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Trail of the Pink Panther
original movie poster
Directed by	Blake Edwards
Produced by	Blake Edwards
Written by	Blake Edwards Geoffrey Edwards Frank Waldman Tom Waldman
Starring	Peter Sellers Herbert Lom David Niven Richard Mulligan Capucine
Music by	Henry Mancini
Cinematography	Dick Bush
Editing by	Alan Jones
Distributed by	MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
Release date(s)	December 17, 1982
Running time	96 min.
Country	U.K.
Language	English
Preceded by	Revenge of the Pink Panther
Followed by	Curse of the Pink Panther
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Trail of the Pink Panther was a 1982 movie starring Peter Sellers. It was the seventh film in the Pink Panther series. Sellers' involvement was via flashbacks and unused footage from The Pink Panther Strikes Again, as he died before production of this film began. Although marketed as a tribute to Sellers, the movie was widely panned, although a follow-up, Curse of the Pink Panther soon followed since part of that film was shot concurrently with this one. David Niven makes a cameo appearance in this film, but due to ill health his voice was considered too weak and so he was overdubbed by impressionist Rich Little. Other returning actors include Herbert Lom as Dreyfus, Graham Stark as Hercule (from A Shot in the Dark), and Burt Kwouk as Cato.

This was the last Pink Panther project in which Peter Sellers played Inspector Jacques Clouseau.

The story involves Clouseau being called in to investigate the latest theft of the Pink Panther diamond. Sellers' appearances in the first half of the film are taken from deleted scenes shot for The Pink Panther Strikes Again. In one scene Clouseau is heavily bandaged and possibly played by another actor, while two other scenes in the film include dialogue that has clearly been dubbed.

En route Clouseau disappears, and Marie Jouvet (Joanna Lumley), a journalist investigating his disappearance, sets out to discover his background by interviewing people with whom he was involved over the years. This provides ample opportunities for flashbacks to scenes from the earlier films. Jouvet also interviews Clouseau's father (a heavily disguised Richard Mulligan), providing glimpses of Clouseau's childhood where he is played by Lucca Mezzofanti, and his early career in the French Resistance in which he is played by Daniel Peacock.

The film ends with Jouvet concluding that Clouseau must be alive. Clouseau (played by Joe Dunne, only seen from behind) is glimpsed standing on a seaside cliff, and a montage of Sellers' performances plays alongside the closing credits.

• Filmed at the same time as Curse of the Pink Panther.
• Contrary to popular misconception, Alan Arkin, who played Clouseau in 1968's Inspector Clouseau does NOT have an uncredited cameo as a younger Clouseau.
• David Niven was near death from motor neurone disease at the time of shooting. His voice is dubbed over in parts by Rich Little.
• The animated openings and closings for Trail of the Pink Panther and Curse of the Pink Panther were created by Marvel Productions. The company was formerly known as DePatie Freleng Enterprises, until co-founder David DePatie sold the studio to Marvel Comics in 1980. DePatie's partner, Friz Freleng, retired in 1981, a year after the Pink Panther shorts ended its run in theaters in 1980.
• After Sellers' death, his widow Lynne Frederick won nearly $1.5 million in a lawsuit against the makers of the film, claiming it tarnished Sellers' memory.

• Trail of the Pink Panther at the Internet Movie Database
• the agony booth : TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER

The Pink Panther and Inspector Clouseau

The Pink Panther | A Shot in the Dark | Inspector Clouseau Return of the Pink Panther | The Pink Panther Strikes Again | Revenge of the Pink Panther | Trail of the Pink Panther | Curse of the Pink Panther Son of the Pink Panther | The Pink Panther (2006) Romance of the Pink Panther (never produced) | The Pink Panther 2 (2008) (tentative)

The Pink Panther cartoon character | The Pink Panther Show | Pink Panther and Sons | The Inspector

Blake Edwards
The Pink Panther	The Pink Panther (1963) | A Shot in the Dark (1964) | The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) | The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) | Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978) | Trail of the Pink Panther (1982) | Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) | Son of the Pink Panther (1993) | The Pink Panther Show (1964)
1950s	Bring Your Smile Along | He Laughed Last | Mister Cory | This Happy Feeling | The Perfect Furlough | Operation Petticoat
1960s	High Time | Breakfast at Tiffany's | Experiment in Terror | Days of Wine and Roses | The Great Race | What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? | Gunn | The Party
1970s	Darling Lili | Wild Rovers | The Carey Treatment | The Tamarind Seed | 10
1980s	S.O.B. | Victor/Victoria | The Man Who Loved Women | Micki + Maude | A Fine Mess | That's Life! | Blind Date | Sunset | Skin Deep
1990s	Switch
Productions	Panhandle (1948) | Soldier in the Rain (1963)
Television	Four Star Playhouse (1952–1956) | Peter Gunn (1958–1961) | Mr. Lucky (1959–1960) | The Dick Powell Show (1961–1963) | Justin Case (1988) | Peter Gunn (1989) | Julie (1992) | Victor/Victoria (1995)