FILM

France 2011 100 mins Dir: Michel Hazanavicius Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller, Malcolm McDowell

It is perhaps telling that at a time when modern Hollywood believes the best way to lure audiences is to chuck things at them in 3D and make seats wobble with low-frequency rumbles, the finest, most enjoyable film of the month - and quite possibly the year - should turn out to be a silent, black and white celebration of old Hollywood. Even the aspect ratio of 'The Artist' is the obsolete 1.33:1, leaving it to sit rather uncomfortably in the middle of those wide multiplex screens. Brilliantly constructed and beautifully performed, this French love letter to the silent era is certain to charm its way into all but the coldest of hearts.

Beginning in 1927 and borrowing liberally from 'A Star is Born', the story has suave, shiny-haired, pencil-moustached, self-regarding silent movie star George Valentin (Dujardin) - so named, perhaps, in honour of Rudolph Valentino - at the peak of his fame, preferring to share the spotlight with his adorable Jack Russell rather than long-suffering wife and co-star Doris (Miller). A meet-cute with aspiring actress Peppy Miller (Bejo) leads to infatuation and divergent career paths as she cashes in on her association with him, while he hubristically dismisses the cigar-chomping studio boss's (Goodman) warning about the coming age of talkies, sinking his fortune into a ruinously expensive silent vanity project that sees him sink literally into quicksand.

Little known outside France, where he's the star of the 'OSS 117' spy spoof series, Dujardin will need to invest in a large trophy cabinet after this wonderful performance, which embraces perfectly timed physical comedy and heartbreaking emotion. Berenice Bejo's radiant ingénue is equally impressive and likely to inspire 'The New Audrey Tautou?' headlines before long. Hell, even the dog deserves a gong. But while Michel Hazanavicius's film is warm, affectionate and inventive, with plenty of homages for cineastes to spot, it's no simple pastiche. A number of brilliantly imaginative set-pieces tinker playfully with the coming of sound and George's lack of a voice. Equally stunning is the film's most emotional scene, played out in complete silence as the orchestral score is abruptly muted. If you're looking for a film to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step during a cold, bleak January, you really won’t find anything better than this. (Robin Askew)

Website www.warnerbros.fr/the-artist.html

Opens: January 6

Copyright Robin Askew 2012