Mon Oncle (1958, YouTube) is, without doubt, my favourite film of all time and I was beyond delighted to find it among other YouTube treasures. It is a film starring the French genius Jacques Tati, and what a treasure he is. Though this film has the thinnest of plots and very little character development, its genius is that everything is in the moment. Everything is in the detail, and there are some fabulous details. The characters are all beautifully drawn, each with a special eccentricity. There is no evil, or even nastiness, it is as though each character lives his fullest life and is content just being himself. I saw Mon Oncle when it was released in 1958 and certainly not since. However, now that I have found it, I suspect I will watch it once a week, or maybe even more.
Donald Combe is a retired English teacher who loves to go to the movies. Until he resumes going to theatres, he has graciously agreed to share his opinions, through "short and sweet" exclusives, of online series and movies for The Local.
