Saturday, 29 October 2016

1964, Film: “A Shot in the Dark”

The British-American coproduction "A Shot in the Dark" was released on 23 June 1964 in New York City. The comedy, based on Harry Kurnitz adaption from the 1961 French play "L'Idiote" by Marcel Achard, was directed by Blake Edwards. The main cast includes Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk, George Sanders and Elke Sommer. The music was written by Henry Mancini.

"A Shot in the Dark" is the second film in The Pink Panther series after “The Pink Panther” from 1963. Peter Sellers plays the clumsy French Sûreté Inspector Jacques Clouseau of the French Sûreté. New in this film is Clouseau's exaggerated French accent, his boss Commissioner Dreyfus played by Herbert Lom and his loyal servant Cato played by Burt Kwouk.
Burt Kwouk as Kato and Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau
Herbert Lom as Charles Dreyfus and Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau
André Maranne as François, Herbert Lom as Charles Dreyfus and Reginald Beckwith
George Sanders as Benjamin Ballon and Tracy Reed as Dominique Ballon
Synopsis
When M. Ballon's (George Sanders) spanish driver, Miguel Ostos, is found shot dead, Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) is called to investigate the crime. All evidence points to Maria Gambrelli (Elke Sommer), the maid, to be the murderer. But Clouseau, being attracted to the beautiful girl, is convinced of her innocence...
George Sanders as Benjamin Ballon and Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau
Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau
Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau and Graham Stark as Hercule Lajoy
Elke Sommer as Maria Gambrelli
Main cast
  • Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau
  • Elke Sommer as Maria Gambrelli
  • George Sanders as Benjamin Ballon
  • Herbert Lom as Charles Dreyfus
  • Tracy Reed as Dominique Ballon
  • Graham Stark as Hercule Lajoy
  • Moira Redmond as Simone
  • Vanda Godsell as Madame LaFarge
  • Maurice Kaufmann as Pierre
  • Ann Lynn as Dudu
  • David Lodge as Georges
  • André Maranne as François
  • Martin Benson as Maurice
  • Burt Kwouk as Kato
Elke Sommer as Maria Gambrelli, Burt Kwouk as Kato and Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau
Elke Sommer as Maria Gambrelli in the Radford Mini Cooper
Elke Sommer as Maria Gambrelli and Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau
Elke Sommer as Maria Gambrelli
Trivia
  • The adaption by Harry Kurnitz did not include Clouseau, the whole screenplay was rewritten by Blake Edwards and William Peter Blatty.
  • Maria Gambrelli was originally to be played by Sophia Loren, but she became ill. The second choice was Romy Schneider, but she had another commitment.
  • The 1963 Morris Mini Cooper by Radford that Peter Sellers drives in the movie was his own car. The special Cooper Radford conversion costed more than a contemporary Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.

Trailer "A Shot in the Dark" (1964)

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