L'École des facteurs (1947)
Directed by Jacques Tati

Film Review

Although massively overshadowed by Jacques Tati's subsequent works, L'École des facteurs merits consideration as a small comic masterpiece in its own right.   Replete with visual jokes (many of which are as fresh as funny as they were when the film was made), it ought to be ranked along side the silent slapstick classics of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton which clearly influenced Tati in making the film.

Amongst the many unforgettable comic situations, one favourite is the scene where Tati (as François the postman) gets separated from his bicycle and the latter carries on regardless, with the postman running along behind.  Tati's confrontation with a time-wasting level-crossing is equally memorable.

L'École des facteurs was such a success that Tati re-made it the following year as Jour de fête , adding additional material to make this his first full-length film.

Film Synopsis

The French postal service is keen to keep up with its American equivalent and so introduces a programme of modernisation that will make it more efficient than ever before.  The head postman of a provincial community is busy putting his juniors through their paces, subjecting them to exercises that will significantly reduce the time they spend delivering mail and allow them to catch the airmail plane.  François seems to be the star pupil, at least in the classroom.  But in the real world this most diligent of postmen finds it difficult to put into practice what he has learned.  It seems that the whole world is determined to thwart him in his efforts to be a thoroughly modern mailman...