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With: Jacques Tati, Guy Decomble, Paul Frankeur, Santa Relli, Maine Vallée, Delcassan, Roger Rafal, Jacques Beauvais
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Written by: Jacques Tati, Henri Marquet, René Wheeler
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Directed by: Jacques Tati
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MPAA Rating: NR
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Language: French, with English subtitles
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Running Time: 70
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Date: 05/11/1949
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Going Postal
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jacques Tati's Jour de Fete was shot in color and in black and white at the same time. The color was a primitive process called Thompsoncolor. Once shot, the technicians didn't have the money and/or couldn't figure out how to develop the color negative, so they released the black and white version. In 1997, Tati's daughter figured out that it was supposed to be in color, found the negative, and made a color film. It premiered in Paris, then was bought by Miramax, who tested it, and decided not to release it. I was lucky enough to see it at the San Francisco International Film Festival. The color was kind of hazy, like watercolors, that added to the feel of the film. The color was also better than the black and white would have been, because the film is about a carnival. Tati plays a postman who sees a film about the U.S. Postal service, and tries to be more American in his deliveries. There are many good gags and big laughs, Tati riding home drunk at night being one of the funniest. I had a great time at the movies.
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