MovieChat Forums > Playtime (1973) Discussion > An interesting touch

An interesting touch

posted 18 years ago by JayBee-66
4 replies | jump to latest

The more you see it, the more you see!

There is a scene in the drugstore where an old comrade of Hulot's pushes him out of the store. Hulot has a pastry in his hand and wants to pay for it but the comrade pushes him out of the door and Hulot doesn't pay for the pastry.

On the left of the screen we see a black actor. We see him purposefully put the price of his coffee on the table as he walks out. The shopkeeper does not see him. There is total trust.

A little later that same black actor walks into the night club. An employee at the club tries to shoo him out. The black actor turns and walks for the door whereupon the employee notices the suit the black actor is carrying over his shoulder. The man is obviously a member of the band that has been hired to play at the club and the employee realises his mistake, calls the black actor back and points him in the direction of the dressing rooms.

An interesting touch I felt for a 1960s movie.

[–] Goldmund1710 18 years ago

A brilliant touch I'd say.

[–] chester-copperpot-1 15 years ago

Yeah, but the comrade (The doorman from the restaurant next doors) says to the drugstore shopkeeper (offscreen) "Put it on my tab!". So, it's a game of confidence. Hulot doesn't pay, but his friends will eventually pay the tab.

The new design of the IMDb site sucks big time. Bring back the old design, now!

[–] MoviemanCin 9 years ago

Racism I would say.

Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar, or doesn't.

[–] kinsayder 8 years ago

Tati draws attention to the racist and snobbish entry policy of the restaurant, then mocks it later when part of the ceiling collapses to form a little private club controlled by the loud American. The rules of entry to this club are just as strict as the restaurant's, but based not on skin colour or social class, but on whether you have a mark on your back from the uncomfortable chairs.