2011 featured many films that harkened back to Hollywood’s classic era, including “Hugo” and “My Week with Marilyn,” but the most talked-about has been “The Artist,” a mostly silent film that adopts of the conventions of the cinematic age in which its story takes place. Made in France with an international cast that includes both new and familiar faces, “The Artist” doesn’t just wax nostalgic about the silent age but manages to show how the form can still be used to tell a vibrant and engaging tale.
Directed by Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist” follows the rise and fall of silent film star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), whose days as a matinee idol come to an end with the advent of the talkies. Even as George is on his way down, plucky newcomer Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) is on her way up, and the two of them cross paths in a number of fateful encounters. Rounding out the cast are well-known stars like John Goodman, James Cromwell, and Penelope Ann Miller.
The story takes countless cues from “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952), which also chronicles a star’s changing fortunes in the early days of sound. Dujardin bears a strong resemblance to Gene Kelly, the iconic star of that classic film, in both his appearance and his expressions. Missi Pyle’s character is also clearly drawn from Jean Hagen’s delightfully awful Lina Lamont, although we don’t get the opportunity to see the very funny Pyle on screen as much as we might like. The character of Peppy Miller, charmingly played by the saucy Bejo, owes more to the Ruby Keeler model of "42nd Street" (1933), but she's still perfectly at home in this old school Tinseltown world. You don’t need to know old movies to appreciate “The Artist,” but many of its subtler delights reveal themselves only to viewers who understand the richly allusive nature of the film, which also pays tribute to other silent films and stars, including a brief homage to Douglas Fairbanks in the 1920 swashbuckler, “The Mark of Zorro.” Valentin's name, of course, is a reference to the great silent star Rudolph Valentino, whose sudden death in 1926 brought his own career to an abrupt and tragic end.
Unlike so many critical favorites and Oscar contenders, “The Artist” is a joyful, bloodless story about likable characters who keep their clothes on throughout the entire movie. People of all ages can see and enjoy this remarkable film. Youngsters need to be old enough to deal with George’s unhappiness about his failing career, but the scene-stealing heroics of Uggie the Jack Russell Terrier will delight viewers of all ages, and the PG-13 rating is really not warranted. Adult viewers who aren’t familiar with silent film might find “The Artist” a welcome introduction to the form, although the movie does use sound very effectively in a few key scenes. Its musical score also demonstrates the powerful role that music plays in the movies, even though we are often too distracted by voices and noises to appreciate it properly.
If you enjoy “The Artist,” be sure to see “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952), “Footlight Parade” (1933), “Silent Movie” (1976), and other Hollywood love letters like “The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985). Check out classic silent films from stars like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and Lillian Gish. For a darker take on silent stars and the changing times, see Billy Wilder’s classic, “Sunset Boulevard” (1950).
The National Classic Movies Examiner posts new content regularly. Subscribe to this column by clicking the "subscribe" button at the top of this article and get automatic updates when new articles appear. You can also follow Jennifer Garlen on Twitter as @garlengirl.
Comments