Holly
02-27-2006, 03:45 PM
Steve Martin is no Peter Sellers.
Does that really come as any surprise? But Steve Martin is very much Steve Martin, and if you go into the new remake of “The Pink Panther” not anticipating anything different, you should get some chuckles from his interpretation of Inspector Jacques Clouseau ... arguably the most inept sleuth ever to make his way to a movie screen.
It's always risky for another performer to gamble with a role that was another actor's trademark, which Clouseau absolutely was for the one-of-a-kind Sellers in a number of films throughout the '60s and '70s. Some like to contend there were many more than one “Hamlet” on stage, and yes, there also was more than one James Bond (though it's largely felt none has been better than the original, Sean Connery).
Anyone hoping to play Clouseau effectively must have a comedic dexterity; Steve Martin certainly has that, but don't view him as a literal replacement for Sellers, and you -- and the new film -- will be much better off.
As in the original, a celebrated diamond called the Pink Panther is missing, and it's up to Clouseau to track down the culprit and the gem. David Niven was the likeliest suspect the first time around, but now, it's Beyonce Knowles. (Playing, of all things, a SINGER!) If that doesn't show how far the filmmakers have tried to advance the story over 40 years, nothing will.
For any literal plot “The Pink Panther” tries to follow, it's mainly a framework on which to hang a parade of gags, some of them lifted right out of the original series (the clumsy attempts at executing karate against the sidekick now portrayed by Jean Reno, the clashes with the police boss now played by Kevin Kline, etc.). Instead of being thoroughly satisfying, the result is more on the order of a “What if?” curio: “What if Steve Martin pretended to be Inspector Clouseau?”
Another vital element missing is the touch of Blake Edwards, the master filmmaker who was as essential to the screen legend of Clouseau as Sellers was. The remake falls into the directorial hands of Shawn Levy, who also guided Martin through the “Cheaper by the Dozen” comedies; they clearly know each other's rhythms, but it's a vastly different beat from the one Sellers and Edwards established, despite their reportedly frequent collisions on the set.
Take “The Pink Panther” as the mild confection it is, and not as an exact substitute for what audiences have known for more than four decades, and you should have some fun with it. But if you want much more from a Clouseau, head straight for the video store. (All of the Sellers originals have just been re-released on DVD.)
(Rated PG)
Does that really come as any surprise? But Steve Martin is very much Steve Martin, and if you go into the new remake of “The Pink Panther” not anticipating anything different, you should get some chuckles from his interpretation of Inspector Jacques Clouseau ... arguably the most inept sleuth ever to make his way to a movie screen.
It's always risky for another performer to gamble with a role that was another actor's trademark, which Clouseau absolutely was for the one-of-a-kind Sellers in a number of films throughout the '60s and '70s. Some like to contend there were many more than one “Hamlet” on stage, and yes, there also was more than one James Bond (though it's largely felt none has been better than the original, Sean Connery).
Anyone hoping to play Clouseau effectively must have a comedic dexterity; Steve Martin certainly has that, but don't view him as a literal replacement for Sellers, and you -- and the new film -- will be much better off.
As in the original, a celebrated diamond called the Pink Panther is missing, and it's up to Clouseau to track down the culprit and the gem. David Niven was the likeliest suspect the first time around, but now, it's Beyonce Knowles. (Playing, of all things, a SINGER!) If that doesn't show how far the filmmakers have tried to advance the story over 40 years, nothing will.
For any literal plot “The Pink Panther” tries to follow, it's mainly a framework on which to hang a parade of gags, some of them lifted right out of the original series (the clumsy attempts at executing karate against the sidekick now portrayed by Jean Reno, the clashes with the police boss now played by Kevin Kline, etc.). Instead of being thoroughly satisfying, the result is more on the order of a “What if?” curio: “What if Steve Martin pretended to be Inspector Clouseau?”
Another vital element missing is the touch of Blake Edwards, the master filmmaker who was as essential to the screen legend of Clouseau as Sellers was. The remake falls into the directorial hands of Shawn Levy, who also guided Martin through the “Cheaper by the Dozen” comedies; they clearly know each other's rhythms, but it's a vastly different beat from the one Sellers and Edwards established, despite their reportedly frequent collisions on the set.
Take “The Pink Panther” as the mild confection it is, and not as an exact substitute for what audiences have known for more than four decades, and you should have some fun with it. But if you want much more from a Clouseau, head straight for the video store. (All of the Sellers originals have just been re-released on DVD.)
(Rated PG)