The leading character in almost all of Tati's movies is the eccentric Mr. Hulot: a conservative, goofy yet good-willing character who seems to be doomed to do everything wrong in the modern world.
Fact
Was voted the 46th Greatest Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly. With only 9 films to his credit as director, he directed fewer films than any other director on this list of 50.
Jacques Tati was a French filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter. His films are notable for their visual comedy and sound effects. Tati’s first film, Jour de fête, was released in 1949. His second film, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, was released in 1953. Tati’s third film, Mon Oncle, was released in 1958. Tati’s fourth and final film, Playtime, was released in 1967.
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Tati was born Jacques Tatischeff on October 9, 1907, in Le Pecq, France. His parents were both of Russian descent. Tati had one sister, Sophie Tatischeff, who was born in 1911. Tati’s father, George Tatischeff, was a successful businessman. Tati’s mother, Marie-Louise Tatischeff, was a homemaker.
Tati was educated at the Lycée Condorcet in Paris. He began his career as a mime artist and clown. He also worked as a graphic designer and illustrator. In 1932, Tati wrote and directed his first short film, La Vie est un long fleuve tranquille (Life Is a Long Quiet River).
Tati’s first feature-length film, Jour de fête, was released in 1949. The film is about a postman who tries to speed up his delivery time by using a bicycle. Jour de fête was a critical and commercial success.
Tati’s second film, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, was released in 1953. The film is about Monsieur Hulot, a bumbling character played by Tati, who goes on vacation to a seaside resort. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday was a critical and commercial success.
Tati’s third film, Mon Oncle, was released in 1958. The film is about a family who lives in a modernist home designed by the father. Mon Oncle won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Tati’s fourth and final film, Playtime, was released in 1967. The film is about a group of tourists who visit Paris and get lost in the city. Playtime was a critical and commercial success.
Tati died of lung cancer on November 5, 1982, at the age of 75.
General Info
Died
November 4, 1982, Paris, France
Place Of Birth
Le Pecq, France
Height
1.91 m
Profession
Actor, Comedian, Film director, Film producer, Screenwriter
Family
Spouse
Micheline Winter
Children
Sophie Tatischeff, Pierre Tati, Helga Marie-Jeanne Schiel
Accomplishments
Awards
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, Cannes Jury Prize, Louis Delluc Prize, Honorary César, Bodil Award for Best Non-American Film, International Award for Best Screenplay
Nominations
Academy Award for Best Story and Screenplay
Movies
Mon Oncle, Playtime, Mr. Hulot's Holiday, Trafic, The Big Day, School for Postmen, The Illusionist, Gai dimanche, Watch Your Left, Parade, Forza Bastia, Cours du soir, Devil in the Flesh, Sylvia and the Ghost, Bed and Board, Cette nuit-là
The leading character in almost all of Tati's movies is the eccentric Mr. Hulot: a conservative, goofy yet good-willing character who seems to be doomed to do everything wrong in the modern world.
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Used an unique sound design in most of his films: almost all dialogue (except for the most essential lines) is toned down to the background. However, sounds that are crucial in comic gags are amplified.
3
Often leaves hints about the theme of his next feature film. For example, the ending of Mon Oncle (1958) paves the way for the technology-minded Playtime (1967), and the balletic representation of cars in Playtime (1967) leads to Trafic (1971). By those standards, the film that would have followed Trafic (1971) would be about space travel or subways.
Quotes
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Quote
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[at the 1959 Academy Awards] I find that the people who speak the worst English want to talk more than the others.
Facts
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Fact
1
During WWII, he lived in a small house in Vijon, Indre, in the Centre of France. He promised his neighbors to shoot his movie there and in St-Sévère which was the biggest town around. It was Jour de Fête.
2
Interviewed in "World Directors in Dialogue" by Bert Cardullo (Scarecrow Press, 2011).
3
Was a co-presenter with Barbara Rush of the Scientific and Technical Awards at the 1958 Oscars.
4
His first child Helga Marie-Jeanne Schiel was born on the 1st August 1942 after a relationship with Herta Schiel who he had performed professionally with on stage at the Lido de Paris. Today his only living family members live in England.
5
Son of Russian father Georges-Emmanuel Tatischeff and Dutch mother Marcelle Claire Van Hoof.
Was voted the 46th Greatest Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly. With only 9 films to his credit as director, he directed fewer films than any other director on this list of 50.
