.it's more of a tribute to Peter Sellers,and uses scenes from previous PInk Panther movies cobbled together as as a very thin plot.as a result,there are a lot of continuity issues and things are disjointed.but somewhere along the way,there is an actual story which incorporates new footage,and in thew end,the movie ends up being not half bad.not great,but not bad.having Joanna Lumley in the cast elevates things a bit.i didn't find much too laugh at here,but at least it had some entertainment value.as long as you know what you're in for,and don't mind waiting for about 45 minutes or so before the real movie begins,then you might enjoy this.for me,The Trail of the Pink Panther is a 5/10

theowinthrop When Peter Sellers died in 1980 he was planning on another Clouseau film. He probably hated the idea, although he was writing the script. Sellers knew that his signature role for all time would be the stumble-bum French Inspector, but he hated how it hid his performances in, say, DR. STRANGELOVE or BEING THERE from the memory of the public. For as other actors caught in repeat performances of the same part (think of Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes or Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates) have said, those repeat roles are just going through the same paces again and again, and don't help stretch the performers talents.What is odd about TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER is that it is a posthumous resurrection of Sellers due to Blake Edwards, who should have known far better than to do this. Some dead actors have managed to reappear after they died in films, like Jean Harlow in SARATOGA, but usually they were shooting the film when they got sick and died. In TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER Edwards decided to use outtakes and some cut sequences to build up a plot for a new film. Supposedly, for the third time in the series, the actual "Pink Panther", the stone that Claudia Cardinale was struggling to hold onto in the first film, is the center of a robbery - a successful one. Clousseau is sent to solve the robbery. But his plane apparently crashes into the sea. Is the great detective dead or not? Joanne Lumley plays French television journalist Marie Jouvet. She is assigned to investigate the disappearance of Clousseau and who might be behind it. There are many potential characters: Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom, twitching again), the head of the French Mafia (Robert Loggia) - still struggling from their defeat by Clousseau in 1978, and even Sir Charles and now Lady Lytton (David Niven and Capuchine, reunited for this second film). Cato (Burt Kwouk) and Clousseau's old assistant Hercule Lajoy (Graham Stark) are interviewed. And the clips and outtakes are added in a sad attempt to give unity to the mess. For it was a real mess.Basically, Sellers was (in 1982) seemingly irreplaceable in the role. The public identified him with the French detective who mispronounced the English pronunciation of "monkey" as "minkey". The public watching the film could only consider it a curiosity at best. They might stretch it into an attempt at honoring a great comic actor. But they probably also thought it shabby, which it was. The other films preceding it had benefited from the energy of Sellers characterization (rather subtle one, by the way: people tend to forget that clumsy and arrogant as Clousseau was, he was a brilliant detective - listen to his conversation with Lajoy in a sequence from A SHOT IN THE DARK regarding the suspect Maria Gambrelli - we know Clousseau is in love with her, but he points out very sharply she had no motive for the murder she has been accused of). The sequences with Sellers at work had his energy, but the gaps appeared when Lumley or rest of the cast struggled with the vapid plot.The actors are not doing badly. Best is Richard Mulligan as the elderly father of Clousseau (who would like to make time with the reporter), and Lom of course. Stark is an old scene stealing pro (look at his subsequent work in VICTOR/VICTORIA as a snide and suspicious waiter). Here he is Lajoy enjoying his retirement. He shares an easy sequence with Lumley (one wishes there was more to it). She is quite good too, but her role is confused by the script (her best sequence is not with Loggia - a sad lost opportunity by two good performers - but just before when she realizes her taxi driver is being forced to kidnap her). She also has a moment confronting Lom (who can't give a damn about finding Clousseau) where she mimics his twitching eye.But why they trotted out Niven again is beyond me. He was within a year or so of his death, from Lou Gehrig's disease. He no longer had that wonderful gentleman's voice of his, so Rich Little was dubbing for him. You listen and you realize it is not Niven. That is just doubly sad.It could have been different in two ways. In 1982 the roles of both Clousseau and Sir Charles Lytton were not totally sewed up by Sellers and Niven. A film called INSPECTOR CLOUSSEAU had been made in the middle 1960s starring Alan Arkin, who might have been available to attempt the role again. And in the early 1970s, the third Pink Panther film had resurrected Sir Charles and Lady Lytton with the jewel robber being played by Christopher Plummer. A bit of recasting would have been needed. If they had done it (presumably if the performers were available or when they were) more time might have been spent on the script. Sadly that was not the case here.Edwards would make another "Pink Panther" film after this, which did less box office than this one did. Then, wisely, he went onto other projects. They never did find Jacques Clousseau in these last two films. The last two films were so terrible they did not deserve to merit the recovery of Insp. Clousseau. Now, aside from an occasional viewing on television both are forgotten (as is Arkin's one attempt at the role). However, Steve Martin took over the role a few years ago, with Kevin Klein taking over Lom's role as Dreyfus. Martin will shortly be seen in a sequel to his first "Pink Panther" film. Good luck to him - he has big shoes to fill.