Tati shorts

The characters in these three short films will be familiar territory to fans of actor/director Jacques Tati. “Soigne ton Gauche=Watch your Left” (12 mins. 1936) directed by Rene Clement, focuses on a boxer whose training suffers considerable upheaval when he is joined in the ring by Tati bearing many traits of what would later become the Hulot character. This film has some French dialogue but the soundtrack is ambient rather than specific. “L’Ecole des Facteurs=School for Postmen” (15 mins. 1947) sees Tati approach his studies in a confused and enthusiastic manner. This character would go on to reap global fame as Francois the Postman in ‘Jour de Fete’. In “Cours du Soir=Evening Classes” (28 mins. 1967) Tati’s portrayal of a teacher presents an amalgam of Hulot and Francois allowing both characters full comic reign in the classroom.