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Mr. Hulot's Holiday

Play trailer Poster for Mr. Hulot's Holiday Released Jun 16, 1954 1h 25m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 33 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
When the ever-hapless Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati) decides to vacation at a beautiful seaside resort, rest and relaxation don't last long, given the gangly gent's penchant for ridiculous antics. While simply out to enjoy himself, the well-meaning Hulot inevitably stumbles into numerous misadventures, including an utterly disastrous attempt at playing tennis, as he encounters fellow French vacationers from various social classes, as well as foreign tourists.

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Mr. Hulot's Holiday

Mr. Hulot's Holiday

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Critics Consensus

Pleasant, lackadaisical, and very charming, Monsieur Hulot lays the groundwork for Jacques Tati's later, more accomplished films.

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Critics Reviews

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Penelope Houston Sight & Sound There is something detached, austere, unyielding, about the ostensibly soft and clumsy Hulot. Jul 6, 2018 Full Review Noel Murray The Dissolve The film has a gentle sense of whimsy, and its observations on life's little annoyances-like the distracting clunk of a set of swinging doors-are benign. Rated: 4.5/5 Nov 3, 2014 Full Review Jonathan F. Richards Film.com Tati is heir to the great comics of the silent era, Chaplin and Keaton and Lloyd. Apr 29, 2010 Full Review Calum Baker Radio Times Jacques Tati pushed his comedy stylings even further with this joyful picture - and created an enduring slapstick icon in the process. Rated: 5/5 Aug 17, 2024 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies It’s a perfect display of Jacques Tati’s artistry as both a filmmaker and a comedic actor. Rated: 5/5 Aug 24, 2022 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review M. Hulot's Holiday, one of cinemas great treasures, does not reveal itself easily; Tati's picture requires multiple viewings to gather each detail. Rated: 4/4 Mar 21, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Aender S Classic moment when Hulot is sitting there smoking his pipe and listening to loud jazz. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/14/24 Full Review Simon T Tati at his most whimsical and charming. It's not just a wry comedy, it's threaded with an unforced, barely perceptible melancholy. These kinds of holidays, where eccentric strangers negotiate each other's foibles and are summoned to indifferent meals by a bell, no longer exist. When did you last see men wearing heavy jackets and smoking pipes as they strolled on the beach. It's a lovely film, but the restored version is no improvement and Tati was ill-advised to tinker with it. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/09/23 Full Review Audience Member "Mr. Hulot's Holiday" is a film of sumptuous nostalgic charm, universal in its propensity to evoke poignant recollections of our loveliest holidays from times past. We ease our way into a world that beautifully suits everything that we appreciate about a good holiday, including complete freedom from the purpose-driven constraints of conventional plot. We savor idyllic afternoons by the seaside, witnessing many affectionately comic moments that range from audaciously hammy to outrageously funny. Any notable deficit in outward belly-laughter is easily recompensed with a persistent sense of expansive enjoyment that quietly surpasses the heights of traditional hilarity. When the holiday eventually comes to an end, we relish the prospect of returning to a time and place that has quickly attained an enduring place in our hearts and memories. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member This is no more than an average comedy! Even though it is one of Jacque Tati's better movies it still lacks the natural flow of humor. Despite the fact most of the actors fit the circumstances quite well. Tati's reactions and acting performances are overly strained and phony. Everything feels manipulated or forced; rather than befitting a real comedic aspect . Most of his stumbling moments are simply underwhelming and obviously faked. I could only find the storyline slightly amusing at best. As for real laughs Tati's work always falls short! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review J. D Meh. Not my cup of tea. Kind of like John Cleese...or Charlie Chaplin...but imo without the warmth, spontaneity, talent or wit. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 09/03/21 Full Review William L Tati's first internationally recognized film project is impossible to discuss without mentioning the classic silent era of slapstick comedies that it draws such heavy inspiration from, but where Keaton, Chaplin, and Lloyd were forced by the technical limitations of their day to do without sound, Tati deliberately minimizes its use to opt for more universality than other midcentury comedies. Though it can't compare to the grand scale and massive set design of some of its more illustrious predecessors, nor the thematic depth of Tati's later work, Monsieur Hulot's Holiday evokes the simple, wholesome spirit that makes a comedy a classic. Some may argue that most of what is accomplished with the film has been done before, but if the formula isn't broken, why try to fix it? Tati himself demonstrates a complete understanding of the genre and his particular flair for physical comedy that had largely been lost in film comendy with the introduction of rapid-fire delivery and mile-a-minute jokes. I'd really like to see a behind-the-scenes explanation of just how he pulled off the 'floating paint can' gag. (3.5/5) Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/12/21 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis When the ever-hapless Monsieur Hulot (Jacques Tati) decides to vacation at a beautiful seaside resort, rest and relaxation don't last long, given the gangly gent's penchant for ridiculous antics. While simply out to enjoy himself, the well-meaning Hulot inevitably stumbles into numerous misadventures, including an utterly disastrous attempt at playing tennis, as he encounters fellow French vacationers from various social classes, as well as foreign tourists.
Director
Jacques Tati
Producer
Fred Orain, Jacques Tati
Screenwriter
Pierre Aubert, Jacques Lagrange, Henri Marquet, Henri Marquet, Henri Marquet, Jacques Tati, Jacques Tati, Jacques Tati
Distributor
Criterion Collection
Production Co
Cady Films
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 16, 1954, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 11, 2017
Runtime
1h 25m
Sound Mix
Mono
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