In 1927, a silent film star (Jean Dujardin, looking like a French James Bond) helps a young ingénue (Berenice Bejo) get her break into films.  As sound comes in and his star fades, she explodes into a top star.  She tries to help him but his life continues to spiral out of control until they come up with a scheme to revive his career that might not involve talking.

Best known as both a gimmick (silent in 2011) and the Best Picture Oscar winner of 2011, The Artist is a divisive film.  While most admire its use of the period framing and intertitles, director Michel Hazanavicius’ depth of vision is shown to be limited by his multiple introductions of a synchronized soundtrack.  In addition, while the actors do a fine job of using silent film techniques to further capture the era, too many modern touches prevent any real veracity.  Examples of this include one character giving the middle finger and another putting a gun in his mouth.  If he trusted the audience Hazanavicius could have more convincingly used the film to speak about film history and form.  Instead, he dilutes it, I think out of fear that people wouldn’t accept a silent film.  Obviously they have, although the film’s box office is as low as any Best Picture winner.  It is interesting that the Academy Awards seem to be moving towards picking “difficult” films over blockbusters.  Perhaps the divide between audiences and artists working in film is larger than ever.  Regardless, the film is certainly worth seeing and is a success; it just sparks ideas of what might have been.  ☆ ☆ ☆.

MJM  08-10-2012