Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot

Our second Tati film of this run through comedy history. He’s in his groove here as M. Hulot gently wreaks havoc on a French seaside resort.

It’s a cavalcade of visual gags, like a silent film, but as with Jour de fête what stands out is the vivid sense of place. It’s a playful, gentle and colourful portrait of holidays in France.

The final shot shows a postage stamp appearing on the top right of the frame. This seems apt—the film is like a postcard from your aunt and uncle on a holiday you are glad you missed out on. Like a postcard it shows a slightly surreal, perhaps idealised picture of a real place.

A laid back comedy that never tries too hard to get laughs from the audience, opting to charm them into its world instead.