Moulin Rouge (1952)

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Pierre La Mure (novel)
Anthony Veiller (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 December 1952 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

The most startling and daring love story ever told!

Plot:

Fictional account of French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Plot Keywords:

Toulouse Lautrec | Artist | Moulin Rouge | Dancer | Singer

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

José Ferrer	...	Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec / The Comte de Toulouse-Lautrec
Colette Marchand	...	Marie Charlet
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
Harold Kasket	...	Zidler
Georges Lannes	...	Police Sgt. Patou
Lee Montague	...	Maurice Joyant
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
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hilary Allen	...	Cancan Dancer (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)
Francis De Wolff	...	Victor (uncredited)
Hugh Dempster	...	(uncredited)
Suzi Euzaine	...	Lorette (uncredited)
Fernand Fabre	...	General (uncredited)
Moyra Fraser	...	Cancan Dancer (uncredited)
David Garth	...	(uncredited)
Isabel George	...	(uncredited)
Anthony Gray	...	(uncredited)
Everley Gregg	...	(uncredited)
Jim Gérald	...	Pere Cotelle (uncredited)
Peter Haddon	...	(uncredited)
Rupert John	...	Chocolat (uncredited)
Jean Landier	...	Anquetin (uncredited)
Robert Le Fort	...	Gauzi (uncredited)
Christopher Lee	...	Georges Seurat (uncredited)
Rene Leplat	...	(uncredited)
Sara Luzita	...	Cancan Dancer (uncredited)
Margaret Maxwell	...	(uncredited)
Richard Molinas	...	(uncredited)
Aleta Morrison	...	Cancan Dancer (uncredited)
Guy Moschen	...	Delivery Boy (uncredited)
Sheila Nelson	...	Cancan Dancer (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	...	Cancan Dancer (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
Pierre La Mure		(novel "Moulin Rouge")
Anthony Veiller		(screenplay) &
John Huston		(screenplay)

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

Original Music by
Georges Auric

Cinematography by
Oswald Morris

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
Judy Jordan	....	matte painter (uncredited)
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)
Arthur Lemming	....	assistant camera (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
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
Joan Bridge	....	technicolor color consultant
William Chappell	....	dance director
Ian Craig	....	Technicolor technician
Elsie Foulstone	....	dialogue coach
Robert Hessens	....	special montage sequence
Splinters Deason	....	continuity: second unit (uncredited)
Anne Douglas	....	publicist (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

• United Artists (1952) (USA) (theatrical)
• ASA Filmudlejning (1953) (Denmark) (theatrical)
• Independent Film Distributors (IFD) (1953) (UK) (theatrical)
• VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb (1955) (East Germany) (theatrical)
• Video Collection International (1986) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Fabulous Films (1993) (UK) (VHS)
• PolyGram Video (1998) (UK) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
• Leisureview (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• PVB Editions (2002) (France) (DVD)
• Video Film Express (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Aquarius TV (2005) (Greece) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• New KSM (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sascha Filmverleih (1954) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Elephant Films (2012) (France) (video)

Also Known As:

"Moulin Rouge" - Austria, West Germany
"Moulin Rouge" - Belgium (French title), France
"Ein Lied aus Paris" - Switzerland (German title)
"Målaren på Moulin Rouge" - Sweden
"Moulin Rouge" - Denmark
"Moulin Rouge" - Portugal (imdb display title)
"Moulin Rouge" - Spain
"Moulin Rouge" - Spain (Catalan title)
"Moulin Rouge" - Greece
"Moulin Rouge" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"Punainen mylly" - Finland

Runtime:

119 min | West Germany:111 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Romulus Films

Trivia:

This film and Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! (2001) won the same Academy Awards: Art Direction and Costume Design.

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:

Sarah:You should not drink so fast, Monsieur Lautrec. It burns your stomach.
Henri:I'm thirsty. Please.
Sarah:Wine is for thirst.
Henri:At least you did not say water.
Sarah:Water is for Americans.
Henri:Some men can swing by their heels on the flying trapeze. Some men can become president of the republic. I can drink cognac.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "What's My Line?: Episode dated 26 June 1955" (1955)

Soundtrack:

Can-Can

PROFOUNDLY MOVING and BRILLIANT; Ferrer was never better!

With the appearance of the 2001 movie entitled "Moulin Rouge" (see review) I went back to the Jose Ferrer version to add a review of it. Note that both films are entirely different in style and purpose; to equate them is to compare apples to pineapples.

This version, so well directed by John Huston, is not a wild frenetic musical but a very touching and moving character study of the great artist Henri Toulose-Lautrec, whose legs were badly mishappen and shortened by an accident early in his life leaving him basically a midget. His frustration at his appearance, and unattractiveness to women, forever scarred his short life that was curtailed by drink and other excess. Jose Ferrer was superb as this tortured yet brilliant soul; Ferrer also played expertly Henri's powerful father descended from French nobility.

"Moulin Rouge" began with a long scene in the club itself filled with dancing, exciting music, beautiful women, good friends,and lots of drink. The sets and costumes and were colorful and beautiful. After about half an hour we follow Henri home - and we see him, alone, so short and vulnerable, walking all alone through the dark streets of Paris. The contrast was most effective. Such was the REALITY of Henri's life. The remainder of the film focused on his unsatisfactory relationship with a prostitute he befriends, along with flashbacks to his privileged wealthy childhood.

Perhaps the most emotional scene was at the end. With Henri dying in his bed his father there tells him that he is the first living artist to be honored by having his work displayed at the Louvre. As he appealed for forgiveness for his previously harsh treatment, saying "I didn't understand", all Henri's old friends from the Moulin Rouge, as spirits (or hallucinations), visited him.

Like with the fine movie about Van Gogh, "Lust for Life", this even better movie is not necessarily always true to historical fact, but it is a cinematic classic.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!