The Party (1968)

Considered persona non grata at a major film studio, an East Indian actor (Peter Sellers) is mistakenly added to the guest list to a party that the studio head (J. Edward McKinley) is giving. Naturally when the actor arrives at the party, everything goes wrong! Directed by Blake Edwards (BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S), this slapstick comedy is clearly inspired by the Charlie Chaplin comedies and perhaps even Jacques Tati. In retrospect, there has been much criticism of Sellers' "brownface" performance but PC aside, it's one of his very best performances. Not all the slapstick works, Steven Franken's drunk servant wears out his welcome very quickly and the toilet sequence goes on much too long. But the laughs are bountiful and adding to the film's pleasures are the fantastic house set courtesy of production designer Fernando Carrere (THE GREAT ESCAPE), all built on a soundstage and the lively score by Henry Mancini. The large cast includes the wispy voiced Claudine Longet, Marge Champion, Gavin McLeod, Denny Miller, Danielle De Metz, Jean Carson, Buddy Lester and Corinne Cole.