Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist, which won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Comedy, is a great homage not only to the silent film era but also to fine movie making period. This elegant black and white, edge-of-your-seat romance stars handsome Jean Dujardin, who resembles matinee idol Gilbert Roland and Berenice Bejo, both of whom show that emotions engage sans dialogue.
One of my very favorite scenes is when Peppy ( Bejo) sneaks into Valentin 's (Dujardin) dressing room on the lot of Kinograph Studios, starts touching the jacket he wears and finds herself wrapped up in it literally feigning his arm around her. (picture below) It's funny, alluring and delightfully original. It's great to see character actors John Goodman - looks fantastic! - James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller and Beth Grant in featured roles, but Uggie as Valentin's best friend - you've got it, his dog - steals every scene he's in and saves the day more than once.
This is entertainment at its very best and should be used in film class to show students just how important subtext is in preparing a role ... and being able to use your eyes and body language effectively!
5 out of 5 stars
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