Play Time

Play Time is a French-Italian comedic art film from 1967, directed by Jacques Tati. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and innovative film-making, Tati masterfully orchestrates a symphony of urban commotion and modern life aesthetics in this film. The movie stars Jacques Tati himself, Barbara Dennek, and Rita Maiden in its primary roles.

As a part of the Jacques Tati's 'My Uncle' film series, where Tati's lovable character, Monsieur Hulot, makes his appearances, Play Time continues with the pattern, but with a slightly different take. Unlike its predecessors, though Hulot features in the film, he is not the central character, and there's no classic linear plot. Instead, Tati offers the audience a kaleidoscopic view of modern life, revolving around a group of American tourists and the Parisians they encounter. From this tableau of characters, our old friend, Monsieur Hulot, emerges, lost in the maze of modern architecture, as we follow him on his delightfully confusing journey.

Play Time is an expansive, surrealistic comedy that uses its physical space with architectural precision, to distill humor. Set in a version of Paris that has been completely overrun by modernity and technology, the film offers a satirical lens that reflects our increasingly impersonal and mechanized lives. Paris, well-regarded for its charm and rich historical ornate architecture, is largely represented with a futuristic landscape and ultra-modern buildings of glass and steel. Only occasional reflections on the glass surface remind us that the Eiffel Tower or other historical landmarks are still around.

One of the striking features of Play Time is the masterful use of sound, which becomes a character in itself. Without any primary emphasis on dialogues, the movie thrives on a unique soundscape composed of mechanical hums, footfalls, and subtle, incidental noises which elevates the humor to a different level. The film also depends on visual gags, slapstick comedy, and meticulously crafted chaos to trigger laughter – a style that's uniquely Tati and has inspired numerous filmmakers since.

Cinema rarely witnesses the level of obsessiveness that Jacques Tati employed towards this film. To create his version of a modernized Paris, he built a gigantic set, including large office buildings, a complex traffic circle, an airline terminal, known as 'Tativille', outside Paris. During the making of the film, the production cost escalated dramatically, causing significant delays. But ultimately, Tati's commitment towards his vision is distinctively evident in the movie's detailed and elaborate visual composition.

One key theme in Play Time is the dehumanizing effect of modern technology. Tati cleverly showcases this through numerous performances set within the sterile confines of modern buildings and Jacques Lagrange's breathtaking set designs. It reveals how convoluted and absurd daily routines can become when automatic machines and sleek furniture take control. Besides, Tati juxtaposes old-world charm against new-world mechanization and tosses around the modern fetish with efficiency and convenience. Despite its critique of modernity, the film avoids austerity; it's warm and vastly entertaining.

The character of Monsieur Hulot, played by Tati, contributes significantly to this warmth, even if he steps back from the spotlight in Play Time. He is a familiar, comforting figure that fumbles through the new world, often literally bumping into the contemporary urban structures he cannot comprehend, but his character's strength lies in his resilience and adaptability. He somehow always manages to stand tall among the madness.

Meanwhile, Barbara Dennek and Rita Maiden along with other supporting actors deliver commendably understated performances that perfectly correspond to the film's tonality. The characters they play do not have grand stories or profound desires, but their journeys are fascinating because they represent our innate struggle against the dehumanizing mechanized world with beauty and grace.

With Play Time, Jacques Tati has created a glorious ode to the dilemma of modernism, balancing a fascination for progress and longing for simplicity. It is a timeless spectacle that pulls viewers into its unique rhythm, leaving them enthralled and reflective. Though it demands patience and keen observation to fully appreciate the brilliance Tati poured into every frame, once the viewer surrenders to its flow, Play Time becomes less of a cinematic experience and more of a journey into a hypnotic, humorous, and thought-provoking modern world.