Jacques Tati, the French comedian/writer/director, won the 1958 Oscar® for Best Foreign Language Film for Mon Oncle (1958). In the second of three films featuring his character Mr. Hulot, Tati pokes fun at a world increasingly dominated by technology, and its effect on the hapless Hulot. Tati honed his comic skills in French music halls and cabarets as a mime performer. As a director, he was so meticulous that each of his films took several years to prepare, shoot and edit, and he directed only six features. His films have been called "pure cinema," emphasizing visual humor and sound effects, with very little dialogue. Mr. Hulot's Holiday (1953) introduced Tati's gangling, umbrella-toting alter ego character, who has been compared to the creations of the great silent film comedians, such as Chaplin's Little Tramp and the acrobatic characters of Buster Keaton, who was Tati's idol. In accepting his Oscar® for Mon Oncle, Tati paid tribute to these comedians: "If Hollywood had not done so many funny pictures, I would not be here tonight. For all those great comedians, I am not the uncle, but the nephew." Ultimately, the highlight of Tati's trip to Hollywood was not the Academy Awards® ceremony, but a visit he paid afterwards to Mack Sennett, the producer of many of those silent comedies. Sennett invited Harold Lloyd, Stan Laurel and Buster Keaton to meet Tati, and the French comedian was thrilled when Keaton told Tati he had "improved on silent techniques."

Sadly, it was Tati's scrupulous attention to planning and preparation, resulting long gaps between films, along with his problems in raising funds, that ended his film career.