Produced as a standalone sequel to The Pink Panther, it is the second installment in the eponymous film series, with Peter Sellers reprising his role as Inspector Jacques Clouseau of the French Sûreté.

Clouseau's blundering personality is unchanged, but it was in this film that Sellers began to give him the idiosyncratically exaggerated French accent that was to later become a hallmark of the character.

Graham Stark, who portrays police officer Hercule Lajoy, would reprise this role eighteen years later, in Trail of the Pink Panther (1982).

The following day, while training with his manservant Cato under a strict unplanned arrangement between them, Clouseau is reinstated to head the investigation after Dreyfus is ordered by his superiors to do so, through Ballon's political influence.

In discussion with his assistant, Hercule about the murder, Clouseau asserts that Maria is innocent despite the evidence against her, but believes she is protecting the real killer who he suspects might be Ballon himself.

Sellers was attached to star in the adaptation of Harry Kurnitz's Broadway hit before the release and success of The Pink Panther, but was not pleased with the script by Alec Coppel and Norman Krasna.

Edwards declined initially, but eventually relented under pressure on the condition he could rewrite the script, substitute Inspector Clouseau for the lead character, and choreograph comic scenes on the fly as he and Sellers had successfully done for their previous film.

[4] Edwards' rewritten script bore little resemblance to Kurnitz's play, and in response Sellers's co-star Walter Matthau quit the film.

Taking inspiration from his teacher Ed Parker in martial arts, Edwards created the new character Cato Fong using the American Kenpo style.

Parker briefly worked alongside Edwards learning more about cinematography and suggested that he implement slow motions at certain fight scenes in order to increase the dramatic effect and make the moves more noticeable for audiences.

"[8] Variety wrote: "Wisdom remains to be seen of projecting a second appearance of the hilariously inept detective so soon after the still-current firstrun showing of 'Panther,' since some of the spontaneous novelty may have worn off, but the laughs are still there abundantly through imaginative bits of business and a few strike belly proportions.

"[10] Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post called it "a hardworking comedy," adding "While the lines are bright and sometimes blue, the real fun comes from sight gags, an old if neglected film ingredient.

"[12] John McCarten of The New Yorker wrote, "'A Shot in the Dark' as done on Broadway was a mediocre comedy, but Blake Edwards, who directed the film and collaborated on the script with William Peter Blatty, had the good sense to toss the foundation stock out the window and let Mr.

The critical consensus reads: "A Shot in the Dark is often regarded as the best of the Pink Panther sequels, and Peter Sellers gives a top-notch performance that makes slapstick buffoonery memorable.