You’ll never work in Hollywood again!    –    Does that include television, sir?
 

Enter Hrundi V. Bakshi. Perhaps the worlds worst actor. An incompetent over polite Indian bit-player, who tries to make a living in Hollywood, and who considers extreme overacting dramatic punctuation. By accident he gets invited to a fancy Hollywood party by the producer, as the studio head writes his name on the guest list, instead of on the “never to work in Hollywood again” list.

That’s the setup for “The Party”, a film that divides both fans of Blake Edwards and fans of Peter Sellers, but remains one of the most unique comedies ever made and one of the major cult movies.

The story itself is basically non-existent. The first 2/3rds or the party sets Bakshi is simple situations turning into disasters and the last third is pure chaos, involving a painted baby elephant and gallons of soap.

While Sellers after “A Shot in the Dark” had said, that he never wanted to work with Edwards again, as their work relationship was head on collisions of two major egos, Sellers found the idea for the film so fascinating, that they put all differences aside. Working on a limited script, allowing for extensive improvisations, the comedy of Sellers is an extension of the techniques of Tati. Bakshi isn’t funny himself, but works as a catalyst for comic situations, and Edwards took advantage of the video-assist system, previously used by Jerry Lewis, to time the comedy to a split second.

To me, “The Party” is the quintessential Sellers movie and one of the most daring films of Edwards. A masterpiece.
 

Henrik Sylow