Playtime

Dir. Jacques Tati. 1967, 115 mins. France. 70mm. With Jacques Tati, Barbara Dennek, Rita Maiden. Tati’s artistic ambitions knew no bounds—for this bank-breaking comic masterpiece, he built Tativille, a sprawling set that was virtually an entire city. The iconic M. Hulot arrives in this ultramodern metropolis and stumbles through its many architectural absurdities. Playtime is wall-to-wall with brilliantly choreographed jokes and astonishing compositions; Tati crams so many sight gags into each frame that they’re impossible to catch on the small screen. 

Preceded by:

Here’s Chicago! The City of Dreams  
Dir. Ted Hearne, 1983, 13 mins. U.S. 70mm print preserved by the Chicago Film Society with funding from the National Film Preservation Foundation. This 70mm travelog screened nearly every day at the Water Tower Pumping Station from 1983–1993 as part of the ambitious multimedia tourist attraction of the same name, until the exhibit was closed prematurely in a classic City of Chicago lease dispute. The film features breathtaking shots of the city by helicopter, offering “Where’s Waldo” scale opportunities for watching the city’s inhabitants. 

Tickets: $20 / $15 for MoMI members. There is a $1.50 transaction fee per ticket for all online purchases. The cost of admission may be applied toward a same-day purchase of a membership. 

Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission.