The Office Party

The Office Party is a 1976 British sex comedy directed by David Grant and starring Alan Lake, Johnny Briggs, Pamela Grafton, Ellie Reece-Knight and Theresa Wood. It depicts the sexual misadventures of staff enjoying an office party where a blue movie is one of the main attractions. A hardcore export version also exists.

Cast

Alan Lake as Mr. Barnes
Johnny Briggs as Peter
Pamela Grafton as Miss Peabody
Ellie Reece-Knight as Jackie
Theresa Wood as Sally
Steve Amber as Bryan
Julia Bond as Samantha Worthington
Caroline Funnell as Judith
Chris Gannon as Mr. Palmer
David Rayner as Francis
David Rodigan as Jose
Jeanne Starbuck as Mrs. O'Flaherty
Vicky Hamilton-King as Mrs. Barnes
Jason White as Australian Lover

Production

During the making of the film, Grant got into a furious row with Johnny Briggs, after Briggs refused to bare all for the film. Briggs feared such exposure could damage his reputation, and a furious Grant threatened to fire him. After the intervention of Briggs’ agent, a compromise was reached and Briggs performed the offending scene with his underpants on. Briggs later recalled this story in his autobiography, noting that after the film he vowed never to work with Grant again.

Critical reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Apart from an authentic location in the freshly painted offices of the production company, Oppidan Films, this bland home movie offers nothing to titillate patriotic patrons but an underdeveloped assortment of keen but wilfully unerotic Home County girls. The saucy partygoers gawp at an unseen pornographic movie, and Judy, the office dumpling who has been left out of the fun, asks incredulously: 'How can actors act in them?' "