The Artist Language and Communication

The Artist is a movie about talking—the exciting new film genre is the talkie, the press is hot on the scene to sniff out the "talk of the town," and George refuses to talk, which gives his competition Peppy Miller (a.k.a. the "sound of love") a real leg up.

New communication technologies like the radio and the microphone are dazzling everyone, but the real trouble is plain and simple: face-to-face communication.

Questions About Language and Communication

1. How is the written word (signs, notes, newspapers) used to help facilitate communication between characters in the movie?
2. How does The Artist use newspapers to further the plot? What kinds of things are revealed or spun through the news?
3. How much control do the characters in the movie have over their own ability to communicate?
4. How do new technologies like the telephone and microphone function in The Artist?
5. Why is George so reluctant to act in talkies?

Chew on This

George's resistance to talkies is linked to his difficulty communicating.

The media plays a major role in the fame and popularity of the actors in The Artist.