What it’s about
After a murder is reported at the palatial estate of Benjamin Ballon (Sanders), the batty, hopelessly inept Inspector Clouseau (Sellers) arrives on the scene. All of the evidence points to Ballon’s sexy housemaid Maria Gambrelli (Sommer), but Clouseaustricken by the woman’s incandescent beautysetsoutto prove otherwise.
Why we love it
This hilarious second entry in the popular “Pink Panther” series finds pratfall artist Sellers tumbling into a pond, warding off nocturnal judo attacks from assistant Kato (Burt Kwouk)and trying to bed the woman he literally found holding a smoking gun. Sellers is at his nutty bestthe ravishing Sommer is slyly seductiveand Lom makes us feel his pain in his first outing as Chief Inspector Dreyfus. If you’re looking for a goofy murder mystery heavy on inspired sight gags, this “Shot” certainly hits the bull’s-eye.
Peter Sellers, George Sanders, Herbert Lom, Elke Sommer, Burt Kwouk Blake Edwards