It's 1927 and George Valentin is enjoying the luxuries of being a famous silent film star. The fans love him as does the studio. George continually pumps out hit after hit. All is going great for George Valentin. One day when he is hitting the red carpet for his next big film, he runs into a lovely woman by the name of Peppy Miller. Peppy dreams of being a movie star like George Valentin. The two hit it off and George ultimately offers a small part for Peppy in his next film. She jumps at the opportunity and slowly her career climbs until she is just as famous as George. Fast forward to 1929 and Peppy's career has reached new hights that she had never dreamed would happen. She starts making her own films and this time they are "talkies" - films that actually have sound. Unfortunately that means that George is slowly put into the background as the end of the silent era comes around. George must cope with this by either submitting to this new era or retiring.
The Artist is interesting because it is shot entirely in black and white, and also - except for one or two scenes - there is no sound except from the orchestra. It takes us on a journey to a time where moviegoers had to almost create their own dialogue for what was happening onscreen. A time where a greeting card was the method of communication instead of cell phones, internet, and social media sites. George Valentin has the gift of imagination and emotions, effectively using these gifts for the entertainment of others; and he loves what he does. When the "talkies" come into the picture, he struggles to almost literally survive in this new world. I'm not sure I agreed with the fact that The Artist won Best Picture, but it was a solid movie nonetheless. I loved it. If you haven't seen it yet I highly recommend it.
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