Backstage at the 1927 Hollywood premiere of his latest screen triumph, film star George Valentin ¿ played with irresistible zest by Jean Dujardin ¿ waits for the crowd’s response. Standing in front of the sign shushing the backstagers, he hears the applause. We only see it, “The Artist” being a silent film (or nearly) whose story begins in the late-silent era. When Valentin takes his bow with his co-stars, female and canine, it’s clear this man’s oxygen is the love of a crowd.

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‘The Artist’: Artful in the way it wins you over — 3 1/2 stars