Trafic (1971) - film review

Monsieur Hulot works as a designer for the motor company Altra.  His latest creation is a luxury camping car, equipped with all modern appliances, which is to be revealed at a motor show in Amsterdam.  The car is loaded aboard a truck, which sets off for the show, followed by Hulot and Maria, the public relations secretary.   A string of disasters strikes – the trunk breaks down, runs out of petrol, gets impounded by the customs officers, and then ends up in a multiple car crash.   Despite these setbacks, Maria is determined to get Hulot’s invention to the motor show on time...

Jacques Tati’s final cinematic film lacks the acute visual poetry and charm of his earlier films but is still a hugely entertaining effort.  The film is just one long series of visual gags, some of which are hilarious by any standards (for example, the brilliantly choreographed car crash sequence). In addition, the film makes some insightful comments on modern man’s increasing dependency on the motor car and where this may ultimately lead us.

As in all Tati’s films, dialogue is used sparingly and often without saying anything of any importance (which is just as well because, since the dialogue switches between French, English and Dutch, few people are likely to follow all of it).  The dialogue serves mainly to provide extraneous sound, like the noise of a speeding motor car, to complement the film’s visual comedy.

One regret is that Hulot’s part of the film is overshadowed by the character Maria, a modern, yupee-style PR person for who is clearly used to getting her way.  Whilst Maria is an amusing character, the fact that Hulot is relegated almost to the level of an incidental character is sad, particularly as this was to be his last ever film appearance.

© James Travers 2001

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