Why won't you talk, George?

Rating: 7/10 (9 March 2013)

The Artist – 2011 – Michael Hazanavicius
In 1927, The Jazz Singer became the first film with synchronized dialogue. A few years later, "talkies" became popular and silent films died. Not too many actors made a successful transition from silents to talkies, and often those were comedic actors like Laurel and Hardy or Charlie Chaplin. Silent film acting was a different style. With no audible dialogue and no way to convey tone of voice and subtlety, actors had to rely on facial expressions, hand gestures, and overacting. Some actors didn't simply struggle to make the transition, but rather refused to do so. Such is the case of actor George Valentin in The Artist. The film opens, not coincidentally, in 1927. George (Jean Dujardin) is a nice guy, but proud and somewhat egotistical and cocky. He helps out an attractive young actress, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo). Peppy's star gradually climbs while George's fame suddenly crashes at the advent of the talkies. Meanwhile, George's unhappy and bored housewife (Penelope Ann Miller) leaves him and he goes broke. He becomes suicidal, and Peppy tries to save him. There is almost no audible dialogue in this movie and very little sound save the accompanying orchestra music. It is shot perfectly like the silent films of old. There is one wonderful scene in which the music stops and George is attacked by the ordinary sounds of setting a glass on a table, his dog barking, laughter, the wind. He is overwhelmed by this. It's the best scene in the picture. The cast is wonderful and includes character actor James Cromwell (L.A. Confidential, The Green Mile, and dozens of others you've surely seen) and John Goodman (the most underrated actor in Hollywood). Not sure why Malcolm McDowell was put in a 30 second role. There isn't really anything wrong with this movie except for there really is no time and place to enjoy it. It may have been best enjoyed in the theater. If you have a very short attention span, you might have trouble watching it. There are a few humorous moments, but nothing that will make you laugh out loudly. It's a highly original movie and I think that's why it won so many awards. It is so different from anything else that Hollywood is pumping out nowadays. But despite practically no flaws in this movie, it's hard to give it a super high rating and that's mainly due to the pure entertainment factor. It would make a great companion film with Sunset Boulevard (1950), Mel Brook's Silent Movie (1976), or any actual silent movie. I give it 7 out of 10.