The Pink Panther (NR, 1964)

common sense media says

Funny and entertaining after all these years.


parents & educators say
  • 67% say sexual content is an issue
  • 33% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has comic slapstick violence and some sexually suggestive material, but kids will split their sides with laughter. A lot will go over their heads, but there's enough action and pratfalls to keep them interested. You may want to point out that in real life con artists and thieves are not so funny.

Positive messages: The "good guys" are gentleman thieves, adulterers and loveable con-artists, breeds that never seem much in evidence outside of Hollywood fantasies.
Violence: Mild pratfalls, Clouseau clumsily firing a gun (and, later, fireworks), in all directions. A comical car chase ends in a pileup.
Sex: Infidelity and bedroom talk, mostly coy with any action offscreen. Sir Charles is accused of closet homosexuality, in very euphemistic terms that might easily go over kids' heads.
Language: Use of "hell" here and there.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Social drinking and "cute" drunkenness.

More on The Pink Panther

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about how this first film compares to the zanier, more slapstick, subsequent Pink Panther movies.

What's the story?

What's the story?
In THE PINK PANTHER, Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven), a globetrotting bachelor who is in secret a super-thief called the Phantom, has been making fools of police around the world for 15 years. No fool is bigger than Inspector Clouseau, whose been pursuing the Phantom all that time, always one step behind. That's because Clouseau's adored wife Simone (Capucine) is Lytton's secret accomplice -- and mistress. Clouseau correctly reasons the Phantom's next target will be the Pink Panther diamond worn by Indian princess Dala (Claudia Cardinale), who is due to visit a ski resort in the Alps. Clouseau travels there to catch the thief, and brings Simone with him. Sir Charles shows up and begins using his considerable charm on Princess Dala. Bumbling Clouseau misses all the signs his treacherous wife has no interest in him, but he does gradually suspect Sir Charles. To complicate matters, Sir Charles' nephew (Robert Wagner) and turns out to be a con artist who also plans to steal the Pink Panther, during a costume ball.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Viewers who seek out the first-ever Pink Panther on video might be disappointed to find Peter Sellers isn't the star of this caper flick. He's funny, but the traits of epic-scale slapstick lunacy that made Clouseau famous were to evolve later, in spinoff/sequels. The costume ball is the only part of the picture that really comes to life with the slapstick that Sellers fans came to expect. Most of The Pink Panther is stagier, drawing-room comedy, heavy on pillow-talk dialogue and lovers ducking in and out of adjacent hotel rooms.

While the sex-oriented banter is old-school Hollywood -- very coy and civilized and likely to go over kids' heads -- even young viewers might notice that Clouseau is played with more realism and less clowning. He is actually a rather sad character. He fails to notice his Simone's indifference to him, and she puts off his passionate advances with complaints that she can't "relax" (in fact, she's seeing Sir Charles at every opportunity). While grownups and older kids might enjoy the verbose farce and the charisma of the stars, younger kids may get more entertainment value out of any given Pink Panther cartoon.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: MGM/UA
Director: Blake Edwards
Cast: David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 113 minutes
Theatrical release: March 18, 1964
DVD release: August 14, 2001
MPAA Rating: NR

This review was written by Charles Cassady Jr.
 
 

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What parents & educators say

7
Based on 3 parent & educator reviews:
  • 67% say sexual content is an issue
  • 33% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking

Most useful reviews by all members

kevin
teen, 15 years old
 
good comedy

manay_4511
teen, 14 years old
 

moviebash
teen, 15 years old
 
I laughed!
Terrific Film... You'll be crying by the end. (from laughter, that is.)

MisterDad
parent
 
60's Bedroom Farce
We watched this expecting to see a slapstick comedy, and there is plenty of that, but at its heart, this is essentially a 60's bedroom farce, with a crime caper to add spice to it. Nothing is explicit, so there's nothing corrupting young minds without a frame of reference, but the parents will get uncomfortable because they do understand what's being alluded to off-screen. It's actually refreshing to see the sexual canoodling handled so adroitly and inoffensively, but it's there, your little kids just won't get it.

rameshs
parent
 
Maybe for older kids, but not for tweens
It turned out to be a very boring movie. My 9 year old did not like it. The humor was simply out of date. The bedroom scenes were too long, and there is a fairly long seduction sequence. I will not recommend this to a 8-9 year old.

4kidshater
teen, 14 years old
 
A zany funny film
This is a fun film. It's does have some bad stuff, But sorta of apporiate for kids. This is a funny movie. I recommeded it.

 
Not a good message for morality...behavior before marriage & fidelity after.
There was way too much casual acceptance of infidelity (Clouseau's wife of 10 years was cheating on him-probably the whole time- with Sir Charles; who did not seem bothered if she were to also get involved with his nephew) & talk of virginity (not in a respectful way) & getting a woman drunk(she gave in to pressure "are you afraid?" & drank alcohol for the first time, & would Sir Charles take advantage of her? There was no mention of this is not a good thing...it was presented as amusing, & not that she did anything wrong to give in to peer pressure.

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age