The enduring image of Roberto Benigni for me is the crazy man climbing over people to collect his Oscar. Obviously, if he won, he has talent. But I didn't see anything so great here. He's not quite Peter Sellers.
In Gambrelli's first scene, the physical comedy was great, the writing was top-notch, and the performances of actors other than Benigni just fine. Benigni showed he could do physical comedy almost as well as Peter Sellers, though his delivery of dialogue lacked something.
Later on, Benigni showed more talent, or at least my expectations were lower and he met them. Gambrelli had quite a funny scene in a hospital when he thought a patient's bed control was a TV remote. This was the first and best of several disastrous scenes in that hospital (and I mean disastrous in a good way).
Gambrelli's funniest scene came when he pretended to be a doctor, though he had left the hospital when this particular scene took place. Other standout moments for Gambrelli came when he dressed like a Middle Easterner, and in the movie's final action scenes, and in the final scenes after the climax of the major plot.
The main plot line was silly but enjoyable. A subplot with an interesting spoiler seemed a distraction but actually contributed a lot later.
There was some real violence in addition to the slapstick that dominated the movie, but nothing too serious. Also several scenes from before and after sex.
I had a special reason for liking Cato Fong this time. If I saw him in any of the other movies, I don't remember. But Burt Kwouk is now a part of my Saturday nights on public TV, playing an intelligent but somewhat stereotypical philosopher/electrician, a man not all that different from Fong, in the British sitcom 'Last of the Summer Wine'.
And, of course, it was fun to watch Dreyfus being tortured, and Herbert Lom did a good job as usual. Claudia Cardinale did a fine job as Gambrelli's mother.
I don't remember how many Pink Panther movies I have seen. I do remember the one where Clouseau asked for a room and the hotel clerk couldn't understand him. Regardless, I do want to see all the Peter Sellers movies, and while I don't go to theaters, I look forward to the Steve Martin film when it is available on TV. Whether this film measures up depends on the individual, but I had a good time with it even after I realized it wasn't going to be the spectacular experience Sellers could have made it.
Not to be missed: the opening credits with the familiar theme music performed by multiple Bobby McFerrins in the style of 'Don't Worry, Be Happy', conducted by the animated pink cat that has become a staple of these movies (who I also enjoyed for years on Saturday mornings). I enjoyed the music in this movie overall, because it remained traditional, in the styles from the era when the first movie in the series was made.
Don't expect another Peter Sellers, but this was still fun.
In Gambrelli's first scene, the physical comedy was great, the writing was top-notch, and the performances of actors other than Benigni just fine. Benigni showed he could do physical comedy almost as well as Peter Sellers, though his delivery of dialogue lacked something.
Later on, Benigni showed more talent, or at least my expectations were lower and he met them. Gambrelli had quite a funny scene in a hospital when he thought a patient's bed control was a TV remote. This was the first and best of several disastrous scenes in that hospital (and I mean disastrous in a good way).
Gambrelli's funniest scene came when he pretended to be a doctor, though he had left the hospital when this particular scene took place. Other standout moments for Gambrelli came when he dressed like a Middle Easterner, and in the movie's final action scenes, and in the final scenes after the climax of the major plot.
The main plot line was silly but enjoyable. A subplot with an interesting spoiler seemed a distraction but actually contributed a lot later.
There was some real violence in addition to the slapstick that dominated the movie, but nothing too serious. Also several scenes from before and after sex.
I had a special reason for liking Cato Fong this time. If I saw him in any of the other movies, I don't remember. But Burt Kwouk is now a part of my Saturday nights on public TV, playing an intelligent but somewhat stereotypical philosopher/electrician, a man not all that different from Fong, in the British sitcom 'Last of the Summer Wine'.
And, of course, it was fun to watch Dreyfus being tortured, and Herbert Lom did a good job as usual. Claudia Cardinale did a fine job as Gambrelli's mother.
I don't remember how many Pink Panther movies I have seen. I do remember the one where Clouseau asked for a room and the hotel clerk couldn't understand him. Regardless, I do want to see all the Peter Sellers movies, and while I don't go to theaters, I look forward to the Steve Martin film when it is available on TV. Whether this film measures up depends on the individual, but I had a good time with it even after I realized it wasn't going to be the spectacular experience Sellers could have made it.
Not to be missed: the opening credits with the familiar theme music performed by multiple Bobby McFerrins in the style of 'Don't Worry, Be Happy', conducted by the animated pink cat that has become a staple of these movies (who I also enjoyed for years on Saturday mornings). I enjoyed the music in this movie overall, because it remained traditional, in the styles from the era when the first movie in the series was made.
Don't expect another Peter Sellers, but this was still fun.