The 2011 movie Hugo directed by Martin Scorsese shows several ways how machines and humans work best together. The movie shows a young boy, Hugo, who lives among a maze of ladders, catwalks, passages, ticking machinery, and gears of clocks. These gears are his home and career. Hugo helps fix the clocks so that they can keep everyone on time. This is a partnership throughout the entire movie. There are several scenes that show Hugo fixing the clocks and checking to make sure they are in fact on time. In one scene in particular, Hugo is seen fixing a clock that is suspended in the air. As he fixes the clock, the audience gets to see him interacting with several gears. Without his help, this clock would not be working properly. However, this isn’t the only machine that Hugo fixes.

After his father passes away, Hugo becomes obsessed with fixing the automaton. The automaton was broken and thrown away in a garbage can. But with Hugo’s help, it could run again. Hugo worked for hours to get it working properly and when he did get it running, the machine still needed his help to turn the specially made key. It was that key and Hugo’s hand in turning it that brought the machine to life. 

Once the automaton started moving, Hugo and Isabelle realize that it doesn’t just write; it draws. With the help of humans, the automaton was able to portray emotions through its drawing. Normally an automaton wouldn’t be able to do something so unique; however, it was programmed to do so. 

Since fixing the automaton is so important to Hugo, it seems to haunt him, even in his sleep.  In one scene, Hugo wakes up to find that he is turning into the automaton. The audience sees a mixture of robot and human mixed into one. But the machine takes over his entire body, including his face. This scene shows that there has to be a good mixture of human involvement and machine. Too much of one, can overthrow the balance. 

Throughout the entire movie, the station inspector struggles with this perfect mixture. After being injured, he is forced to wear a leg brace to help him walk. The brace doesn’t work very well, though. It often squeaks from not having oil, and will lock up when he is trying to walk. This made life very difficult for him, and the audience sees his struggle throughout the entire film. At the end, he has a new and improved leg brace.  It was made a little more complicated and efficient by Hugo so that it would be easier for him to walk. Not only does the audience get to see him walking with ease, but he also is seen dancing with his crush. 

In all of these cases, humans and machines are seen working together. With both working together, it helps improve a lot of things such as the clocks and the automaton. Even though having both is important, it is important to find a good mix of the two. The station inspector didn’t have enough technology in his leg brace and it made life difficult for him. Once a little more technology was added, and the mixture was more equivalent, it made life much easier for him.