Artist (film)

Hollywood , 1927 Silent movie star George Valentine ( Jean Dujardin ) attends the premiere of his new film Russian Affair. Near the cinema, Valentine signs autographs and poses for photographers when a young girl, Peppy Miller ( Berenice Bejo ) drops her wallet. She bends down to pick it up, and inadvertently pushes Valentine. The girl apologizes and takes pictures with him, and the next day this photo is published on the first page of the Variety newspaper with the headline "Who is this girl?"

Shortly after this incident, Miller came to the casting of a new film at the Kinograph Studios as a dancer. Valentine himself has been working at the studio for many years, who notices the girl and insists that she get a role in the new film. Despite the objections of studio director Al Zimmer ( John Goodman ), furious that a photograph of a movie star from an unknown ousted the premiere of the film from the front pages of newspapers, Miller claimed the role. After the success of the new picture, the girl is offered more and more large roles.

Two years later, Zimmer announces the end of the production of silent films, stating that the future lies in sound pictures. Conservative George Valentine, whom it was a silent movie that made a star, does not lose heart and decides to direct his own silent film called “Tears of Love”.

The premiere is scheduled for October 25, but Valentine’s directorial debut coincides with the premiere of a new sound comedy with Peppy Miller's “Mushka”, which is a huge success. The actor is depressed and ruined, in addition to other troubles, his wife Doris ( Penelope Ann Miller ) divorces him and drives him out of the house. Valentine moves to a more modest home, along with his former valet Clifton ( James Cromwell ). Due to financial inadequacy, George has to sell all his belongings and fire his old friend Clifton. Desperate and drunk, Valentine is trying to destroy copies of all the films with his participation and sets the films on fire, because of this a fire starts. Dog actor, Jack ( Jack Russell Terrier Uggie) rescues the owner, barking out onto the street and managing to bring help. Valentine is hospitalized with minor burns.

Upon learning of the tragedy, Peppy visits a colleague in the hospital and insists that he recover at her home. Valentine comes to his senses in a few days. Clifton works with Peppy, who gives George the script for the new film. At the studio, the girl insists that Valentine return to the big movie and play a major role with her in the upcoming picture. Zimmer is categorically against saying that “Valentine is nobody”, but Peppy blackmails him, claiming that he will leave his studio. Zimmer agrees. At the same time, in Peppy’s apartment, George finds his sold-out things, which, as it turned out, the girl bought up at an auction.

Valentine decides that he no longer needs to live. He picks up a revolver and tries to commit suicide, but at that moment Peppy saves him. Remembering that he is a great dancer, the girl persuades the actor to star with her in a new musical. In the last scene of the film, Peppy and George dance on the set, and incredibly pleased Zimmer announces the end of the shoot. He asks Peppy and George to repeat the dance, to which George with a strong French accent replies: “With pleasure!”

Director Michel Hazanavicius for several years dreamed of making a silent film. At first he was not taken seriously, and only after the successful release of Agent 117: Cairo - a Spy Nest and Agent 117: Mission to Rio , the producers became interested in the project. The script was written for four months, the main roles were invited actors with whom Hazanavichus already worked in films about the agent 117: Jean Dujardin and wife of the director Berenice Bejo ^[10] .

The film was produced by film companies La Petite Reine and ARP Selection , which allocated 13 million euros to create the film. A small portion of the extra money came from France 3 and Canal + ^[17] . Filming took a month and a half and took place in Los Angeles ^[10] .

• George Valentine prototypes were Douglas Fairbanks and Fredrick March ^[18] .
• In 1992, Penelope Ann Miller played the role of the famous silent movie actress Edna Purvians in the movie " Chaplin " ^[19] .
• The film contains the theme of love from the soundtrack to the film “ Vertigo ” by Alfred Hitchcock ^[19] .

The film was positively received by most of the world's film critics. The rating of the picture on the reputable site Rotten Tomatoes is 98%, based on 205 reviews ^[16] . The audience rating on the IMDB website is 8.1 out of 10 ^[14] .

Screen Daily magazine reporter Mark Adams called the film “real pleasure.” ^[20] Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian newspaper agreed with him, saying that he “applauded during the final credits” ^[21] .

• Official movie website
• Артист (англ.) на сайте Internet Movie Database