Jacques Tati was a comedic master. His films exploited the simplicity of life and the conflict that occurred as new technological innovations came into play. Jour de Fête is no exception and it isn’t here that he got a taste for the slapstick comedy that defined his career. Here he is Francois the mailman, who runs afoul of a traveling carnival. He exploits some of the most common gags of the silent era and puts his own fresh spin on them. In the battle of man versus machine, Tati always loses, but he makes it so funny that it doesn’t even matter. His innovative turn both in front of and behind the camera took common sideshow gags and turned them into a masterpiece of French cinema.
Not as great as his turns as Hulot, but still an enjoyable romp.
A simple film with a simple premise and simple score of…
2 out of 5
Movies 