THE ARTIST

Last week I was asked to go and see ‘The Artist’ and give a review.   I had heard it was a silent movie and I thought it might be boring but I found that I was drawn in to the story even though there was no dialogue.

The story is about a top silent movie star and he suddenly loses his position when talking movies start.  He accidently meets a woman who he helps get into the movies and ends up being a big star in the talking movies.  Jean Dujardin plays George Valentin and Bérénice Bejo plays the starlet, Peppy Miller.   James Cromwell, remember him in ‘Babe’ “that’ll do pig,” plays Valentin’s butler and John Goodman plays a typical big old fashioned studio boss.

When Valentin loses his money in the crash he becomes poor and he is not wanted for any more films, everything looks really bad.    The story went back and forward between happy and sad, very sad and hope.  Uggie, the dog, played Jack and he was really funny and adorable.

I was surprised that I was able to follow the story and that it held my attention with no words, or stunts or trickery and I enjoyed it very much.