Son of the Pink Panther

I wasn't aware of this at the time, but the French nearly squelched Middle Eastern terrorism almost fifteen years ago (by sending Clouseau's son, not the film...although that might have done it too).


Wikipedia entry:

Son of the Pink Panther (1993) was the ninth entry in the 30-year-old Pink Panther film series. Directed by Blake Edwards, it stars Roberto Benigni as Inspector Clouseau's illegitimate son. Also in this film are Panther regulars Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk and Graham Stark. In this outing, Lom's Commissioner Dreyfus, citing Clouseau's own track record, gives Jacques Gambrelli (Benigni) virtual carte blanche to proceed with the case at hand.

This was the first Pink Panther film in a decade, following two unsuccessful attempts to continue the series following the death of Peter Sellers, who originated the character of Clouseau. Considered a relaunch of the series, the plan was for Benigni - a popular Italian comedian who had yet to be discovered in America - to continue on where Sellers had left off. However, Son of the Pink Panther failed to generate critical or commercial success, the loss of Sellers proving once again to be too great. Benigni was not Edwards' first choice for the role. Kevin Kline, Rowan Atkinson, Gerard Depardieu, and Tim Curry were all considered before Benigni won the role. This would be both the last Panther film to be directed by Blake Edwards, and Edwards' final film to date.