The Artist

Year:

2012

Duration:

100 min

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

IMDB rate:

8

Director:

Michel Hazanavicius

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 156 wins & 146 nominations

Details

Country: France

Release Date: 2012-01-20

Filming Locations: Fremont Mansion - 56 Fremont Place, Los Angeles, California, USA

Earnings

Budget: $15,000,000

Opening Weekend: $204,878 (USA) (27 November 2011)

Gross: $44,667,095 (USA) (17 June 2012)

Cast

Actor

Character

Bill Fagerbakke

Bitsie Tulloch

Cleto Augusto

Sonya Macari

Jean Dujardin

George Valentin

Bérénice Bejo

Peppy Miller

John Goodman

Al Zimmer

James Cromwell

Clifton

Penelope Ann Miller

Doris

Missi Pyle

Constance

Beth Grant

Peppy's Maid

Ed Lauter

Peppy's Butler

Joel Murray

Policeman Fire

Ken Davitian

Pawnbroker

Malcolm McDowell

The Butler

Basil Hoffman

Auctioneer

Nina Siemaszko

Admiring Woman (as Nina Siemazko)

Stephen Mendillo

Set Assistant

Dash Pomerantz

Peppy's Boyfriend

Beau Nelson

Peppy's Boyfriend

Alex Holliday

Guard

Wiley M. Pickett

Guard (as Wiley Pickett)

Ben Kurland

Audition Casting Assistant

Katie Nisa

Audition Dancer

Katie Wallack

Audition Dancer (as Katie Wallick)

Hal Landon Jr.

Napoleon

Sarah Karges

Laughing Dancer

Sarah Scott

Laughing Dancer

Maize Olinger

Shouting Dancer

Ezra Buzzington

Journalist

Fred Bishop

Journalist

Stuart Pankin

Director #1 (Restaurant)

Andy Milder

Director #2

Bob Glouberman

Director #3 (Finale)

David Allen Cluck

Assistant Director (Finale) (as David Cluck)

Kristian Francis Falkenstein

Actor in 'The Brunette' (as Kristian Falkenstein)

Matt Skollar

Peppy's Assistant

Annie O'Donnell

Woman with Policeman

Patrick Mapel

Assistant with Newspaper

Matthew Albrecht

Tennis Player

Harvey J. Alperin

Doctor (as Harvey Alperin)

Lily Knight

Nurse at Peppy's House

Clement Blake

Beggar

Tasso Feldman

Zimmer's Assistant

Christopher Ashe

Zimmer's Assistant (as Chris Ashe)

Adria Tennor

Zimmer's Assistant

Cletus Young

Bartender

J. Mark Donaldson

Thug #1 (as Mark Donaldson)

Brian J. Williams

Thug #2 (as Brian Williams)

Andrew Ross Wynn

Big Dancer (Restaurant)

Jen Lilley

Onlooker

Brian Chenoweth

Onlooker

Tim De Zarn

Soldier (as Tim Dezarn)

Uggie

The Dog

Ashley Lane Adams

Girl at Audition (uncredited)

David Bantly

Studio Executive

Bill Blair

Studio Engineer (uncredited)

Teri Bocko

Laughing Dancer (uncredited)

Joshua Capo

Clerk (uncredited)

Amanda Chism

Make-Up Artist (uncredited)

Brendan Connolly

Studio Executive

Vincent De Paul

Restaurant Manager (uncredited)

Calvin Dean

Mr. Sauveur (uncredited)

Mohamed Dione

African (uncredited)

Matt J. Doyle

Guard (uncredited)

Joseph Falsetti

Camera Operator (uncredited)

Josephine Ganner

1930's Studio Actress (uncredited)

Kevin Michael Hoffman

Peppy's Dance Partner (uncredited)

Victor Holstein

Grip (uncredited)

Jennifer Ingrum

Charleston Dancer (uncredited)

Sergio Kato

Actor (uncredited)

Robert Kestler

Scientist #1 (uncredited)

Kevin Ketcham

Film Crew Member (uncredited)

Devon Marie King

Laughing Dancer (uncredited)

Carmen Kirby

Fan (uncredited)

Patrick Krull

Film Clapper #4 / Dancer (uncredited)

Michael Laren

Michel (uncredited)

Jillana Laufer

Silent Film Star (uncredited)

Josh Margulies

Film Clapper #1 (uncredited)

Julie Minasian

Make-up Artist 1 (uncredited)

Rose Murphy

Herself (archive sound) (uncredited)

Rene Napoli

Studio Executive

Niko Novick

Producer (uncredited)

Philip Ongert

Set Costumer - Finale (uncredited)

Geoff Pilkington

Sound Technician (uncredited)

Jamie Preston

Engineer (uncredited)

Randee Reicher

Make-up Artist 2 (uncredited)

Jesse Ruda

Actor (uncredited)

Andrew Schlessinger

1920s Lighting Technician (uncredited)

Frank Scozzari

Man in Restaurant (uncredited)

Jewel Shepard

Flapper Starlet (uncredited)

John H. Tobin

Violinist in Ballroom (uncredited)

Josh Woodle

Man in Bed with Peppy (uncredited)

Brad Everett Young

Uncontrollable Patient (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

The first Academy Award Best Picture winner to be presented in a 4:3 aspect ratio since Marty (1955) won this Oscar fifty-six years earlier.

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The art department budget for this film was $305,000 according to production designer Robert Gould.

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The film is shot with 22 FPS (frames per second). When played at the standard 24 FPS, the action becomes slightly accelerated. Most silent films were shot with 14 to 24 FPS, which makes many of these films appear "faster" in motion when played on modern projection equipment at 24 FPS. When sound films were introduced, the frame rate was standardized at 24 FPS to make it possible to sync the sound with the images.

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Goofs

While autographing photos for George, Clifton uses what appears to be a Parker Streamlined Vacumatic fountain pen which did not exist until 1937. Other pens used in the movie appear to be European pens from the 1940s.

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When George sees the large marque for Peppy Miller's movie Beauty Spot, the beauty spot on her image is on the wrong side of her face.

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Women's fashions changed a great deal from 1927 to 1932; however, Peppy's wardrobe appears to remain in 1927. By 1932, hems were mid-calf and waistlines were at the natural waist.

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Quotes

George Valentin: [first lines, heard in one of his films] I won't talk! I won't say a word!

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Doris: I'm unhappy.

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Al Zimmer: You and I belong to another era, George. The world is talking now. People want new faces, talking faces. I wish it wasn't like this, but the public wants fresh meat, and the public is never wrong.

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Faq

Q

To whom is the film dedicated?

A

The film is dedicated to Kamel Ech-Cheik, a composer and boyhood friend of Michel Hazanavicius.

Q

Why didn't George Valentin make talkies?

A

This is not explicitly answered in the movie. One popular answer is that it was because of his French accent; however, the filmmakers have stated that they never intended for this to be the reason. George represents the many silent film stars that could not make the transition to talking films. Some could not speak their lines correctly, while others had voices that were not suited to be recorded. Also, in silent films, the director often used a megaphone to call out directions to the actors as the scene was being filmed. When "talkies" arrived this was impossible. Actors had to memorize the scene "on their own", and some just couldn't do that.

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