While he is considered one of the greatest comedy filmmakers in the 20th Century, Jacques Tati only made six feature films from the late 1940s to the late 1970s. Yet, his work in feature-films that he directed are considered some of the finest comedies ever created as Tati would be involved in seven short films from the mid-1930s to the late 1970s. All of which would play into his unique approach to pantomime and physical comedy as well as his love of the simple life.
On demande une brute (Brute Wanted)
Directed by Charles Barrois and written by Tati and Rene Clement, the 23-minute short film revolves around an out-of-work actor who finds himself in a professional wrestling match. Also starring Enrico Sprocani as the clown Rhum, the film is a comical tale where Tati plays the lead role as a man who is forced by his wife to answer an ad unaware of what he really needs to do. It’s a short that plays into Tati’s minimalist approach to slapstick comedy where Tati doesn’t say much as it’s more about the surroundings he is in including the climatic wrestling match where Sprocani’s character would play a key role in the results.
Gai dimanche (Fun Sunday)
Co-directed with Jacques Berr, the short that stars Tati and Sprocani based on their own script is a story where two guys get themselves involved in a moneymaking scheme. The 21-minute short plays into these two men who decide to be tour guides for money by getting a cheap car and con a group of people where everything goes wrong. Add some bad directions, mishaps, and a runaway chicken, the film is a whimsical comedy that is very simple. While Sprocani would play the leader of the two, it is Tati that is the star due to his approach to physical comedy and being very quiet and restrained which would be a prototype into some of the characters he would create in the years to come.
Soigne ton gauche (Keep Your Left Up)
Directed by Rene Clement and written and starring Tati, the 13-minute short plays into a man’s desire to be a boxer as he gets a chance to become one unaware of what it entails. It’s a simple short that plays into a man who is unaware of what he is getting himself into as he deals with another boxer while a postman would try to help the unfortunate soul in the rules of boxing. Armed with a wonderful soundtrack, some fantastic editing, and stylish direction from Clement. It is definitely the best of the shorts that Tati would do in the 1930s.
L’ecole des facteurs (School for Postmen)
In his very first solo film as a director, Jacques Tati would star and write this 16-minute short that served as a template for his first feature-length film in Jour de Fete as the story revolved around a clumsy cyclist who works as a postman. It’s a film where Tati would create recurring gags which involves his character and bicycle as the postman tries to deliver mail in his route where a lot of hilarity ensues. Most notably as the postman tries to deliver his mail before the mail plane arrives to pick up mail as it features one of the most hilarious climaxes ever.
Cours du soir (Evening Classes)
Made during the production of Playtime, the 27-minute short film that is directed by Tati’s assistant Nicolas Ribowski and written and starring Tati revolves around an acting teacher teaching his students the art of mime. It’s a film where Tati not only display his talents in pantomime where he plays a teacher that could or could not be Monsieur Hulot, despite the fact that he is wearing the clothes and mimic everything that is Hulot, who showcases elements of how to be clumsy. There is also a tribute of sorts to Tati’s early work including the short film L’ecole des facteurs as it’s shot beautifully in color and black-and-white by Jean Badal with a playful score by Leo Petit.
Degustation maison (House Specialty)
Written and directed by Sophie Tatischeff, the film is a simple short film set inside a pastry café where a group of people converge to socialize and eat pastry. Set in the small town where Jour de Fete was made, the short doesn’t have much of a plot nor does it feature Tati himself but it does have it sense of spirit in terms of the love of simple small town life that Tati yearns for in the age of modernism.
Forzia bastia (Festive Island)
Tati’s final film is 27-minute short he made in 1978 is a documentary short about UEFA Cup match between the PSV Eindhoven club from the Netherlands against the SC Bastia club from France at Furiani stadium. Though Tati would shelve it, the film was finally finished in 2000 by Tati’s daughter Sophie Tatischeff just 18 years after his passing. The short chronicles the island of Corsica where many of its locals are celebrating and exhilarated over a championship final between the two clubs as many are rooting for Bastia. It’s a documentary short that explores the joy of futbol fans and how much it can bring an entire community just to support their team as it is one of Tati’s finest shorts and a fitting finale for the filmmaker.
These short films of Jacques Tati not only display the man at his funniest but also as a filmmaker who really takes great care into the stories he creates. Even if it allows other filmmakers to help Tati present his vision as well as create something that is their own. It’s a collection of shorts fans of Tati must have as it showcases a man who didn’t just make people laugh but also touch them in ways that are indescribable.
Jacques Tati Films: Jour de Fete - Monsieur Hulot's Holiday - Mon Oncle - Playtime - Trafic - Trafic - The Auteurs #49: Jacques Tati
© thevoid99 2015
Based on the novel The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, Plein Soilel (Purple Noon) is the story of a young man who is trying to get his rich friend back to America only for things to go wrong. Directed by Rene Clement and screenplay by Clement and Paul Gegauff, the film is an exploration into a man trying to be part of a world he has no idea about as things eventually go wrong when he becomes jealous and angry. Starring Alain Delon, Maurice Ronet, and Marie Laforet. Plein Soilel is an intriguing yet exhilarating film from Rene Clement.
The film revolves around a young man who is being paid $5000 to bring his rich friend back to America where the task goes wrong in an act of jealousy. It plays into this young man named Tom Ripley (Alain Delon) who is constantly around the son of a rich man who is supposed to return home and live a life of responsibility. Instead, Philippe Greenleaf (Maurice Ronet) just wants to have fun though he treats his girlfriend Marge (Marie Laforet) quite poorly at times where a boat trip with Ripley becomes disastrous due to Philippe’s selfishness as it would set the stage for everything that Ripley would do. The film’s screenplay has a unique structure where the first half is about Ripley’s friendship with Greenleaf as he is trying to get him home. Yet, things become complicated where the disastrous boat trip has Ripley be pushed into a lifeboat and stranded for some time where he gets sunburned only for Marge to be the one that is really concerned as it’s one of many reasons why she leaves the boat trip.
Marge is an interesting character as she is someone who is repulsed by Greenleaf’s treatment of her as well as sleeping around with other women yet she is in love with him as she would wonder about his whereabouts after the boat trip. The film’s second half plays more into the events after the boat trip where Ripley becomes the story as he would roam around Italy as he would pretend to be Greenleaf. It plays into the world of identity as well as an ambiguity into Ripley’s motivations as he would do things to get ahead in the world but also raise suspicion over his actions.
Rene Clement’s direction is mesmerizing as Clement aims for something that feels intimate but also a richness to play into the beauty of the various locations in Italy. Much of it involves Clement’s approach to medium shots and wide shots as the cities are major characters in the film as well as the Mediterranean Sea as the scenes on the boat feature some unique camera angles and compositions that are rich. Clement’s usage of hand-held cameras are also very evident as it plays into Ripley’s own adventure as the close-ups are also interesting as well as the compositions. It adds to the sense of ambiguity into what Ripley is doing as well as some are playing into his façade or know that he is lying. Even as it plays into the idea of whether he would get away with it right to the end. Overall, Clement creates a very thrilling and very intelligent film about a young man who forges a new identity in the wake of a bad boat trip.
Cinematographer Henri Dacae does incredible work with the film‘s rich and colorful cinematography as it pays great attention to detail into the look of the Mediterranean Sea as well as creating some unique lighting schemes and such for some of the interior settings in the film. Editor Francoise Javet does excellent work with the editing as it has an air of style with its usage of jump-cuts and dissolves to play into Ripley‘s own transformation and encounters with the world of the rich. Production designer Paul Bertrand does amazing work with the look of the apartments and hotel rooms that Ripley would stay in as it plays into his own evolution as a character as well as the boat where things would go from carefree to sinister into what Ripley would do.
Costume designer Bella Clement does brilliant work with costumes from the posh and stylish clothes that Greenleaf wears throughout the film as well as the dresses that Marge would wear as it has this air of style and vibrant colors that are fun to watch. The sound work of Jean-Claude Marchetti is terrific for some of the sparse sound work that goes on in the sea as well as the raucous moments in the Italian cities including Rome. The film’s music by Nino Rota is fantastic for its lush, orchestral-based score along with string-based pieces and accordions that play into the world of Italy as it’s one of Rota’s more overlooked scores.
The film’s phenomenal cast includes some notable small roles from Elvire Popesco as a ballet patron Greenleaf and Ripley socialize with, Nicolas Petrov as the ballet Boris, Frank Latimore as a drunk named O’Brien, Ave Ninchi as a woman Greenleaf flirts with in Rome, Barbel Fanger as Greenleaf’s father who appears late in the film, Erno Crisa as Inspector Riccordi, and Romy Schneider as a companion of one of Greenleaf’s friends in Freddy Miles. Bill Kearns is superb as Greenleaf’s friend Freddy Miles as a man who likes to be a playboy and do things that rich young kids do while he later becomes suspicious about Ripley over Greenleaf’s whereabouts.
Marie Laforet is amazing as Marge as this woman who is torn for her hatred of Greenleaf’s playboy lifestyle as well as being in love with him as she becomes close with Ripley as the two cope with Greenleaf’s disappearance. Maurice Ronet is excellent as Philippe Greenleaf as this young playboy who likes to spend his money while avoid responsibility as he mocks Marge’s work as a writer as he is also quite cruel to Ripley. Finally, there’s Alain Delon in a tremendous performance as Tom Ripley as this young man who is asked to retrieve his friend back to America only for things to go wrong as he starts to forge a new identity as it’s a very charming and exquisite performance from Delon.
Plein Soilel is a remarkable film from Rene Clement that features a truly glorious performance from Alain Delon. It’s a film that is presented with such style as well as captivating ideas on identity and what a man is willing to do to play into another man’s lifestyle. In the end, Plein Soilel is a ravishing and rapturous film from Rene Clement.
Rene Clement Films: (The Battle of the Rails) - (Mr. Orchid) - (The Damned (1947 film)) - (The Walls of Malapaga) - (La Chateau de verre) - (Forbidden Games) - (Knave of Hearts) - (Gervaise) - (This Angry Age) - (The Joy of Living) - (The Day and the Hour) - (Joy House) - (Is Paris Burning?) - (Rider on the Rain) - (The Deadly Trap) - (…and Hope to Die) - (Wanted: Babysitter)
Related: (The Talented Mr. Ripley)
© thevoid99 2015
