The Party's Over (1965)

An American businessman visits London and is horrified to discover his nubile teenage daughter has become involved with a gang of thuggish "beatniks". Her involvement leads to wild parties, sex, death and necrophilia.

Writer:

Marc Behm

Stars:

Oliver Reed, Clifford David, Ann Lynn

Cast

Credited cast:
Oliver Reed	...	Moise
Clifford David	...	Carson
Ann Lynn	...	Libby
Katherine Woodville	...	Nina
Louise Sorel	...	Melina
Mike Pratt	...	Geronimo
Maurice Browning	...	Tutzi
Jonathan Burn	...	Phillip
Roddy Maude-Roxby	...	Hector
Annette Robertson	...	Fran
Alison Seebohm	...	Ada
Barbara Lott	...	Almoner
Eddie Albert	...	Ben
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mildred Mayne	...	Countess

Storyline

An American businessman visits London and is horrified to discover his nubile teenage daughter has become involved with a gang of thuggish "beatniks". Her involvement leads to wild parties, sex, death and necrophilia.

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Plot Keywords:

businessman | beatnik | necrophilia | party | fiancée | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 March 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ilojen yö

Filming Locations:

266 Fulham Road, Kensington, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tricastle

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed in 1962, not released in the UK because of censorship problems (due to its necrophilia theme) until 1965 and in the US until 1966.

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Connections

Featured in London - The Modern Babylon (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Time Waits For No Man"
Music by John Barry
Lyrics by Mike Pratt
Sung by Annie Ross

User Reviews

The beat generation

The party may have been over for the beatniks who form the centerpiece of this strange but compelling film, but for the rest of London it was just beginning. Unusually for a British production of this vintage (1963) it doesn't fit easily in any genre. An American girl who has been hanging around with the 'beats' goes missing amid lurid rumours of rape and even necrophilia. The atmosphere is one of existential angst laced and a fin de siecle fatalism, all conveyed by way of some studiously framed b&w photography. Aside from some clunky dialogue and plumy accents this could easily be French, perhaps because the story is by Marc Behm an American expat based in France who wrote Eye of the Beholder, later transposed by Claude Miller into the excellent thriller Mortelle Radonnee starring Isabelle Adjani.

Oliver Reed plays the leader of the 'beats' in such manner that you feel the void each time he's off-screen, he really is terrific and makes the rest of the cast look like the b-movie stalwarts they were. Particularly dreadful is Mike Pratt who plays Geronimo, an artist/drummer. The party scenes with all the beats lounging around or trying to twist to modern jazz are great,as is the jazz itself with John Barry and Annie Ross contributing.