An Ode to the Golden Age

As you know, I’ve taken many a stroll through Hollywood Studios (the former MGM Studios) in Walt Disney World. It’s dedicated to the golden age of films, a Hollywood and Vine stuck in the 1930s. And while Epcot is my favorite park, I still like Hollywood Studios. I wouldn’t mind walking down it one day in an old 30’s inspired outfit.

Anyway, I love to go on the Great Movie Ride while I’m there. Which means I’ve seen the preshow many, many times over. And I’ve seen some trailers for the old black and white pictures, but they all start with talking pictures. Nothing from the silent era. It’s like an era that’s been forgotten.
But not completely—this year’s Academy Award winner “The Artist” is a love letter to this age.

“Spoilers”

The film opens in 1927, where George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is Hollywood’s biggest star along with his dog (Uggie) and female co-star Constance (Missi Pyle). He has a faithful butler, Clifton (James Cromwell), and an unhappy wife (Penelope Ann Miller). Outside the premiere of his newest film, George bumps into a young fan (Berenice Bejo). They end up on the cover of Variety as everyone wants to know who she is. She is Peppy Miller and she wants to be an actress. She arrives at the studios where Malcolm McDowell appears for a few seconds to tell her it’s a difficult career path.

But Peppy is hired to be a dancer on a film and impresses George with her skills when they end up in a dance off. The two are drawn to each other and George helps Peppy out by giving her a beauty mark to help her stand out. And she starts to climb her way up the credits until she is a Hollywood leading lady.

We then cut to 1929, where the studio exec (John Goodman) calls George into a screening room. He has him watch the dailies of a new Romeo and Juliet film with Constance where she talks. The Exec tells George that it is a new form of movie and it is the future. George reacts like he’s never seen this before, despite the fact that “The Jazz Singer” debuted in 1927 and I know for a fact that Mickey Mouse’s first appearance, “Steamboat Willie,” came out in 1928 and had sound. But George refuses to accept the new style and is eventually let go by the studio. At the same time, Peppy is poised to become the talkies’ next big star.

George decides to produce his own silent film, “Tears of the Heart.” He’s the producer, director and star. He sets his movie to open October 25th and learns that Peppy’s film is supposed to open the same day. He happens to be eating at a restaurant where Peppy gives an interview about her upcoming movie. She praises the new technology and says that the old need to give way to the new. George stands up and tells her he is doing just that, killing her high.

George’s life slips further downhill with the beginning of Wall Street’s quick path to its crash. His movie opens to a paltry audience, but one that includes a moved Peppy. Meanwhile, her movie is doing wonderfully at the box office. She goes to George, who is broke and has been kicked out of his house by his wife. He congratulates her, is a bit self-deprecating and they part ways.

The next time we see him, he’s living in a little apartment with Clifton and the dog. Unfortunately, he has to let Clifton go as he hasn’t paid him in a year. Ever the loyal butler, Clifton doesn’t want to leave. So George has to throw him out. He waits outside for some time but eventually leaves. Meanwhile, George pawns his good suit for money. Because he’s constantly shown drinking and Prohibition is still going on. Illegal booze is expensive. He auctions off all his goods, mostly bought by two people in the room.

He continues his descent into despair when Peppy tries to rescue him. The only question is will he let her?

Did I go see it because it won the Oscar? No. I had planned to see it about a week prior regardless of what would happen on Oscar night. And after seeing it, I can see why it deserved its accolades.

Dujardin is magnetic. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a few more Hollywood roles like Gerard Depardieu. Berenice Bejo is also a great actress, captivating attention every time she is on screen. Despite having no heard dialogue, the two had great chemistry together. This is part of the film’s success. Everything rides on their stories and how they intertwine. We root for George to pull himself from his despair. We root for Peppy to succeed. And gosh darn it, we want those two crazy kids to get together. And John Goodman is great as the cigar smoking but ultimately good-hearted studio exec. And the dog is utterly adorable.

Have I ever seen a silent film before? Yes. I saw the 1925 “Phantom of the Opera” movie. So I know I don’t mind seeing a movie with no sound, though there is some in the movie. It is used superbly. I won’t give it away if you haven’t seen the film and I advise you to pay attention to it. And don’t worry if you think the lack of sound will get to you—it makes you more aware of the visuals and the music. Another plus—someone in the audience at my showing was whispering some thing and no one was bothered because there was nothing for us to hear.

The story is one that has been forgotten—the stars of the silent era that didn’t make the transition. Because many didn’t. And there are little tributes to that era. Peppy “utters” Greta Garbo’s famous line from “Grand Hotel.” They filmed around houses that were built around then. Peppy’s house was actually silent screen star Mary Pickford’s. So yes, it really is a love letter to the silent era.

Any complaints? The plot is slightly predictable. But there are a few twists along the way and everything else is very good that you do not mind.

So should you see “The Artist”? Yes, I definitely think you should!