The Pink Panther (1963 film)

The Pink Panther is a 1963 film in which the bumbling Inspector Clouseau travels to Rome to catch a notorious jewel thief known as "The Phantom" before he conducts his most daring heist yet: a princess' priceless diamond with one slight imperfection, known as "The Pink Panther".

Directed by Blake Edwards. Written by Maurice Richlin and Blake Edwards.

You only live once... so see the Pink Panther twice!!!taglines

Inspector Jacques Clouseau

• [At a costume ball, to a police sergeant costumed as a zebra who drinks from the punch bowl] Any more behaviour like this and I'll have your stripes!
• [having stepped on and broken the violin] Oh well, if you've seen one Stradivarius, you've seen them all.

Dialogue

Gem dealer 1: As in every stone of this size, there is a flaw.

Sultan: A flaw?

Gem dealer 2: The slightest flaw, your excellency.

Gem dealer 1: If you look deep into the stone, you will perceive the tiniest discoloration. It resembles an animal.

Sultan: An animal?

Gem dealer 1: A little panther.

Sultan: Yes! A pink panther. Come here, Dala. A gift to your father from his grateful people. Some day it will be yours. The most fabulous diamond in all the world. Come closer.

---

Princess Dala: [after Sir Charles Lytton kisses her] If I were my father, I'd have you tortured.

Sir Charles Lytton: No. If you were your father, I doubt very much if I would have kissed you.

---

Inspector Jacques Clouseau: I am willing to bet you ten thousand francs, that the phantom is in Cortina at this very moment. Even, perhaps, in this very room.

Simone Clouseau: How exciting. What do you think, Mr. Tucker?

Tucker: Oh, I agree with the inspector. You see, Ten of his last fifteen victims have been guests at Angela Dunning's parties.

Sir Charles Lytton: What are we all talking about?

Simone Clouseau: The notorious Phantom.

Princess Dala: I'm afraid I never heard of him.

Sir Charles Lytton: From the little I've read about him, he seems to be quite a fellow.

Inspector Jacques Clouseau: Believe me. There are few thieves who are as clever as the Phantom. Each theft is completely different and unique, classic in its conception.

George Lytton: I thought you were working on the theory that he does repeat himself.

Inspector Jacques Clouseau: Well, only as far as Angela Dunning's parties are concerned. However, there is one other duplication, but that is his ah... trademark, his calling card, so to speak. He always leaves a white monogrammed glove.

Princess Dala: Sounds terribly theatrical.

---

Tucker: Your Highness, if I were the Phantom, I'd have chosen my victim already.

Princess Dala: Really? And who would that be?

Tucker: Well, who owns the most fabulous diamond in the world?

Princess Dala: I suppose I do.

Inspector Jacques Clouseau: Exactly. The Pink Panther. Such a prize he could never resist. He would be bound to try for it.

Princess Dala: I'm afraid he'd be disappointed. The Pink Panther is in my safe, at...

Inspector Jacques Clouseau: [interrupting] Your Highness, please. Don't say it, not here.

---

Simone Clouseau: If I'm not being too nosy your highness, I read somewhere there was some dispute over the ownership of the Pink Panther.

Princess Dala: It belongs to me. It was a gift from my late father. I shall never surrender it.

Sir Charles Lytton: Why should you?

Princess Dala: When the present government seized power, they claimed the diamond was the property of the people. There's even some talk of the international court deciding the issue.

Sir Charles Lytton: I'll tell you what, why don't I steal the diamond, leave that old glove or whatever it is behind, and you and I can split the insurance.

Princess Dala: All right.

George Lytton: I feel like dancing. [to Princess Dala] Your Highness?

Princess Dala: I'd love to.

---

Police escort: Tell me, inspector - Signor Phantom - all those robberies. How did you ever manage it?

Inspector Jacques Clouseau: Well, you know... it wasn't easy.

Cast

• David Niven - Sir Charles Lytton
• Peter Sellers - Inspector Jacques Clouseau
• Robert Wagner - George Lytton, Sir Charles' nephew
• Capucine - Simone Clouseau, Inspector Clouseau's wife
• Claudia Cardinale - Princess Dala
• Brenda De Banzie - Angela Dunning
• Colin Gordon - Tucker
• John Le Mesurier - Defense attorney
• James Lanphier - Saloud
• Guy Thomajan - Artoff
• Michael Trubshawe - Felix Townes, novelist
• Riccardo Billi - Aristotle Sarajos, Greek shipowner
• Meri Welles - Monica Fawn, Hollywood starlet
• Martin Miller - Pierre Luigi, photographer
• Fran Jeffries - ski lodge singer

Taglines

• You only live once... so see the Pink Panther twice!!!
• The star-studded international cast of the year sparkling in the wackiest, most wonderful sport - on the glamorous Italian Riviera where the jet-set swings, sways and plays...
• A Madcap Frolic Of Crime and Fun

External links

• The Pink Panther quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• The Pink Panther at Allmovie
• The Pink Panther at Mojo