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6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Christmas Party remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Alright, so, if you're looking for some deep, meaningful Christmas classic, you can probably skip The Christmas Party. 🙅♀️ But if you're like me, someone who loves a peek behind old Hollywood's curtain and enjoys spotting *every* famous face, then absolutely, give this a watch. It's a bizarre little time capsule that fans of classic cinema, especially MGM, will probably get a kick out of. If you need a tight plot or modern pacing, though? Oh boy, you're gonna hate it. This isn't that.
The whole setup is super simple: Jackie Cooper, who was a huge child star back then, wants to throw a Christmas party for his football pals. He's a bit stumped on the logistics, bless him.
And that’s where the fun, or maybe the strangeness, begins. Suddenly, **everyone** at MGM seems to get involved. I mean, we're talking about a parade of famous faces just *appearing* to help out. It's like the studio just opened its doors and said, "Come on in, whoever's free!"
You’ve got Lionel Barrymore, all gruff but kindly, offering advice. Marion Davies looking just delightful. Then *bam*, Jimmy Durante shows up, doing his whole schtick, which is always a treat.
His energy is just infectious, even in this short little thing.
And then there's Clark Gable. He just, like, *exists* in a scene. Not really doing much, just being Clark Gable. It’s almost surreal to see him so casually. He isn't giving some grand performance, he's just there, being Clark Gable at a party. It's a bit like seeing a god ordering a sandwich.🥪
The Our Gang kids pop up too, Bobby 'Wheezer' Hutchins and Allen 'Farina' Hoskins, doing their thing. It makes you wonder how many takes they had for some of these scenes. It probably wasn't many.
The movie doesn't really have a plot beyond "kid wants party, stars help." It's more of an excuse to put a dozen or so big names in one place for a few minutes. It feels less like a film and more like a very elaborate, very public office Christmas party. Or maybe a home movie, if your home studio was MGM and everyone was a superstar.
One moment, you're watching Norma Shearer float by, and the next, Wallace Beery is doing... well, whatever Wallace Beery does. It's so informal.
The dialogue is often quite simple, and the pacing is definitely *of its time*. Things just kinda happen. There's not a lot of building up to anything, which is part of its charm, really.
It’s a peculiar artifact, this one. Not a cinematic masterpiece, not by a long shot. But as a window into a specific moment at MGM, seeing all these legends just *hanging out*? That’s pretty cool. ✨
IMDb 7.2
1930
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