The Party

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, The Party is available in Australia on MGM Amazon Channel, and in the UK on MGM Plus Amazon Channel right now. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. 867 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Peter Sellers sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Start it on MGM Amazon Channel whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, The Party is worth clearing space for. The Party gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Hrundi V. Bakshi, an accident-prone actor from India, is accidentally put on the guest list for an upcoming party at the home of a Hollywood film producer. Unfortunately, from the moment he arrives, one thing after another goes wrong with compounding effect. Peter Sellers and Claudine Longet lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1968. The timing in The Party is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

The Party is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Peter Sellers's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.