ftgplus4 It goes without saying, of course, that no other star of a Pink Panther movie can measure up to Peter Sellers. But of those who have tried, Alan Arkin is probably the best, followed by the rather bland Ted Wass.As for Roberto Begnini? He's not even in the running.The script to SON isn't that great to begin with; it barely has a laugh in sight, and the background story into which the star steps is rather messy and confusing (not like that's a first for PP films or anything). But the worst thing about the film, by a long shot, is Begnini's character. He's annoying as anything, has an unconvincing and hard-to-understand accent, and -- above all -- is just painfully unfunny. When a female character calls him "adorable," it sounds like they could barely pay the actress enough to say it. When he makes a fool of himself pretending to be a doctor, it's like the other actor in the scene didn't have to *try* to look completely unamused.When Begnini comes close to being funny, it's generally due to subtle physical things, rather than anything verbal. While Sellers' Clouseau was always funny verbally, with rarely a wasted word, Begnini talks and talks and just makes things worse in the process.By far the most satisfying aspect of this movie, and the only reason to watch it, is the character of Commissioner Dreyfus. The TV Guide review of the movie says it best: "SON is Dreyfus' reward after... years of suffering... at the capricious hands of chaos. He's less caricatured here than usual. He tics and twitches, he goes a little nuts, but he wouldn't be Dreyfus if he didn't. Nevertheless, he also has achieved a degree of inner placidity and wisdom that has come with age and, for once, allows him to effortlessly and decisively solve the case. For once, he gets to be the hero, and he even gets the girl... In terms of the greater scheme of the series... it is significant that Dreyfus makes his peace with chaos by marrying into it. It's hard not to wish him well."Bottom line: Not even as good as CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER, and neither as good nor as bad as TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER (depending on which parts of that movie it's being compared to). Serious PANTHER fans may want to check it out just to see how the series ends, at least for Dreyfus.

SnoopyStyle Terrorist Hans Zarba (Robert Davi) kidnaps Princess Yasmin of Lugash (Debrah Farentino) to force her father to abdicate. Police Commissioner Dreyfus (Herbert Lom) gets into an accident with the getaway van. Just as Zarba is about to kill Dreyfus, local policeman Jacques Gambrelli (Roberto Benigni) crash into mess. Gambrelli sees the drugged Yasmin but believes Zarba's story. Gambrelli lets them go. Later, Dreyfus is horrified to discover from Maria (Claudia Cardinale), a character from 'A Shot in the Dark', that Gambrelli is actually the son of his greatest nemesis Inspector Jacques Clouseau.This is like watching a man drowning and there is nothing anyone can do about it. One can see Roberto Benigni flailing away. It's a fool's errant to try to replace Peter Sellers in this way. This is Blake Edwards' last feature directorial effort and he's past his prime. It's nice to see the other old timers but everybody has lost a step. As much as Benigni is flailing wildly, the movie is an utter disaster without him. None of it is funny and it's incredibly tiring to see Benigni keep trying ... and failing to salvage this mess.

elshikh4 This is a movie where the first 2 thirds are bad and the last third is good. You read that part of the movie was directed by Geoffrey Edwards, the son of the movie's director Blake Edwards. Therefore I can't decide; was the good part directed by the son or the father ?! The bad 2 thirds : Roberto Benigni was in absolutely pathetic place. He looked lost, speaking bad English. The material given to him couldn't be more weak and unfunny. For little instance : in his first scene he doesn't find a way to make comedy except by his fallen cap? (as if it's a move improvised in the location !). And for bigger instance his scene as a doctor was terrible and boring. Overall, while he's the already talented and successful Italian comedian I know, I was pushed to wonder "who's that ugly loser? He doesn't fit to cinema in the first place?!".You'll have lazy writing and ton of coincidences. See how Dreyfus, Gambrelli / Clouseau's son, the gang of kidnappers and the kidnapped princess meet in one of the most contrived moments ever. And if I forgave this, how to forgive else matters that nearly format the whole 2 thirds : the kidnappers want to kill Gambrelli because he "saw the princess", while Dreyfus and his assistance did see her as well ?! (Ahh, the thing is Gambrelli had "a good look" to her !), Dreyfus happens to be there, while they're trying to murder Gambrelli, twice ! Gambrelli is in the hospital while the gang is asking for a doctor, originally why these guys need one while you'll discover later that they can handle injuries pretty well ?! The gang's head sees Gambrelli wearing a doc coat and doesn't recognize him ?! When did Gambrelli hear one of the conspirators' name "Uncle Address"? He was away from the kidnappers' radio !The cuts are rough, as if there are missing lines or moments. There is no juice. The lines were all direct, being more like something written by robots to be said by robots just to inform the wanted and that's it. Forget any effort to make the dialog laughable by puns or anything. At the first meeting between Dreyfus and Gambrelli's mom, after less than 1 minute she shouts angrily to Dreyfus admitting that her son is CLOUSEAU'S, from where did that come out ?!! Robert Davi, as the head of kidnappers, was no less than awful. His dead face served nobody's good. And even his last line, supposedly his only comic one, was so badly performed. Claudia Cardinale, who played Princess Dala in (The Pink Panther), now plays Maria Gambrelli, the maid played by Elke Sommer in (A Shot in the Dark)! Confused enough ?!Now, to the good third : right after Gambrelli's salvation from being murdered by a car with no brakes, things got finally alive. The old magic of Edwards awakes very late and makes a clever scene at the hospital; the French chief of police fall, while hanging by the telephone's wire, is not only the first laugh but the first proof that this is a Blake Edwards movie ! Benigni gets active. Watch him, rather enjoy him, doing some decoration with Dreyfus's injured leg. Now every scene has a funny closing or a closing anyway. Burt Kwouk comes back as Cato. The casino's sequence is interesting and well-made. In brief it's where the movie became a movie, not a series of curtailed soulless scenes !The movie has some beautiful elements. Henry Mancini's music is on their top. Using human voices instead of the musical instruments at the opening credits proved to be different and inventive intro for the franchise. Although afterwards he deviated from the famous Pink Panther Theme, but why not, since this is a new character, and the final outcome was something distinct and so elegant. Speaking about elegance, the cinematography of Dick Bush was a nice dream. I loved its smoothness and yummy serene colors. See how it made Debrah Farentino's dark eyes spark ravishingly. Debrah as Princess Yasmin was a brunette queen; she has a one-of-a-kind sex appeal, and Edwards, oh the wicked Edwards, didn't let her go in peace; so he bared her to her panties at one moment, and made Benigni's gun bare her legs at another for no reason but her dazzling beauty (Thanks, dear Edwards. Hot mango and honey indeed !). Herbert Lom is a treat apart; hence his scenes were watchable despite their obvious poorness. The used poetry was excellent. The action compensated the absent comedy with fresh sequences that fit a perfect action movie.The main dealing with the title character showed nice creativity : a Clouseau's son, fond of Opera and poetry. Commissioner Dreyfus marries his mom, turning from his father's nemesis to his alternate father. And a sister to him, namely a possible she-Pink Panther ! All smart, all ambitious if not too ambitious, because (Son of the Pink Panther) opened to poor box office and bitter reviews, Blake Edwards didn't direct any movie after it, and all of these futuristic plans, with Benigni as a new lead accompanied by new Panther family, was entirely drooped.Blake Edwards was criticized for being too sincere for the Pink Panther movies, with or without Sellers. I believe it's not the name's fame, his desire to milk it, No, those movies provide loose slapstick, action and pretty girls, in other words his belief in cinema. It's a lovely game to satisfy his appetite and show off his muscles, thus many was never enough. This time he went to play with no glasses. 50 min out of the 90 were bad. At the last shot Benigni after sort of dull slapstick routine declares "that felt Good". I beg to differ !

evil_sarah69 Hey everyone,I was just wondering if anyone knew if there was a Pink Panther movie that contained a scene where a mans eyebrows/lashes grows and grows to the point where he has to push them back over his head? Or if anyone recognizes the scene from another movie? Any help is appreciated, because it is my mothers favourite scene from a movie. Cracks her up every time she sees it, but neither of us, nor anyone we know, have any idea about it. Also, just to make it interesting, what is everyone's favourite pink panther movie, and why?Thanks.