The Pink Panther (PG) (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

The Pink Panther (PG)

It's a brave man who will take on a role previously played by a legend. Though Steve Martin is hugely popular in America, the British have always been lukewarm to his charms. Whereas Peter Sellars was not only a national icon, but was dearly loved in America as well. So with that in mind one has to ask oneself, was a remake of The Pink Panther necessary or indeed wise?

Chief Inspector Dreyfus (Kevin Kline) is down to the final two up for the prestigious Medal of Honor. He has already won it seven times and has no intention of losing out this time. However, there has been a nasty murder and he doesn't want to be seen making any obvious mistakes when trying to solve it. The victim was a world famous soccer coach, who was felled by a poisoned dart after his French team beat the China team. The coach's priceless diamond ring The Pink Panther mysteriously disappeared at the same time.

Dreyfus summons the indefatigable Inspector Clouseau (Steve Martin) to take on the case. He knows Clouseau is someone he can shift the blame on to if they don't catch their killer, and equally someone stupid enough that if they do, Dreyfus can take all the glory. Clouseau is given a new assistant Gendarme Gilbert Ponton (Jean Reno), who proves a massive support to him. One of their first stops is to interview the deceased coach's glamorous pop star girlfriend Xania (Beyon_e Knowles), who needless to say Clouseau takes a shine to. But they have to follow endless clues as Clouseau with the help of stoic Ponton bumbles his way across Paris and New York, before with the help of his devoted secretary Nicole (Emily Mortimer) they manage to get their murderer.

Recently I saw on TV a repeat of Blake Edward's 'The Pink Panther' (1963) and was surprised how dated it was. I was also reminded that all those years ago it really wasn't that funny, but Sellars' Clouseau had an endearing if irritating quality and Sellars was the master of physical comedy. It is odd that a man who spectacularly managed to mess up his own home life could inspire such devotion from his fans.

Interestingly enough Sellars wasn't even Edwards' original choice for Clouseau, it was Peter Ustinov. But I digress. There is absolutely no doubt this film is not a patch on any one of the many Pink Panthers (7 or 8 I think) starring Sellars, as it has cribbed from every slapstick and satire ever made without an original thought of its own. But as pure family entertainment it is fine and children will love it. Martin really isn't that bad and is great at slapstick; his main crime is he just ain't Sellars. But I am equally sure the new young generation who will be going to see this film won't care one jot, though their parents might think they have been there done that a thousand times before. 6/10