Rushed into production after the smash success of The Pink Panther (1963), A Shot in the Dark brings back the bumbling Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) to the scene of another crime — a murder at a country manor. Based on a French comedy titled The Idiot, the film was spot-welded into existence when director Blake Edwards and writer William Peter Blatty (The Exorcist) came aboard. They decided that the original murder mystery would work better as a sequel and thus created the linchpin of The Pink Panther franchise. The result is a live-action version of the board game Clue, with a sexy maid (Elke Sommer), a la Miss Scarlett, uncovered with a weapon in “the ballroom,” so to speak. Bodies proceed to pile up, but never fear, Clouseau is on the case! Think Pink! — Laura Emerick

Rated: PG