Moulin Rouge (1952)

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

John Huston (screenplay)
Pierre La Mure (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

23 December 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

The most startling and daring love story ever told!

Plot:

Fictional account of French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Plot Keywords:

Ostracism | Cancan Dance | Toulouse Lautrec | Paris France | Artist

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

José Ferrer	...	Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec / The Comte de Toulouse-Lautrec
Zsa Zsa Gabor	...	Jane Avril
Suzanne Flon	...	Myriamme Hayam
Claude Nollier	...	Countess de Toulouse-Lautrec
Katherine Kath	...	La Goulue
Muriel Smith	...	Aicha
Mary Clare	...	Madame Louet
Walter Crisham	...	Valentin Dessosse
Lee Montague	...	Maurice Joyant
Jim Gérald	...	Pere Cotelle (as Jim Gerald)
Georges Lannes	...	Police Sgt. Patou
Harold Kasket	...	Zidler
Maureen Swanson	...	Denise de Frontiac
Tutte Lemkow	...	Aicha's partner
Jill Bennett	...	Sarah
Theodore Bikel	...	King Milo IV of Serbia
Peter Cushing	...	Marcel de la Voisier
Charles Carson	...	Mr. Paquin
Walter Cross	...	Babare
Colette Marchand	...	Marie Charlet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hilary Allen	...	(uncredited)
Michael Balfour	...	Dodo (uncredited)
Madge Brindley	...	(uncredited)
Maria Britneva	...	(uncredited)
Jacques Cey	...	(uncredited)
Diane Cilento	...	(uncredited)
Jean Claudio	...	Drunken reveller (uncredited)
Michèle Clément	...	French Girl (uncredited)
Irissa Cooper	...	(uncredited)
Ina De La Haye	...	(uncredited)
Hugh Dempster	...	(uncredited)
Francis De Wolff	...	Victor (uncredited)
Suzi Euzaine	...	Lorette (uncredited)
Fernand Fabre	...	General (uncredited)
David Garth	...	(uncredited)
Isabel George	...	(uncredited)
Anthony Gray	...	(uncredited)
Everley Gregg	...	(uncredited)
Peter Haddon	...	(uncredited)
Rupert John	...	Chocolat (uncredited)
Jean Landier	...	Anquetin (uncredited)
Christopher Lee	...	Georges Seurat (uncredited)
Robert Le Fort	...	Gauzi (uncredited)
Rene Leplat	...	(uncredited)
Sara Luzita	...	(uncredited)
Margaret Maxwell	...	(uncredited)
Richard Molinas	...	(uncredited)
Aleta Morrison	...	(uncredited)
Guy Moschen	...	Delivery boy (uncredited)
Sheila Nelson	...	(uncredited)
Terence O'Regan	...	(uncredited)
Jean Ozenne	...	Felix (uncredited)
George Pastell	...	Man at first bar (uncredited)
Charles Perry	...	(uncredited)
Eric Pohlmann	...	Picard (uncredited)
Rene Poirier	...	(uncredited)
Bernard Rebel	...	(uncredited)
Charles Reynolds	...	(uncredited)
Christopher Rhodes	...	(uncredited)
Raymond Rollett	...	(uncredited)
Maria Samina	...	(uncredited)
Michael Seavers	...	(uncredited)
Mons. Tabourno	...	Maitre d' Pre Catalan (uncredited)
Tim Turner	...	(uncredited)
Mons. Valerbe	...	Sommelier (uncredited)
Friedrich von Ledebur	...	Maitre d'Hotel Maxim's (uncredited)
Donovan Winter	...	(uncredited)
Elwy Yost	...	Moulin Rouge customer (uncredited)

Directed by
John Huston

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Huston		screenplay
Pierre La Mure		novel "Moulin Rouge"
Anthony Veiller		screenplay

Produced by
Jack Clayton	....	associate producer
John Huston	....	producer (uncredited)
John Woolf	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Georges Auric

Cinematography by
Oswald Morris		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ralph Kemplen

Production Design by
Marcel Vertès		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Paul Sheriff

Set Decoration by
Marcel Vertès		(decor) (as Vertes)

Costume Design by
Julia Squire		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Eileen Bates	....	hair stylist
Connie Reeve	....	makeup artist (as Constance Reeve)

Production Management
Leigh Aman	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adrian Pryce-Jones	....	assistant director
Alec Gibb	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Jack N. Green	....	third assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Maurice Fowler	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Jack Stevens	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Elven Webb	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
George Fisher	....	additional dubbing editor
E. Law	....	sound recordist
A.E. Rudolph	....	sound recordist
Eric Wood	....	dubbing editor
Bob Jones	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Red Law	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Kevin McClory	....	boom operator (uncredited)
George Stephenson	....	sound maintenance (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Wally Veevers	....	matte effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Freddie Francis	....	camera operator
Cyril J. Knowles	....	camera operator: second unit (as Cyril Knowles)
Eric Gray	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Dudley Lovell	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Alex Thomson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Norman Warwick	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Schiaparelli	....	costume designer: Miss Gabor
Julia Squire	....	costume supervisor
Marcel Vertès	....	costumes (as Vertes)

Editorial Department
Joan Bridge	....	color consultant: Technicolor
Eliot Elisofon	....	special color consultant
Stan Hawkes	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Roy Hyde	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Terry Poulton	....	second assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Lambert Williamson	....	musical director
Muriel Smith	....	singing voice: Zsa Zsa Gabor, "It's April Again" (uncredited)

Other crew
Angela Allen	....	continuity
William Chappell	....	dance director
Ian Craig	....	Technicolor technician
Elsie Foulstone	....	dialogue coach
Robert Hessens	....	special montage sequence
Splinters Deason	....	continuity: second unit (uncredited)
Julie Gibson	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Kevin McClory	....	assistant: Mr. Huston (uncredited)
Marcel Ophüls	....	assistant: Mr. Huston (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Romulus Films (as Romulus) (presents)
• Moulin Productions Inc.

Distributors

• Independent Film Distributors (IFD) (1953) (UK) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1952) (USA) (theatrical)
• Aquarius TV (2005) (Greece) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Fabulous Films (1993) (UK) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
• Leisureview Ltd. (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (video)
• PVB Editions (2002) (France) (DVD)
• PolyGram Video (1998) (UK) (VHS)
• VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb (1955) (East Germany) (theatrical)
• Video Collection International Ltd. (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• Video Film Express (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Moulin Rouge (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Moulin Rouge (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
Lied aus Paris, Ein (Switzerland: German title) [de]
Målaren på Moulin Rouge (Sweden) [sv]
Moulin Rouge (Spain) [es]
Moulin Rouge (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Moulin Rouge (Denmark) [da]
Punainen mylly (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:A (original rating) | West Germany:16 (nf) | USA:Approved (PCA #16156) | UK:PG (video rating) | Hungary:14 | UK:PG | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | France:U (re-release) | Sweden:15 | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Romulus Films

Trivia:

John Huston only finished the final edit hours before the film's December premiere to qualify it for Academy Award consideration.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When Henri Lautrec arrives at the gallery for the showing of his pictures, as he 'walks' in, his shadow on the ground clearly shows Ferrar's legs tucked behind him as he walks, (in on his knees).

Quotes:

La Goulue: One day I'll go right down her throat, pull her heart out, and feed it to my cat!
Henri: If you can get at her. She has long arms, Aicha.
La Goulue: I'll crack them, I'll - ...
[Aicha kicks her]
La Goulue: You kick me!
Aicha: *You* kicked *me*!
Henri: This calls for a drink. Cognac?
La Goulue: Thank you.
[she throws the drink in Aicha's face]
Henri: Aicha?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (1969)

Soundtrack:

It's April Again

The Real Deal

This is one of the most interesting biographies I've ever seen on film.

Until I acquired the DVD, I never fully realized how beautiful this film looked, either. I was stunned to see how spectacular the colors were and how much it helped capture the flavor of the dance hall and the cobblestone streets of France 100 years ago.....and, of course, Tolouse-Lautrec''s great artwork. This movie is a feast for the eyes.

The DVD also offers an opportunity to do something I suggest other fans of this movie try: use the English subtitles. This way, you don't have to strain to understand the French accents, notably Colette Marchand's, and it makes this intriguing story even better.

Story-wise, it's a bit of a soap opera but one I still found fascinating, thanks mainly to Lautrec's dialog. He had some really interesting things to say, mostly in a cynical way. That cynicism, unfortunately, caught up with him in the end. Jose Ferrer captured this tortured soul about as well as any actor could expect to do. I'm sorry he didn't win an Academy Award for this performance.

Younger viewers who only saw the more recent "Moulin Rouge!" missed the real story. That movie was a farce; this is the real thing.