Ten Must See Films by Director Blake Edwards

Edwards was a master at comedy, particularly slapstick, having likely been influenced by the great clowns of silent screen. But he could also make serious, touching, disturbing and downright scary movies as well. Much like Billy Wilder he tried to cover the gamut of film genres in his career that spanned over fifty years. Romance, epics, westerns. Edwards did just about everything but go into outer space.

Edwards, like most directors of his generation, got his start on television but soon moved into the field of motion pictures in the 50's. His first big splash was, not surprisingly, a comedy (Operation Petticoat). Edwards then crossed over to the romantic comedy (Breakfast at Tiffany's) before making two dark films in 1962. Days of Wine and Roses was the stark drama about alcoholism while Experiment in Terror was a solid thriller. He then helped give birth to one of the most successful film series of all time when he cast Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau in The Pink Panther. This would lead to four enormously successful sequels in the 60's and 70's but would also lead to embarrassment for Edwards in the 1980's when, even after the death of Peter Sellers, he refused to let the series die. 1982's Trail of the Pink Panther featured new footage with series veterans interspersed with outtakes and deleted scenes featuring Sellers. 1983's Curse of the Pink Panther found Edwards trying to introduce a new wacky detective (Inspector Sleigh - played valiantly but unsuccessfully by television actor Ted Wass). Never one to give up Edwards tried reviving the series one last time in 1993 with then unknown Roberto Begnini in the title role of Son of the Pink Panther. It proved to be, in my opinion, Edwards' worst movie on his long resume and, sadly, it would be his last directorial effort for the big screen.

Edwards was also well known as the husband of Julie Andrews with whom he was married from 1967 until he took his final breath last December 15.

This article is going to take a look at ten films of Blake Edwards I think you should see if you haven't. Like Edwards' resume I have included some funny, some not so funny and some surprises. Most lists done by film fans would undoubtedly include Tiffany's and Victor/Victoria but you won't find them here. Tiffany's is universally loved and doesn't need mention while Victor/Victoria was, for me, overlong by about 30 minutes and a bit too farfetched for my taste. I never bought the whole hidden identity bit between Julie Andrews and James Garner.

Here are the ten Blake Edwards films any movie fan should see. They may not all be great but if you read my descriptions you will see why it is included here. I have them listed in alphabetical order.

DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES (1962) - A still potent and powerful look into the world of alcoholics and alcoholism and how it affects everything and everyone around you is about a successful businessman and alcoholic (Jack Lemmon), who meets and falls in love with a lovely woman (Lee Remick) and soon turns her into an alcoholic. Their romance leads to marriage and a downward spiral in their lives with seemingly no hope ahead for them. Edwards wisely doesn't back away from the seriousness of his story and it becomes a sad film but a powerful one. Reportedly studio head Jack Warner wanted the downbeat ending changed and Edwards got wind of it and ordered Lemmon to leave the country for a month without revealing to Edwards where he was going. When Warner approached Edwards for reshoots Edwards had to explain that Lemmon was on vacation and unreachable, thus forcing Warner to release the film as is. This was the second film Edwards would release that year - the first being the next film on the list.

EXPERIMENT IN TERROR (1962) - The first of two Edwards films to open that year (before Days of Wine and Roses), Edwards opens his movie with one of the most chilling scenes of its era. After the opening credit theme (by the masterful and longtime Edwards collaborator Henry Mancini) that would later be the opening theme to Chicago's Creature Feature from the 1970's, the lovely Lee Remick (again) pulls her car into her garage and, as she gets out, hears the troubled, asthmatic breathing of someone in the garage with her. The breathing belongs to a man who threatens to kill her sister if she does not steal $100,000 from the bank where she is employed. She calls the FBI and agent Glenn Ford is on the case as the man leaves a trail of bodies behind as he awaits the money. This is a suspenseful film with a bit of a contrived ending taking place at the old Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Still a very entertaining film.

THE GREAT RACE (1965) - This is certainly not one of Edwards' best movies but it may be his most audacious. This is a nearly three hour comedy about a road race in the early 20^th century from New York to Paris pitting good guy Tony Curtis (whose teeth sparkle every time he smiles) against bad guys Jack Lemmon and Peter Falk (who make the film always worth watching). Along for the ride are the lovely Natalie Wood and Keenan Wynn. This film works in fit and starts and has as many forgettable moments as memorable ones. But the memorable ones make the film worth seeing. Lemmon's dual role as the bad guy and a King with the goofiest laugh you have ever heard. The largest pie fight in film history that has to be seen to be believed as Tony Curtis walks through the scene completely untouched despite pies being thrown everywhere (I would love to know how long it took to shoot that scene). The last shot of the film is a real beauty. Edwards threw everything into his epic comedy but the kitchen sink and, wouldn't you know it, he might have needed the kitchen sink after all.

MICKI AND MAUDE (1984) - This is the one film on the list that I feel is Blake Edwards' most underappreciated. Dudley Moore plays a news reporter who, while married to a woman (Ann Reinking) he never sees because of their work commitments, begins an affair with a musician (Amy Irving) and is soon horrified to discover that both women are now pregnant with his children so he cannot leave one for the other in good conscience. As ludicrous as this may sound Edwards creates scenarios where they keep meeting (or almost meeting) and makes it believable though it is likely that in real life not one of these scenarios could really happen or, if they do, work. But Edwards pulls it off with the help of Moore giving his best performance and makes it one of the funniest films of the 1980's and if there is one film you will look up to watch I hope it is this one.

THE PARTY (1968) - The only non-Clouseau film pairing of Edwards with Peter Sellers and it's one of their best movies. Sellers plays an Indian film extra that, as the movie opens, ruins a shot in a movie and is fired. The director's secretary mistakenly puts Sellers on the invite list to a party at a producer's house and then he shows up only to wreak total havoc. Many memorable bits but none more hilarious than when Sellers has to urinate and cannot find an unoccupied bathroom. The looks of agony on his face are priceless. The film's last half hour is a little dated with the appearance of hippies but still the movie is well worth watching for any fan of Sellers or Edwards.

A SHOT IN THE DARK (1964) - The follow up to The Pink Panther is, for my money, the very best in the series and one of the funniest films I have ever seen. Interestingly this was not meant to be an Inspector Clouseau film but was based on a play of that era. Peter Sellers was cast but the original director and he were not getting along so Sellers suggested Blake Edwards be brought in to replace him. Edwards came aboard and, after reading the script, decided this would make an ideal Clouseau vehicle so he re-wrote the script. The results are a comedic masterpiece about a woman who is the obvious suspect in a series of murders that occur and how Clouseau, through love and instinct, continues to proclaim her innocence. This film has more laugh out loud moments than most films have laughs and it always a film that makes me feel better when I watch it.

SKIN DEEP(1989) - This is likely the one film most people would disagree with me for inclusion on this list. Edwards' once again tackles the themes of stardom and alcoholism and out of control behavior with John Ritter (in his best performance) as a novelist who simply cannot remain faithful to one woman. As the film opens he is accosted by his mistress while sleeping with her hairdresser and then is caught in that dilemma by his wife as he tries to get out of the first jam. Soon he is drinking too much, has writer's block and is sleeping with any woman who will have him. I am including this film for a few reasons. I think Ritter's performance makes the film worth watching, Edwards' dialogue is crisp and real, and it contains three of the funniest scenes Edwards ever put on film. One involves Ritter's reaction to showing up for a formal dinner mistakenly believing it is a costume party (where he is dressed as a genie). One is the aftermath of a new electro therapy session that is inflicted on him by one of his ex-wives who is still bitter and takes it out on him with the dangerous voltage levels she inflicts. The last is, in my opinion, the funniest scene Edwards ever shot. Simply put it is a glow in the dark condom scene that has to be seen to be believed and you may have to watch it twice because you may have your eyes closed from laughing so hard.

S.O.B. (1981) - Edwards' revenge on Hollywood for the way he felt he was treated for making the big budget flop Darling Lili tells the story of a film director (Richard Mulligan) whose latest film is so bad it is pulled from theaters. The director first decides to kill himself and then has an epiphany where he believes he can save the movie by having his soon to be ex wife (Julie Andrews), forever a wholesome image in film, do a nude scene. The film covers all the areas of Hollywood with scathing and hilarious results. There is the alcoholic writer (William Holden, in his last film), the bisexual agent (Shelley Winters), the cross dressing studio head (Robert Vaughn), the pill popping doctor (Robert Preston) and many more. Edwards never lets up and neither does the film and it turns into a true black comedy and is one of his best films.

10 (1979) - Edwards' first foray into the adult comedy that would anchor his career from then on was also his first non-Pink Panther hit in over a decade and announced his return as a major filmmaker. Dudley Moore stars as a movie composer just turning forty-two, his relationship with a singer (Julie Andrews, showing off her sexiness for the first time) and his utter obsession with a woman (Bo Derek) that he spots in a limousine and soon is trying to track her down. This is Edwards at his best as he gets laughs out of the absurdity of what is known as the mid-life crisis. As usual Edwards gets laughs out of the little things (a bee sting, hot sand, a dog passing gas) while never straying far from the dramatics of the story. This made Moore and Derek stars but also look for nice performances by Brian Dennehy and Dee Wallace. This is a great adult comedy.

THAT'S LIFE (1986) - Perhaps Edwards' most personal film is this comedy/drama starring Jack Lemmon and Julie Andrews as a married couple coming to different crises' in their lives at the same time. Lemmon, a chronic hypochondriac, is about to turn sixty and is convinced that every ache and pain is putting him one step closer to the grave. Andrews is his understanding and compassionate wife who, while planning her husband's birthday party, has a biopsy on a lump found and must wait the entire weekend to find out if she has cancer or not. This is a perceptive film about life and aging and while it has its funny moments it never pokes fun at the main theme. Edwards uses such realism that he casts his and Andrews' kids in the film along with Lemmon's son. The house they live in also happens to be the house Edwards and Andrews owned at that time. The film has its flaws but it's one to watch and listen to. Getting old can be frightening but it can also be rewarding.