Blake Edwards was on quite a roll. Having just directed “The Pink Panther” in 1963 and “Shot in the Dark in 1964,” both starring the great Peter Sellers, the director utilized his ample penchant for slapstick comedy to hilarious effect in 1965’s “The Great Race.” It’s just after the turn of the 20th century, and two daredevils are competing for public attention by trying to outdo one another with various stunts. The Great Leslie (Tony Curtis) is the quintessential good guy—handsome, fit, with a gleaming smile that almost outshines his all-white suit. Leslie’s assistant is a man named Hezekiah Sturdy (Keenan Wynn). On the other side of the equation is the dastardly Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon), a villainous character who constantly conspires to usurp Leslie’s crown as king of the stunt world. The professor’s assistant is Maximilian Meen (Peter Falk). This heated rivalry reaches a critical moment when Leslie proposes …