It’s 1927, the silent film era, but you still expect sound. Instead, what you get is a man being electrocuted and screaming in SILENCE at the top of his lungs, “I won’ t talk! I won’t say a word!” That man is George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) and this film was the crowd-pleaser at this year’s Cannes Film festival, destined to clean up at the Oscars for Best Picture and possibly Best Actor.
The movie is shot silent, in black and white, so right from the get-go it’s delightfully different, and you find yourself forced to pay attention, and not do anything as simple as crinkle your candy wrapper. It’s directed by Michael Hazanacvicius (Ha-za-na-vee-shooz) who also pays attention… to detail that is.
George is a silent film star who has it all. Beautiful wife, gorgeous mansion and adorable dog. He’s Douglas Fairbanks, he’s Cary Grant, he’s the quintessential Clark Gable. You name it, George is it. While being interviewed on a sidewalk, a young girl, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) accidentally steals his thunder. She’s Marion Cotillard-ish and bug-eyed with a face like a female Charlie Chaplin and she plans to use this moment to elevate her own stardom. And she does. (btw she is the real life love of the French director.)
Meanwhile back at the ranch, George is in trouble with his wife who reads about his brush with the beauty on the cover of Variety. So, George does what any husband dose and utilizes the cute family pet, the Jack Russell terrier, as a way to gain forgiveness for being in the ‘dog house.”
But George and Peppy’s paths continue to cross in “Ah, it’s YOU again!” moments until the destiny dictates that films will speak. The studios will do “Talkies” now and it ‘s the way of the future, explains the studio man played by John Goodman. This is impossible for George to accept since life has been acted in silence – via music and emotions. He’s “The Artist” afterall, so he’ll just have to direct and produce his own films now. But as Peppy’s career soars, George’s sinks, along with the Stock market.
It’s a skilled film. It’s a Weinstein film, so you know what that means. Its about our love affair as an audience – a sensual experience with quiet and nostalgia. With a time-out from our loud media-moving, busy, 3D, CGI blockbuster life it’s an affair to remember. If silence is golden, this labor of love screams very loudly. Four tiaras