The Artist DVD

One of the most entertaining films of the year, The Artist is one of those rare cinematic events where all the stars align, a perfect fit between subject matter and talent. Shot as a (mostly) silent film, in faded black and white, this spirited comedy-melodrama is a love-letter to a bygone era of filmmaking, complete with intertitles.

Set in 1927, Jean Dujardin plays George Valentin, a silent film star celebrating the success of his latest hit along with his animal co-star, Jack (terrier extraordinaire, Uggie). But the silent era is coming to an end, and Valentin faces competition from Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), an up-and-coming it-girl. Facing ruin, Valentin is torn between his fight to cling on to stardom, and his love for his fresh-faced young rival.

Before The Artist swept the Oscars, Dujardin and director Michel Hazanavicius were best known for the OSS 117 spy parodies, in which Dujardian played suave secret agent Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath. Cleverer and classier than Austin Powers (2007), Cairo: Nest of Spies (2006) and Lost in Rio (2009) were likeable, politically-incorrect romps that gave early clues to The Artist’s triumphant success.

The first clue was Hazanavicius’s uncanny ability to recreate period detail – not only in terms of dress and locations, but, with Guillaume Schiffman’s cinematography, the impression that the films were actually shot in the 50s and 60s on overlit plywood sets using vintage film stock. The Artist takes this sense of immersion to a new level, with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio and off-kilter frame rate, and it’s a reminder of how beautiful black and white film can look.

The second clue was in Dujardin’s performance – here was a former comedian and TV actor effortlessly channelling the charisma of leading men such as Sean Connery, Cary Grant or Ivan Desny (who starred in a non-parody OSS 117 film in 1956). There was no way that Hollywood was going to ignore Dujardin’s dashing looks and matinee idol swagger for long, but the main obstacle to international stardom was the fact he couldn’t speak English (a problem The Artist elegantly solves).

Dujardin really does feel like a star from a different era, and this film feels less like an exercise in nostalgia, and more like an love affair rekindled; its simplicity of storytelling and style of filmmaking recalls a whole world of cinema that’s waiting to be rediscovered.

Milo Wakelin on 23rd March 2012
Author of 103 reviews