Those Zany Talkies

I thought I would take a break from all of the economic gloom and doom I've been writing about recently to write about an excellent movie that I watched with my brother last night.  I'd been putting off seeing it.  I thought I knew what to expect, but at the same time I wasn't sure.  It's won various awards in the run-up to the Oscars, including ones for film and acting.  So here goes...


When I sat down with my brother last night to watch "The Artist," I had heard many things about it.  Some said it was boring and weird, while others said it was a work of cinematic genius. Having watched it only once, though, I must agree with the latter view.  In fact, I'm putting my money on it to win Best Picture at the Oscars, along with Best Actor for Jean Dujardin.  I saw "The Descendants."  Clooney was his usual...ok.  

Although I knew that the film was silent, unlike some idiots in England who didn't realize this, went to see it, were outraged since they didn't know it was silent and demanded their money back, I thought I'd give it a try.  I'd seen other silent films on TMC or AMC or one of those older movie channels and I usually watch them for a few minutes and laugh as the people on screen in black and white prattle on about something while a moment later, a sign pops up reading "Surely you Jest!" or something equally ridiculous that didn't begin to describe the conversation they were having.

But this film was different.  When I saw Jean Dujardin speak at the Golden Globe Awards to accept his award for Best Actor in a comedy or musical, I assumed that since he was French that the film was in French.  I assumed that it would be a silent film with french title cards subsequently subtitled in English. 

I was very surprised when the cards were in English, and not only that, there were some big names in the film, namely John Goodman and James Cromwell.  Penelope Ann Miller and Missy Pyle (I saw her on Broadway as the German part of the love quadrangle in the hilarious "Boeing, Boeing") also had small roles.

While I won't give away any of the ending or most of the plot, I will gloss over some of the main plot points to combat any doubters and hopefully encourage some of you to see the film.  The film opens with a wide eyed, soon to be starlet descending upon Hollywood/Los Angeles to make her mark (the lovely Berenice Bejo as the upstart, chipper Peppy Miller).

She ends up literally bumping into Dujardin her first day outside the studio as part of a gawking crowd waiting for him to exit the stage (he plays George Valentin, the era's star of the silents), and causes a stir that lands her on the cover of that week's Variety with him.  While initially embarrassing and causing those gossipy tongues around Hollywood to wag about Valentin's love life, it eventually lands her a part in one of his films in 1927.  

Long story short, we flash to 1929 with a rising Peppy Miller who has taken on lead roles in these new so-called talking pictures, while George Valentin remains locked in the past and soon is unable to find work because he refuses to let go of the silent film era.  He thinks that talkies are not the future and we see his self-doubt at making the leap from silent film era star to movie sensation.

The film chronicles Miller's and Valentin's careers, lives, and special bond that they form and ends with what I will term, something perfectly appropriate.  The film, in black and white, is nearly all silent.  However, if you can get past the first few minutes and let the musical score take you back to the era of Hollywood glitz and glamor, flappers and starlets, you will not be disappointed.  

The music guides the film, along with the title cards that pop up occasionally to alert the viewer as to what is transpiring.  It's all brilliantly done.  Is there any dialogue aside from the title cards?  I guess you'll have to watch it.  Plus, there's Dujardin's adorable dog who is right there throughout the film.  It clocks in at about an hour and a half, and if you don't believe me, it got a 97% on RottenTomatoes.com.  

Thanks for reading and if you're trying to decide which Oscar contenders for Best Picture to watch in anticipation of trying to see the film that won so you can talk to all of your friends about it, definitely choose "The Artist." It is beautiful, brilliant, happy, sad, heartbreaking, and it's something I think you'll want to see again.  Enjoy!