“Out with the old, in with the new.”
The H-Bomb: George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a 1920’s movie star who is on top of the world. Each film is a bigger hit than the last, he lives in a beautiful mansion with a cold, money grubbing wife (Penelope Ann Miller), and he’s a darling of the press and public alike. Life couldn’t get any better for George… and it doesn’t.
One day, George’s producer Al Zimmer (John Goodman) tells him about a big change that’s coming to cinema: the addition of sound. George blows the notion of this new kind of picture off completely, thinking that it’s just a passing gimmick and believing that his audience will always be there for him.
But George soon finds out the hard way just how wrong he is. “Talkies” are not just a fad, they are here to stay. It’s no longer just about faces, but about “Words! Words! Words!” as Norma Desmond would contemptuously say. The truth finally sinks in for George when his latest film opens against a sound picture and flops. To make matters worse, the star of that talkie is Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), an actress he more or less discovered, who’s star has been on the rise while his has been on the decline.
Now George finds himself completely unemployable in a business that he once had at his beck and call, unable to even pay his loyal chauffeur, Clifton (James Cromwell). Will he ever find a way to reclaim his former glory? And what about Peppy, the newly minted start for whom he once had feelings?
An appreciation for silent films and the early age of cinema seems to be a recurring theme as of late. It certainly was in Martin Scorsese’s fantastic “Hugo”, and it is yet again in writer/director Michel Hazanavcius’s “The Artist”. However, “The Artist” isn’t merely an homage to silent films… it is a silent film. A silent film shot in black and white to look like it came straight from that era, with the dialogue being shown on titles against a black screen, but most of the information and emotions being conveyed through exaggerated facial expressions and gestures.
It’s a silent film about the end of the silent films, when the advent of sound, coupled with the Great Depression, made them obsolete. But it wasn’t just the technique that went obsolete, many of the actors did, as well, once actually delivering dialogue (and ideally doing it well) became a factor. George’s story could be the story of any actor who couldn’t adapt to the new ways. In fact, the theme of adapting to a constantly changing world is a universal one, that could be applied to people from all walks of life, especially in this day and age.
But what makes “The Artist” so good isn’t simply that it has a theme that rings true, it’s also that it’s a love story. One with many facets, not only about romance, but also about loyalty and second chances. All that, combined with the cinematic form and technique, along with some knockout performances, make “The Artist” an absolute delight to watch.
Dujardin and Bejo, with their classic looks and expressive faces, truly look like two actors who stepped right out of the period. Their chemistry is terrific, as you can almost see the sparks between them, despite the fact that they have no dialogue. Goodman is terrific, and provides some of the funnier moments as the stereotypical, cigar chomping studio honcho. Cromwell does great with what little he is given to do, and I loved Miller as the bitchy wife. Oh, and the dog… the dog is brilliant! See the film and you’ll see why.
On the downside, the film does have the slight scent of prestigious Oscar Bait to it… a scent that usually makes me gag. When I sense a film is bucking for an Oscar, it just pisses me off. However, I had such a good time with “The Artist” that I can’t begrudge it that. Film aficionados will absolutely treasure it, and general audiences who are willing to give it a shot will enjoy it, too, I think.
But how many will, since it is a black and white silent film, and that undoubtedly will put off a good number of average moviegoers, who sadly would rather see what Asshead Kutcher is doing this “New Year‘s Eve“. And that really is a shame, because “The Artist” is an immensely entertaining little yarn, with heart and smarts, that is far more worthy of people’s time and dime than most of the junk floating around out there. It’s slowly trickling into theaters around the country this awards season, and if it comes to one near you, definitely take a chance on it.
