The Party

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The Party

Released Apr 4, 1968

1h 39m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

While trying to tie his shoe, bumbling extra Hrundi V. Bakshi (Peter Sellers) unwittingly triggers explosives that destroy the set of an epic war film. The furious director tells executive Fred Clutterbuck (J. Edward McKinley) to fire him. Because of a misunderstanding, Bakshi instead mistakenly receives an invitation to an exclusive party at Clutterbuck's Hollywood mansion, where he proceeds to wreak havoc on partygoers as he stumbles through what will become the wildest night he's ever seen.

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Sam Adams

The Dissolve

The film makes a strong argument for the liberating joys of disorder.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 22, 2014

Full Review

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Plays like leftovers from the Panther films.

Rated: C

May 4, 2005

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Edwards directs with economy for most of the way, but when the living room fills up with soapsuds and the elephant, he can't help lingering over the expensive scene he's produced.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Designed as both a homage to silent comedy as well as an exercise in improvisation.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 11, 2023

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

An ode to the classic cinema of Keaton and Chaplin, Edwards' title is a light trifle, The Party a fun exercise for fans of Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards in their only non-Pink Panther union.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 3, 2020

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

A few sight gags go over well and the satire sometimes hits the mark, but much of the film stalls with too many repetition accidents.

Rated: B-

Apr 20, 2019

Full Review

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Rare T

Funny and immersive, The Party is a never-ending spiral of extravaganza, which while mostly farcical is still somehow resonant at some extent.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/14/25

Full Review

King C

Absolutely hilarious! One of Seller's bests and an absolute classic in my opinion. And for those complaining about his brownface portrayal of an Indian man, as an actor working in the industry for many many years now, myself may I simply say...THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED ACTING! OUR WHOLE JOB IS TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES AND PUSH OURSELVES INTO AREAS WE'RE NOT COMFORTABLE/FAMILIAR WITH! Not to mention the film itself is hugely popular in India itself. Indira Ghandi herself was a massive fan of the film, particularly the portrayal of Hrundi by Sellers. So I feel that says quite a bit. Sure it may come across as an overly stereotypical portrayal at times with the make-up and especially the accent (which i will admit is, at times, not the most convincing), but that really shouldn't take away from the film. It's not like they made the character to be offensive/were trying to offend anybody. You have more right to be offended by the film if you are Indian yourself in my opinion (which is far more understandable) and, like I said, considering the film itself is huge in India, i see no real reason to let this portrayal take away from the appeal of the film, especially if you're not Indian like I am.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/01/24

Full Review

Alec B

I'll be charitable and call it "problematic" but if you can look past that, the movie does offer up a lot of enjoyable and influential comedic material (the scene with the toilet in particular is hilarious) plus I think the lack of of any real plot was the right choice here.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

steve d

I wish I stayed home,

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Ruhaan A

watched it a while ago. absolutely hilarious

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/19/22

Full Review

Tony S

An absolute classic. Great laughs for the whole family.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/31/22

Full Review

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Blake Edwards

Director

Peter Sellers

Hrundi V. Bakshi

Claudine Longet

Michele Monet

Marge Champion

Rosalind Dunphy

Gavin MacLeod

Charlie S. Divot

Sharron Kimberly

Princess Helena

The Party: Official Clip - Toilet Trouble

3:39

The Party: Official Clip - Injun Grip

1:44

The Party: Official Clip - Wyoming Bill

2:03

The Party: Official Clip - Telephone Call

1:55

The Party: Official Clip - A Good Laugh

2:04

The Party: Official Clip - The Intercom

1:30

The Party: Official Clip - The Bugler Who Wouldn't Die

2:35

The Party: Official Clip - If the Shoe Floats

4:00

The Party: Official Clip - Awkward Dance

2:07

The Party: Official Clip - A Small Seat at the Table

1:08

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Synopsis

While trying to tie his shoe, bumbling extra Hrundi V. Bakshi (Peter Sellers) unwittingly triggers explosives that destroy the set of an epic war film. The furious director tells executive Fred Clutterbuck (J. Edward McKinley) to fire him. Because of a misunderstanding, Bakshi instead mistakenly receives an invitation to an exclusive party at Clutterbuck's Hollywood mansion, where he proceeds to wreak havoc on partygoers as he stumbles through what will become the wildest night he's ever seen.

Director: Blake Edwards
Producer: Blake Edwards
Screenwriter: Blake Edwards, Tom Waldman, Frank Waldman
Production Co: Mirisch Corporation
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 1968, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 39m

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