Mon Oncle (1958)

Monsieur Hulot visits the technology-driven world of his sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, but he can't quite fit into the surroundings.

Director:

Jacques Tati

Writers:

Jacques Lagrange (artistic collaboration), Jean L'Hôte (artistic collaboration) (as Jean L'Hote)

Stars:

Jacques Tati, Jean-Pierre Zola, Adrienne Servantie

Won 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jean-Pierre Zola	...	Charles Arpel
Adrienne Servantie	...	Madame Arpel
Lucien Frégis	...	Monsieur Pichard (as Lucien Fregis)
Betty Schneider	...	Betty, Landlord's Daughter
Jean-François Martial	...	Walter (as J.F. Martial)
Dominique Marie	...	Neighbor
Yvonne Arnaud	...	Georgette, the Housekeeper
Adelaide Danieli	...	Madame Pichard
Alain Bécourt	...	Gerard Arpel (as Alain Becourt)
Régis Fontenay	...	Braces Dealer (as Regis Fontenay)
Claude Badolle	...	Flea Market Dealer
Max Martel	...	Drunken Man
Nicolas Bataille	...	Working Man

Storyline

Monsieur Hulot's brother-in-law is the manager of a factory where plastics are manufactured. His nephew grows up in a house where everything is fully automated and the boy is raised in a similar fashion. To take away the influence of the uncle on his son, his brother-in-law gets Hulot a job in his factory.

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Plot Keywords:

push button | ultra modern house | future technology | advanced technology | factory | 

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Taglines:

Mr. Hulot Ventures Into Suburbia...And Disrupts...Disassembles...And Demolishes With His Very Subtle Satire

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

3 November 1958 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mon Oncle

Filming Locations:

Créteil, Val-de-Marne, France

Box Office

Budget:

FRF 250,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Specta Films,Gray-Film,Alter Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While filming, Tati and his crew came across a playful group of street dogs. Tati made several shots of them, which he later used to connect scenes. When filming was over, he couldn't bear leaving them alone, and he placed an advertisement in the newspaper, calling them "movie stars"; all dogs eventually where taken in by respectable families.

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Goofs

When the boys are playing their traffic prank, one of their victims steps out of a 1955 Pontiac Chieftain. In the next cut, as he goes to argue with the woman he thinks has rear-ended him, the Pontiac is replaced by the 1951 Oldsmobile 88 driven by Charles Arpel near the start of the film (and which he is still driving at this point). Even the license plate (523 AP 75) is the same.

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Quotes

Charles Arpel: We could go to the Sexy Club.
Madame Arpel: I prefer Constantino and his nice music.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits appear on signs at a construction site.

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Connections

References Citizen Kane (1941)

User Reviews

Tati's Masterpiece

I only recently discovered the work of Jacques Tati. As a fan of the great movie comedians-auteurs (Chaplin, Keaton, Brooks, Allen), I wanted to see Tati's work. So far, I have only seen PLAYTIME, MR. HULOT'S HOLIDAY and finally, just recently, MON ONCLE. I can easily say MON ONCLE is not only the greatest comedy of Tati, but also one of the finest comedies ever made. It is truly hilarious. I found MR. HULOT'S HOLIDAY to be just a bit slow at times, where I might find myself losing interest for a moment. PLAYTIME was a bit too "mainstream" with many big special effects and so on. But MON ONCLE is simple yet hilarious. For 117 minutes, Tati keeps the viewer in his own world of comedy. The ultra-modern house gadgets were hilarious, making for some very funny sight gags. Tati's Mr. Hulot character belongs in a gallery of great comic film personas, along with Chaplin's Little Tramp, Keaton's Great Stone Face, Allen's neurotic New Yorker, and Brooks' Jewish characterizations. MON ONCLE is also beautifully photographed in color, which adds a lighter touch to the comedy. I've noticed that Tati's films are unlike those of anyone else. The style is all his own.