Editing Blake Edwards (section)

==Silent-film style==
Having grown up in Hollywood, the stepson of a studio production manager and stepgrandson of a silent-film director, Edwards had watched the films of the great silent-era comedians, including [[Charlie Chaplin]], [[Buster Keaton]], [[Harold Lloyd]], and [[Laurel and Hardy]]. He and Sellers appreciated and understood the comedy styles in silent films and tried to recreate them in their work together. After their immense success with the first two ''Pink Panther'' films, ''The Pink Panther'' (1963) and ''[[A Shot in the Dark (1964 film)|A Shot in the Dark]]'' (1964), which adapted many silent-film aspects, including slapstick, they attempted to go even further in ''[[The Party (1968 film)|The Party]]'' (1968). The film has always had a cult following, and some critics and fans have considered it a "masterpiece in this vein" of silent comedy, though it did include minimal dialogue.<ref name=Kehr>Kehr, Dave. ''International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers – 2: Directors'' 3rd Ed. St. James Press (1997) pp. 291–294</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfWvWRqrAig | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100214023113/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfWvWRqrAig| archive-date=2010-02-14 | url-status=dead|title=Clips from ''The Party'' |publisher=Youtube.com |date=January 22, 2009 |access-date=September 7, 2012}}</ref>