Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953)

About Monsieur Hulot's Holiday

"Monsieur Hulot's Holiday" is a French comedy that was released in 1953. The story revolves around the character, Monsieur Hulot, who visits a seaside hotel for a vacation where his presence invokes hilarious chaos. Despite his best efforts to converse and socialize, his attempts always lead to comic disaster, providing the perfect element of humor and satire on societal norms.

Making / Production

This classic movie was directed and co-written by Jacques Tati, who also plays the lead role. It was produced by Fred Orain. Known for his unique style, Tati successfully created a light-hearted comedy masterpiece that is still remembered today. The film was shot entirely on location in Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer, Normandy, France.

Actors

• Jacques Tati as Monsieur Hulot: Tati brilliantly captures the humorous simplicity of the character Monsieur Hulot, a well-meaning man prone to accidents and misunderstanding, setting the comedic tone for the movie.
• Nathalie Pascaud as Martine: Pascaud plays Martine, Hulot's love interest, whose vacation is punctuated with amusing interactions with Hulot.
• Micheline Rolla as Englishwoman: Rolla plays an eccentric English tourist humorously dealing with Hulot's antics.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The character of Monsieur Hulot appeared for the first time in this movie and later, it was used in Tati's subsequent movies as well.
• Tati's original choice for the seaside location was the French Riviera, but he settled on Normandy due to budget constraints.
• The film uses minimal dialogue, using sight gags and slapstick comedy to tell the story.

Awards

"Monsieur Hulot's Holiday" received several accolades, including the prize for best screenplay at the 1953 Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for an Academy Award for best writing, story and screenplay.

Quotes

• "Sea, sun and... full of oil (slap!)..."
• "There's the music that tells the truth about life."

Music, Soundtrack

• The film’s score is composed by Alain Romans, with a breezy, light-hearted melody that matches the comic tone of the film.
• The recurring musical theme, a playful melody on the piano, punctuates Hulot's charming mishaps.