A Shot in the Dark (1964)

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PG
1h 42min
Comedy, Crime
05 Oct 1964 (Brazil)
Movie

7.4 (30,959)

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Inspector Clouseau falls in love with a murder suspect and tries to clear her name.

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Stars:

Awards:

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 nominations.
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Reviews:

Photos and Videos

Inspector Jacques Clouseau investigates the murder of Mr. Benjamin Ballon's driver at a country estate.

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122 photos | 2 videos

Cast verified as complete

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	Peter Sellers	...	Jacques Clouseau
	Elke Sommer	...	Maria Gambrelli
	George Sanders	...	Benjamin Ballon
	Herbert Lom	...	Charles Dreyfus
	Tracy Reed	...	Dominique Ballon
	Graham Stark	...	Hercule LaJoy
	Moira Redmond	...	Simone
	Vanda Godsell	...	Madame LaFarge
	Maurice Kaufmann	...	Pierre
	Ann Lynn	...	Dudu
	David Lodge	...	Georges
	André Maranne	...	Francois
	Martin Benson	...	Maurice
	Burt Kwouk	...	Kato
	Reginald Beckwith	...	Receptionist at Nudist Camp
	Douglas Wilmer	...	Henri LaFarge
	Bryan Forbes	...	Camp Attendant (as Turk Thrust)
	Andre Charisse	...	Game Warden (as André Charise)
	Howard Greene	...	Gendarme
	John Herrington	...	The Doctor
	Jack Melford	...	The Psycho-Analyst
	Victor Baring	...	Taxi Driver
	Victor Beaumont	...	Gendarme
	Tutte Lemkow	...	Kazak Dancer
	Hurtado de Córdoba	...	Flamenco Dancers & Guitarist (as Hurtado De Cordoba Ballet)
	Fred Hugh	...	Balding Customer
	Rose Hill	...	Soprano
	Tahitian Dance Group	...	Tahitian Dance Group
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Lewis Alexander	...	Amused Pedestrian (uncredited)
	Maurice Bush	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Tony Castleton	...	Nudist Band Member (uncredited)
	Pauline Chamberlain	...	Woman looking in Maria Gamhrelli's Car (uncredited)
	Mike Conner	...	Spanish Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Dan Cressey	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron / Recital Patron (uncredited)
	Dan Darnelli	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Fred Davis	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Joe Dunne	...	Gendarme (uncredited)
	Mabel Etherington	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Peter Evans	...	Coroner (uncredited)
	Joyce Everson	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Walter Henry	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	George Holdcroft	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Lindsay Hooper	...	French Police Inspector (uncredited)
	John Howard	...	Hawaian Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Jack Lambert	...	Man (uncredited)
	Aileen Lewis	...	Recital Attendee (uncredited)
	Leonard Llewellyn	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Nosher Powell	...	Man (uncredited)
	Charles Price	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Pat Ryan	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Peggy Scott Sanders	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Arnold Schulkes	...	Nudist (uncredited)
	Jeff Silk	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	William F. Sully	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Pat Symons	...	Recital Patron (uncredited)
	John Tatham	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
	Maisie Trent	...	Amused Pedestrian (uncredited)
	Pearl Walters	...	Amused Pedestrian / Flamenco Audience (uncredited)
	John Wilder	...	Kazak Restaurant Patron (uncredited)

Directed by

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Blake Edwards

Written by

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Blake Edwards	...	(screenplay) and
William Peter Blatty	...	(screenplay)

Harry Kurnitz	...	(based upon the stage play by)

Marcel Achard	...	(from the play 'L'idiote')

Peter Sellers	...	() (uncredited)

Produced by

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Blake Edwards	...	producer
Cecil F. Ford	...	associate producer
Walter Mirisch	...	executive producer (uncredited)

Music by

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Henry Mancini

Cinematography by

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Christopher Challis

...

director of photography

Editing by

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Bert Bates
Ralph E. Winters

Editorial Department

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Peter Elliott	...	first assistant editor (uncredited)
Martyn K.E. Green	...	second assistant editor (uncredited)

Production Design by

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Michael Stringer

Costume Design by

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Margaret Furse

Production Management

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Denis Johnson

...

production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Derek Cracknell	...	assistant director
Cliff Castle	...	third assistant director (uncredited)
Terence Churcher	...	second assistant director (uncredited)
Brian W. Cook	...	third assistant director (uncredited)
Denis Johnson Jr.	...	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Terry Ackland-Snow	...	draughtsman (uncredited)
Charles Bishop	...	draughtsman (uncredited)
Norman Dorme	...	assistant art director (uncredited)
Denise Exshaw	...	draughtsman (uncredited)
Mickey Pugh	...	dressing props (uncredited)
Tony Rimmington	...	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department

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John Bramall	...	sound recordist
Bill Cook	...	boom operator
Teddy Mason	...	sound editor
J.B. Smith	...	sound recordist
Timothy Gee	...	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Geoffrey Kidd	...	boom operator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

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Austin Dempster	...	camera operator
Mike Drew	...	clapper loader (uncredited)
Dennis Fraser	...	grip (uncredited)
Norman Gryspeerdt	...	still photographer (uncredited)
John Jordan	...	focus puller (uncredited)
Skeets Kelly	...	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Animation Department

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David H. DePatie	...	animation producer (uncredited)
George Dunning	...	animation director (uncredited)
Friz Freleng	...	animation producer (uncredited)
Bob Matz	...	animator: main titles (uncredited)
Norm McCabe	...	animator: main titles (uncredited)
Tom O'Loughlin	...	background artist (uncredited)
Dick Ung	...	layout artist (uncredited)
Don Williams	...	animator: main titles (uncredited)

Music Department

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Henry Mancini	...	conductor
Douglas Gamley	...	orchestrator (uncredited)
Henry Mancini	...	orchestrator (uncredited)
Richard Nash	...	musician: trombone soloist (uncredited)
Eric Tomlinson	...	music engineer (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Connie Willis

...

continuity

Transportation Department

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Eddie Frewin

...

transportation chief (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Leland Hayward	...	stage producer
Geoff Freeman	...	unit publicist (uncredited)
Maurice Landsberger	...	assistant production accountant (uncredited)
Golda Offenheim	...	production secretary (uncredited)

Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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The Mirisch Corporation (presents)
Mirisch Films

Distributors

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United Artists (1964) (United States) (theatrical)
United Artists de Mexico (1965) (Mexico) (theatrical)
Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1965) (Norway) (theatrical)
United Artists (1965) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
United Artists (1965) (Argentina) (theatrical) (as Artistas Unidos)
United Artists (1965) (Sweden) (theatrical)
CBS (1968) (United States) (tv) (pan/scan version)
Magnetic Video (1981) (United States) (VHS)
Warner Home Video (1982) (Australia) (VHS)
Warner Home Video (1982) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
CBS/Fox (1985) (United States) (VHS) (laserdisc)
Warner Home Video (1988) (United Kingdom) (VHS) (pan/scan version)
MGM Home Entertainment (1990) (United States) (VHS)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
MGM Home Entertainment (1993) (United States) (VHS)
Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
Warner Home Video (1997) (United States) (VHS)
MGM Home Entertainment (1999) (United States) (DVD)
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
Arthaus (2004) (Mexico) (theatrical) (re-release)
Compañía General de la Imagen (CGI) (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical) (re-release)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (United States) (DVD)
MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (United States) (VHS)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (United States) (DVD)
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (United States) (Blu-ray) (collector's edition)
Shout! Factory (2017) (United States) (Blu-ray) (The Pink Panther Film Collection)
Summer Classics (2021) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
ARTE (2022) (France) (tv)
United Artists (1965) (West Germany) (theatrical)
Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (United States) (VHS)

Special Effects

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Other Companies

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DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (DFE) (titles)
TVC London (animation production)
C.T.S. Studios (music recorded at)
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) (this picture made under the jurisdiction of)
Westrex Recording System (recording system)

Storyline

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Plot Summary	Ballon household: Benjamin Ballon and his wife Madame Ballon, Henri Lafarge the head Butler and his wife Madame Lafarge the Cook, Miguel Ostos the Head Chauffeur, Maria Gambrelli the third maid, Pierre the second Chauffeur and his wife Dudo the head Maid, Georges the Gardener and his wife Simone the second Maid, Maurice the second Butler. Affairs: Monsieur Ballon and Maria, Maria and Miguel, Henri and Dudo, Madame Ballon and Henri, Pierre and Simone. Who killed who: Madame Ballon accidentally shot Miguel because she suspected her husband of having an affair with Maria and wanted to kill him. Madame LaFarge killed Georges because he threatened to break up with her. Simone killed Dudo to eliminate her because she was in the way of her affair with Pierre. Monsieur Ballon killed Henri because he was having an affair with his wife. Blackmailers: Georges blackmailing Monsieur Ballon (Seen leaving Maria's room). Maurice blackmailing Madame Ballon. (Seen leaving Maria's room). Written by Bert Weissensee Plot Summary Plot Synopsis
Plot Keywords	second-part sequel murder-of-a-nude-woman nudity lighting-a-cigar See All (137) »
Taglines	The screen commits the perfect comedy! See more »
Genres	Comedy Crime Mystery
Parents Guide	View content advisory »
Certification	Argentina:13 Australia:PG Australia:A Brazil:12 Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) Canada:PG (Ontario) Canada:13+ (Quebec) Canada:G (video rating) Canada:G (Quebec) Finland:K-16 France:Tous publics Hungary:14 Iceland:L Ireland:PG Italy:T (DVD rating) Japan:G Netherlands:AL Netherlands:14 (orginal rating) New Zealand:PG Norway:16 Norway:11 Portugal:M/12 Singapore:PG Singapore:PG13 (Prime Video) Sweden:15 United Kingdom:PG (DVD rating) United Kingdom:A United Kingdom:PG (video rating) United States:Approved United States:TV-PG (TV rating) United States:TV-14 (some airings) United States:PG West Germany:12

Additional Details

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Also Known As	Quand l'inspecteur s'emmêle (France) Ein Schuß im Dunkeln (Germany) El nou cas de l'inspector Clouseau (Spain, Catalan title) El nuevo caso del inspector Clouseau (Spain) Quand l'inspecteur s'emmêle (Canada, French title) See more »
Runtime	102 min
Country	United Kingdom United States
Language	English Spanish
Color	Color
Aspect Ratio	2.35 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Filming Locations	Luton Hoo Estate, Luton, Bedfordshire, England, UK See more »

Did You Know?

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Trivia	Although they had worked well together on The Pink Panther (1963), the improvisational nature of A Shot in the Dark (1964) led to many arguments between Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards. At the end of filming, they both agreed never to work together again. This wouldn't last. They would ultimately re-team four years later for The Party (1968), and, subsequently, several Pink Panther sequels. See more »
Goofs	Clouseau falls into the fountain at the beginning. Yet when he puts a lit lighter into his wet coat it catches on fire. See more »
Movie Connections	Edited into Trail of the Pink Panther (1982). See more »
Soundtracks	Shadows of Paris See more »
Crazy Credits	The title sequence is of an animated Inspector Clouseau bumbling around, getting into scrapes. See more »
Quotes	Dreyfus: Give me ten men like Clouseau and I could destroy the world. See more »

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