The Artist

1 TITLES 1

The letters of the titles come up on a title card typical of

the 1920s. Elegant motifs around the edge of the frame, and,

in the background, there are geometrical shapes reminiscent

of the light beams of a film premi.re. Behind is a stylized

town. The titles end in a fade to black. On black, the date

appears on the screen: 1927

2 INT. LABORATORY - DAY 2

In a "futuristic" 1920s laboratory, a man in tail coat and

bow tie is being tortured. Ultrasound is being piped into his

ears. It's incredibly painful! He's screaming.

Title card:

I’m not telling! I won’t talk!!!

His torturers, cold men of science in white coats, gradually

increase the volume. The pain seems unbearable, the volume

reaches level 10 (maximum), the man passes out!

3 INT. CELLS & CORRIDORS - DAY 3

Guards wearing long leather overcoats throw the man into a

cell!

As the man is lying there on the ground, a dog wiggles

through the bars at the window. The dog, a Jack Russell,

jumps on top of the man - visibly his master - and begins to

lick his face. The man opens one eye! When he sees his dog,

he can't help cracking a smile...

The man, now on his feet, looks in pain. Despite the pain, he

motions to his dog who begins to bark in lively fashion.

Outside the cell, the guard looks curious about the noise. He

goes to the door, opens the spy flap and finds himself face

to face with the man, eye to eye just a couple of inches

apart! The man moves his eyes in such a way that he

hypnotizes the guard! Superimposed on the screen: a spinning

black and white spiral, until the dazed guard take his keys,

opens the door and releases the man and his dog.

2.

The man (the hero, thus) imprisons the guard without harming

him, then runs over to the guard's desk. His ears are still

causing him pain, but he opens a drawer and takes out his

belongings:
a top hat which he snaps open, and a mask, which

he puts over his head to conceal his eyes.

We catch up with the masked man walking down corridors. He

suddenly stops, copied by his dog who follows him like his

shadow. The man, on his guard, has spotted another guard

where two corridors meet.

With a look, he orders his dog to move forwards into the

guard's line of sight. The guard looks over at the animal.

Using his fingers, the hero pretends to shoot his dog. The

dog collapses, plays dead. The guard, increasingly curious,

gets to his feet. He slowly approaches the motionless dog.

When he comes close he is attacked from the side by the hero,

who quickly puts him out of action with a mere punch!

The masked man then rushes to another cell, and releases a

young female prisoner. She too is wearing evening dress. As

she is thanking him he staggers and clutches his ears in

pain. She's concerned.

Title card:

Can I help you in some way?

He refuses.

Title card:

No. I don’t get helped. I give the help around here.

He composes himself. She casts him an admiring glance. Then,

in view of the urgency of their situation, they escape at a

run.

4 EXT. HOUSE/LABORATORY - DAY 4

They come out of a house that is lost in the hills, climb

into a Bugatti sports car that the man starts by rubbing two

wires together, and speed off.

5 EXT. ROAD - DAY 5

The car speeds along the road. Its occupants turn round to

check they aren't being followed.

3.

6 INT. HOUSE/LAB - DAY 6

The guard who got knocked out picks himself up, realizes what's

happened and dashes over to his office. He grabs a radio

emitter and begins sending a message.

7 EXT. AIR FIELD - DAY 7

The hero, the young woman and the dog come to a halt in the

Bugatti on the air field, by a telegraph pole whose wires

lead...to a watch tower.

In the watch tower, a radio receptor is vibrating. A soldier

approaches, listens and suddenly understands! He grabs hold of

his gun and goes out onto the air field, only to find the

fugitives! He tries to shoot at them as he draws closer, but

the hero manages to throw an airplane propeller at him, before

climbing inside where the woman and dog are waiting for him.

The airplane begins to move.

The soldier shoots.

The airplane is positioning itself on the runway, while the

soldier continues to fire!

The aircraft gains speed.

The soldier is still shooting, but too late, as the heroo pulls

back the joystick, and the airplane takes to the sky...

The soldier is furious, but the hero is all smiles as he looks

back towards the ground and shouts something.

Title card:
Free Georgia forever!!!

The airplane flies away into the evening sky.

8 EXT. AIRPLANE - NIGHT 8

A little later in the night, still at the controls, the man is

fighting not to fall asleep. Behind him, the women is sleeping,

the dog is lying in her arms. Suddenly she is awoken by

explosions happening close by! Pandemonium! The man doesn't

understand it either, he tries to pick up altitude, but quickly

notices that the explosions are in fact pretty and

inoffensive. He consults a calendar dial on the control panel

that shows it is July 14th, immediately understands, and

bursts into laughter.

Title card:
We’ve arrived, welcome to France!!!

4.

As the music picks up the tune of The Marseillaise, the

airplane flies away through the exploding fireworks...

The words "The End" appear on the screen.

9 INT. WINGS MOVIE THEATER LOS ANGELES - NIGHT 9

From the moment they parked the car onwards, we become

absorbed by what's happening around the screening of end of

this film.

Behind the screen, we've seen the actor who plays the hero -

his name is George Valentin - closely studying the reactions

of the audience. He was standing close to his dog, motioning

to it not to make a noise. The dog's name is Jack.

In the same area, we've also seen the lead actress. Her name

is Constance Gray. She too looks tense and is latched onto

the arm of a pleasant-looking man who is chewing anxiously on

a cigar. The man looks rich, but a little weak. He's surely

the producer.

10 INT. MOVIE THEATER LOS ANGELES - NIGHT 10

In the house, much of the audience is open-mouthed, excited,

immobile and often wide-eyed.

In the pit, a symphony orchestra plays to accompany the film.

(9) Now that the film is ending, and the last note is

sounding, the cast anxiously awaits the audience's verdict,

which, after two or three seconds of silence, bursts into

thunderous applause, to the great joy of the actor and the

people around him, especially the actress and the producer,

who kiss each other on the lips.

Two theater hands bring down the curtain.

(10) The lights come on. George Valentin comes onto the stage

and acknowledges the audience, they are cheering for him. He

is so happy he dances a few tap steps to express his joy then

he acknowledges the orchestra before finally motioning to

someone in the wings to join him. Jack the dog trots over in

response. The crowd laughs and cheers, George waves to the

dog, Jack waves back then waves at the audience, the people

are loving it!

In the wings, Constance is fuming with rage, but on stage,

George is pretending with his fingers to pull at the dog, who

fakes death. Thunderous applause again.

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