It is on October 12 that “The Artist”, the new film by the Dujardin/Hazanavicius duo, will be released. Acclaimed last spring at the Cannes, the film was crowned with a Best Actor award, and now must prove itself to the public. The die is cast.
Following the success of the two OSS117 films, Michel Hazanavicius and his friend Jean Dujardin take on a major challenge: paying tribute to Hollywood silent films. This time, it’s not about pastiche, irony, or parody, but a romantic fresco, sometimes funny, sometimes dramatic, but always respectful of the forefathers.
“The Artist” tells the story of the meeting between a silent film star (Jean Dujardin, majestic) and a young actress (Bérénice Béjo, full of life). We witness the decline of the star (paralleling that of silent cinema) and the rise of the young starlet in talkies. Their fates continually cross, for better and for worse.
What to think of “The Artist”? From the perspective of tribute, the film is completely successful: The imagery is superb, the black and white is mastered, the performances are fabulous, and the music, a significant part of the movie, fits perfectly with the ambiance. The 1930s Hollywood is compellingly realistic, and without the impeccable quality of the image, one would completely believe they are in a period film.
The feat, beyond the technique, lies more in the narration: Michel Hazanavicius delivers a script that is indeed classic but well-written enough to be engaging, despite the total absence of spoken dialogue. The author even plays with the codes of silent and sound films. The silent experience is disconcerting; you wait until the end for the actors to say a word. Despite this frustration, the film remains enjoyable and captivating.
“The Artist” lives up to its reputation and confirms the talent of Michel Hazanavicius, Jean Dujardin, and Bérénice Béjo, who with a few talented supporting roles (the legendary John Goodman, to name but one) and complete mastery of the subject, deliver an original entertainment.
