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)
