Summary
Monsieur Hulot works as a designer for the motor company Altra. His latest
creation is a luxury camping car, equipped with all modern appliances, which is to be
revealed at a motor show in Amsterdam. The car is loaded aboard a truck, which sets
off for the show, followed by Hulot and Maria, the public relations secretary.
A string of disasters strikes - the trunk breaks down, runs out of petrol, gets impounded
by the customs officers, and then ends up in a multiple car crash. Despite
these setbacks, Maria is determined to get Hulot’s invention to the motor show on time...
Review
Jacques Tati’s final cinematic film lacks the acute visual poetry and charm of his earlier
films but is still a hugely entertaining effort. The film is just one long series
of visual gags, some of which are hilarious by any standards (for example, the brilliantly
choreographed car crash sequence). In addition, the film makes some insightful comments
on modern man’s increasing dependency on the motor car and where this may ultimately lead
us.
As in all Tati’s films, dialogue is used sparingly and often without saying anything of
any importance (which is just as well because, since the dialogue switches between French,
English and Dutch, few people are likely to follow all of it). The dialogue serves
mainly to provide extraneous sound, like the noise of a speeding motor car, to complement
the film’s visual comedy.
One regret is that Hulot’s part of the film is overshadowed by the character Maria, a
modern, yupee-style PR person for who is clearly used to getting her way. Whilst
Maria is an amusing character, the fact that Hulot is relegated almost to the level of
an incidental character is sad, particularly as this was to be his last ever film appearance.
© James Travers 2001
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