Less than 36 hours before it won “Best picture” I caught “The Artist” at a local cinema. It was, as promised, a paen to old Hollywood and the golden age of film. But more than that it was a testament to the power of the human face.

That I could sit for two hours and hear only two spoken words — yet still be caught up in the drama and pathos of the characters’ lives — speaks to the enormity of emotions that can be conveyed by two eyes, a nose, mouth and a whole lot of facial muscles.

So here’s to twinkles, frowns, smiles and arched eyebrows. No matter how sensitive our instruments and how sophisticated our technology, their power is never lost.

Photo: Wikipedia