Jour de Fête (1949)

Once a year the fair comes for one day to the little town 'Sainte-Severe-sur-Indre'. All inhabitants are scoffing at Francois, the postman, what he seems not to recognize. The rising of the... See full summary »

Director:

Jacques Tati

Writers:

Jacques Tati, Henri Marquet

Stars:

Jacques Tati, Guy Decomble, Paul Frankeur

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Guy Decomble	...	Roger
Paul Frankeur	...	Marcel
Santa Relli	...	Germaine
Maine Vallée	...	Jeannette
Delcassan	...	La commère
Roger Rafal	...	Le coiffeur
Jacques Beauvais	...	Le cafetier (as Beauvais)
Alexandre Wirtz

Storyline

Once a year the fair comes for one day to the little town 'Sainte-Severe-sur-Indre'. All inhabitants are scoffing at Francois, the postman, what he seems not to recognize. The rising of the flagstaff under his direction nearly leads into a catastrophy - but everybody tells him, how important his work is. Sneering up Francois continues in the evening of the festive day. Made drunk, some 'friends' persuade him to watch a short-movie in a tent. This film is a stunt-show, covered as 'The modern delivery-techniques of the US-post. Francois takes it serious, not recognizing being teased. Next day, after getting sober in a goods wagon, he reorganizes his own delivery-methods. He has not the equipment, as his ideals in the short-movie have, but using only his bicycle, he makes good, funny progresses.

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Plot Keywords:

bicycle | french | mail | postman | written and directed by cast member | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

11 May 1949 (France)

Also Known As:

Jour de Fête

Filming Locations:

Sainte-Sévère-sur-Indre, Indre, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cady Films, Panoramic Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

70 min 80 min (Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema) 86 min (1960) 79 min (restored) 86 min (original)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (original release) Color (Thomsoncolor) (alternate version, first released after restoration in 1995)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After two short films, this was the first feature length film directed by Jacques Tati.

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Crazy Credits

Alexandre Wirtz has an actor credit in black and white version only.

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Connections

Referenced in Una preciosa puesta de sol (2003)

User Reviews

The bicycle as ideal transport

You see the upcoming problems of traffic in this little village just after the war, I guess somewhere in Normandy where the bicycle of François the postman can drive from village to village. Some cars were driven really dangerously because nobody was conscious of the danger of accidents and some people drove to fast through the villages where everybody still lived on the street: the dogs as well as the chickens as the gooses as the elder people. When François gets drunk he enters the local café and stands in two seconds at the window of the first floor! The movie is full of gags that are inspired by Buster Keaton but absolutely original. The people he has to deliver the letters, peasants and habitants of the village shout at him: "A l'Americaine" which means fast and efficient but one of them also comments that he just should deliver the letters and that this is already quite an accomplishment. And yes, in Belgium postmen are now checked on maximum 9 seconds for delivering a letter. There also calculations to make another tariff for delivering letters in places far away. Jacques Tati is unsurpassed as a French comic and he has a very special place in history of French cinema not to be compared with anyone else.