M. Hulot's Holiday

I recently revisited this movie on DVD while on holiday in Fiji. While my surroundings were quite different from the French seaside holiday town of Saint-Marc-sur-Mer where Tati filmed Les Vacances I could nonetheless relate to the slightly soporific feeling that a relaxed holiday creates. Becoming accustomed to the little daily routines that are different from your work-a-day routines and therefore novel and enjoyable. Becoming used to the faces of your fellow holiday makers at the breakfast table. Filling your hours with pleasant and diverting, but not too taxing, activities. Its a lovely film, more enjoyable than laugh-out-loud funny. Like the books of PG Wodehouse its like a warm blanket to wrap yourself in and escape from reality for a little while in a world of nostalgia and gentle humour. I understand that a bronze statue of M. Hulot was later erected overlooking the beach where the film was made.