Mubi Monday: Mon Oncle (1958)

Considering how long it has taken me to get around to, and fully appreciate, the comedy greatness of Jacques Tati, I will not be offended at all by anyone choosing to simply overlook my reviews of any of his films. I certainly have nothing majorly insightful or intelligent to add to the conversation, but I've never let that stop me before.

The slim plot once again sees Monsieur Hulot being rather perplexed by elements of modern life, this time in the shape of all the mod-cons present when he visits his sister (Adrienne Servantie), brother-in-law (Jean-Pierre Zola), and his young nephew, Gérard (Alain Bécourt). 

Once again collaborating with a couple of other writers (Jacques Lagrange, who worked on all four of the Hulot features, and Jean L'Hôte), Tati may be presenting the exploits of Hulot in colour this time, but everything else is the same as you'd expect. Monsieur Hulot remains surprisingly calm as things around him often go awry, there are many scenes that are shot from a distance that allows viewers to watch the characters flit and whirl around one another in the dance that is modern living, and a number of gags revolve around technology and the difficult time that Hulot has adjusting to it.

The more I see of Tati, the more I appreciate everything that he does in service of the comedy. No one character or exchange is too slight, and even the thinnest of threads can be spun into pure gold. The weaker moments here are the times when Hulot is with Gérard, but even those scenes have enough little gems in them to keep you chuckling away in between the many other highlights.

Although it is slightly irritating to feel so late to the party, in terms of the films themselves and recognising the huge influence of Tati on other comedians and film-makers, I am just happy to now be in the know. Every day is a school day, and I am delighted to have been taught some brilliant lessons on comedy by this master of the form.

While I rate this just a tad below the two other Hulot movies I have seen so far, it’s still absolutely near the top of the comedy tree.

8/10

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Mubi Monday: Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953)

Life is funny. People are funny. Despite the seemingly never-ending cavalcade of misery and horror unfolding around us every day, this is something worth holding on to. And anything can be funny. I remember a lovely family friend, an elderly gentleman, who was getting fed up of attending so many funerals. It seemed that every day was another funeral, the loss of someone he had either known as a work colleague or a family member. But even he saw the funny side when he turned up to a service one day, spent a long time trying to find someone else he recognised, and eventually, as everyone mingled on their way to get a drink and bit of food after, came to the conclusion that he had ended up at the wrong funeral. That's funny. 

With his comedic creation of Monsieur Hulot, Jacques Tati reminded people of just how funny things can be. While he is at the centre of most of the funniest moments, the movies often take a wider view of every scene, showing us the amusing ways in which crowds migrate and interact. Things may occasionally become surreal, but life can occasionally become surreal.

As the title suggests, this first feature outing for Monsieur Hulot has him arriving at a holiday spot, a lovely hotel right beside the beach, where he hopes to enjoy the sun, sea, and some relaxation. Unfortunately for Monsieur Hulot, the main thing that works against relaxation is usually . . . Monsieur Hulot.

As well as starring in the main role, Tati also wrote (in collaboration with others, mainly Henri Marquet) and directed this film. It's obvious that this is the product of someone dedicated to crafting every main sequence into a mini-masterpiece. The timing and choreography of many of the gags here works so beautifully that each little moment is, or verges on, sublime.

Tati is not the only one onscreen, however, and it's his willingness to allow others to shine that enables him to keep the whole film moving from one delight to the next. Would I recognise these people in other movie roles? I'm not sure. But I appreciate them here for portraying the likes of a busy waiter (Raymond Carl), the bemused hotel proprietor (Lucien Fregis), a beautiful young woman (Nathalie Pascaud), a bedevilled photographer (Claude Shillio), and a cluster of people trying to play a card game. Tati is the star, but we only see him shine so brightly thanks to the many others bringing their own twinkling lights to the proceedings.

If you're new to the comedic exploits of Monsieur Hulot then this is a logical place to start. Some people prefer the other films (Playtime being the one named most often), but I would say that this allows you to get used to the rhythms, the gentle touch, and the exquisite technicality of someone who should be namechecked more when discussing the true greats of comedy.

9/10

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