MartinHafer This is a film that I strongly think your opinion of it will depend on your age. Younger folks who have no recollection of the 1960s will probably find this film less interesting. Those who vividly remember this strange decade will probably get more from the film. Me, I was only a young kid during this time, so my opinion seems to fall somewhere in the middle.The movie begins with Peter Sellers playing a Jewish attorney living in Los Angeles. His life is very "normal" and he is on track to be quite successful and marry his sweetheart (Joyce Van Patten). However, when his brother's lover (Leigh Taylor-Young) slips Sellers and his fiancé and his parents a dish of hashish-laced brownies, Sellers' straight-laced veneer vanishes and now the 35 year-old "square" wants to drop out and become a hippie. Much of the rest of the film concerns the ins and outs of such a life and by the end of the film, it seems that Sellers isn't content with either life...and still longs for a deeper sense of meaning.I noticed that many people called this film a comedy. While there are some mildly funny moments, I wouldn't describe it as this at all and it's NOT much like Sellers' other films. I am NOT saying it's a bad film--just not exactly a comedy. Instead, it's like a time capsule--an interesting one, but one that many probably won't find all that compelling unless they lived during this time. Generally, the film is well made and acted and it's worth a look--and that's really about all.FYI--The reference to Alice B. Toklas regards her being the first to publish a recipe for marijuana or hashish brownies. You hear her name sung repeatedly throughout the film but otherwise the film has nothing to do with her nor her lover, Gertrude Stein.

Psalm 52 Sellar's character's arc from legal beagle to hippie starts slow. Watching the progress requires paying attention to the details in why his quest for Ms. Taylor-Young is so primal (I related), but once the film hits the mid-point (when she sleeps over his place) it makes sharp observations about: wedding planning, the purpose (love vs. guns) behind the social movement of the 60's against "the establishment", and the hilarious effects of accidental recreational drug use.If you live in Los Angeles, you will appreciate the exterior scenes in the Venice Beach neighborhood and other areas which we frequent in the present world and how much they have/have not changed since the film was made. The ending comment on Sellar's character's choice NOT to walk down the aisle is not entirely plausible (for my taste) as I found "Joyce" a pleasant enough woman to marry and who is 110% in love w/ him.

sol- With a strange title, but a memorable title song, this film is meant to be a satire on the hippie era and emancipating oneself. It is popular among those who were around in the 1960s, but is questionable whether the film will amuse other audiences. It is not very funny, with jokes that are more so absent than lame, a rather dull story, and really not very much to it at all. As usual, Peter Sellers brings some sparks to the material; the rest of the cast do very little with their roles, and some verge on being over-the-top. The film deserves credit for the title song, Seller's performance, and perhaps providing a snapshot of an era long past. It is not a particularly good film though. Hy Averback would have more success later on, directing episodes of the TV series 'M*A*S*H'.

caspian1978 Peter Seller's (modern) comedy is set in early 70's California. In many ways, this coming of age comedy is the story of Peter Sellers. Leaving his wife for the single life and "swinging" with several women until marrying his 5th or 6th wife, Sellers kept moving, searching for something else. Much like the final scene, Sellers is seen alone running after the unknown as he continues to find himself. While this is a comedy, the movie has many (hidden) dramas among the mix of laughter and jokes. Also, the movie uses many stereotypes to get laughs. Not that PC for today's audience, it is still funny. Having 10 Mexicans in 1 car, having the Jewish family ask how much the bumper cost at the garage, the hippies preaching peace and the yuppies talking about sex all get laughs in this Peter Sellers comedy.