The Party (1968)

*** out of ****

I was 20 years old and living in a townhouse at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario. I had three roommates, and though we didn't know each other when we were assigned to live together, we all became great friends. One of them, a teacher's college student named Jason, and I shared a love of movies. And also at that time, channel 57 out of Toronto (CITY-TV) had a nightly program called “Late Great Movies”, where they would show classic films from about midnight until 5 in the morning.

One particular night after Letterman we flipped the TV onto Late Great Movies where Peter Sellers, dressed as a “Gunga Din”-styled Indian military man, was accidentally blowing up a movie set. Jason, who was watching with me, started freaking out, “Oh my God!  It's 'The Party'!” When I told him I had never seen it he said that we were staying up to watch it and that I was in for a treat. And for the next two hours the two of us howled with laughter like hyenas watching this film unfold. Since that night I have simply loved this movie, and I bet I've seen it 20 times. Much like more modern kids with “Anchorman” (2004), this is a film that we all constantly quoted from over gales of laughter.

Peter Sellers is Hrundi V. Bakshi, an East Indian actor trying to make a career in Hollywood. After several misadventures playing a minor character in a studio movie, he accidentally blows up the entire set, costing the studio hundreds of thousands of dollars. When the studio head is informed of the incident he scrawls the actor's name down on a pad on his desk so that he can blacklist him to never work in movies again. But what he didn't notice was that he'd written the name at the bottom of the invitation list for his wife's upcoming dinner party. When his secretary takes the list, suddenly Hrundi is invited to an “A” list Hollywood soiree.

Sellers plays Hrundi as a classic movie goofball – a guy that tries to do right but can't help but create havoc everywhere he goes. From the moment he arrives at the party and realizes that he has a little mud on his shoe, the laughs are virtually non-stop. His misadventures all start so innocently, and end with such hysterically funny results, that your sides hurt. Add in an alcoholic waiter, a cowboy-movie star, an ice bowl full of caviar and some “birdie-num-nums” and it's almost beyond belief.

Now I won't lie – this is not a movie for all senses of humour. I have watched it with people who didn't crack a smile the entire film. I suppose it's more of an “era” thing – this was comedy designed for the late 60s movie audience, and viewed in that light (and when in a good mood) it couldn't be funnier. If you're looking for profane or “shock” comedy, you won't find it here. This film is all about situations – what is the worst thing that could happen?

Some of the side characters are fun to see as well. Gavin Macleod (Captain Stubing from “The Love Boat”) has a fairly large role, and there is a small part for a very young Valerie Perrine. But Sellers is the star of the show and he shines throughout.

While the film loses some of it's comedic steam in the last 20 minutes or so, overall it's still one of my favorite comedies and even after many viewings it still makes me laugh. Even though I have only given it 3 stars, as I am not suggesting it is a truly great film only a truly funny one, I still give it my highest recommendation. Hilarious.