The big film that no one saw coming this year was Michel Hazanavicius‘s “The Artist.” The director was best known for his cult French comedies in the “OSS 117” series, and reunited with star Jean Dujardin for a silent movie homage, riffing on films from “Singin’ in the Rain” to “A Star Is Born,” shot in black and white and with (almost) no dialogue.
The film wasn’t on the radar of many, but when it debuted in Cannes back in May, it brought down the house, a true crowd-pleasing hit (read our review from the Croisette, which called it “magical… a big blast of pure delight”), and The Weinstein Company swiftly snapped it up, aiming to make it their big Oscar contender of 2011, utilizing the same underdog charm that paid off so well last year with “The King’s Speech.”
We’ve already seen a trailer for the film, and now C7nema have dug up six whole clips, which give the best sense so far of what to expect. And it looks pretty delightful — there’s a fair sweep here, from the first meeting of star George Valentin (Dujardin) with prospective starlet Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), as well as glimpses of the supporting cast, including studio head Al Zimmer (John Goodman).
It looks terrific, and deeply charming, and we can’t wait to see it for ourselves. The Weinsteins will release the film on November 23rd, and it’s widely expected to be a major player in the awards season this year. Watch the clips below.