Sometimes people notice a movie due to its sheer uniqueness. Even then, it need not guarantee its path to acceptance and glory. But, ‘The Artist’ is not just the first silent movie since time immemorial, but is also a simple story told with heartfelt emotion that takes us back to the original definition of cinema – a story told with pictures. ‘The Artist’ is a story of the passage of time, and more precisely of the passing of the flame from the old to the new. When that happens there are people that cross over and those that get left behind. Silent movie star George Valentin does not believe that the talkies are the future, despite his studio telling him so. Before he knows it, the studio directs their finances and projects to the talkies and promotes newcomers including Peppy Miller, a dance extra who he gives a break to.
With his ego not permitting him to accept the change, he drowns his money into making one more silent movie, that flops badly bankrupting him and sealing the fate of his already failing marriage. He is forced to move to humbler quarters and auction his belongings to make ends meet. All along Peppy keeps a tab on him and longs for him despite her own ascendency to stardom. Finally, when George tries to end his life unsuccessfully, she takes him under her care. Would his pride come in the way when he realizes that she was helping him all along, even buying out his furniture through a proxy? That’s what the film tries to show us.
The beauty of making a silent film lies in the simplicity of pictures vs. words. Yes, there are times when you have to show dialogue on a placard for the audience, but that is barely necessary as the screenplay is so symbolic, it is almost allegorical. For instance, when Valentin looks across the empty theater that is screening is last film, the final frame shows the actor sinking into quicksand, symbolic of the end of that era.
Michel Hazanavicius’ screenplay and direction is filled with gems like this that makes it so easy for the viewer to get what the auteur is trying to say. At times it seems like the story is too simple, that the characters are living in a cocoon. But you come to terms with it once you realize the pride that envelops Valentin. It cripples him and removes takes away all his options
Jean Dujardin is brilliant as George Valentin. What a fine and expressive face! He immerses himself into this role and portrays the rise, fall and redemption of the character superbly. A richly deserved Oscar for him. Bernice Bejo as Peppy Miller is an able foil and shows excellent body language in portraying a younger and peppy actress. It is Dujardin’s movie. The dog Jack, played by Uggi the dog serves up many neat tricks and will easily go down as one of the most famous screen animals.
‘The Artist’ takes us back to the basics of cinema and to fundamentals of time and its passage.