The Artist (2011)

I had the benefit of hindsight when I saw this movie, but I agree, it is a remarkable piece of film work. A must see. The Artist sounds like a fairly difficult sell. A full-length black and white, silent movie is not everyone's cup of tea. I heard that people who were unaware of these two factors demanded their money back on m ore than one occasion. But make no mistake, the film is as good as any cinematic experience gets--it is just different from what you might be used to. The Artist is a charming, and incredibly clever homage to the Golden Age of silent film: as authentic and believable as if it were made circa 1927, right from the opening credits. Jean Dujardin’s George Valentin, an homage to the mega-stars of the silent period, has the whole Hollywood world on their knees before him – the film subsequently charts his peak, before the advent of the talkies arrives, and he finds himself cast out overnight in favor of the new breed of speaking stars. Along the way he meets Berenice Bejo’s Peppy Miller, a wannabe who miraculously finds her way to stardom through him. Jean Dujardin, a stalwart of French film, offers a personification of Golden Age charisma and panache. He is breathtakingly good as Valentin, in both the high moments, when his flamboyant swagger disarms, and the lows, when the tragedy of his fall requires a more humanist side. Alongside him, and also brilliant is Berenice Bejo as the young starlet who represents Hollywood’s new direction, whose ability to segue from moxy to pathos, combined with her striking beauty, make her a genuine leading lady, who will no doubt now find herself inundated with job offers. Both actors are charged with convincing the audience using only facial expressions and movements. Dujardin in particular is a master of expression. Finally, the music is fabulous. It was put together with artisan precision by Ludovic Bource in far more testing circumstances than “normal” films require. For The Artist, Bource had to capture the feel of the era, to pinpoint the spirit of silent film, as well as capturing the essence of each character, and trying to convey the emotional bent of each scene; heavily referencing major film composers of the 1920s as well as working closely with the director pre- and post-edit to make sure the score fit the visuals like a second skin. He was appropriately awarded with an Oscar for his efforts, but it makes the film.