Moulin Rouge

A fictionalized biography of stunted artist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec (José Ferrer).

Moulin Rouge is an engaging bio-drama from director John Huston.

Huston does a fabulous job recreating Toulouse-Lautrec’s late 19th century Paris, a vibrant cauldron of art and life, full of inspiration and frustration. This is Paris, perhaps not how it was, but rather, how it was through Toulouse-Lautrec’s eyes, and the Oscar winning art direction and costume design bring it to life. From the recreation of the titular nightclub, to the city’s carriage laden streets, Moulin Rouge is a feast for the eyes.

For his part, José Ferrer embodies Toulouse-Lautrec character completely. While Ferrer could easily have overplayed the part, he instead brings a quiet dignity reflective of his character’s upbringing. Through Ferrer’s performance we come to know a flawed man, struggling to make the best of the hand life has dealt him, though at the same time resentful of it. Though the film runs almost two hours, it never drags. Huston’s screenplay moves the story along well, and Ferrer’s performance remains captivating the entire time.

Supporting Ferrer is a solid cast that bears note for Hammer Film fans, who will want to watch for appearances by both Peter Cushing and an uncredited Christopher Lee, years before their Hammer fame.

Ultimately, though, Moulin Rouge suffers from the times in which it was made. Shackled by 1950s sensibilities, the film feels restrained and watered down and, in that sense, ages poorly. Huston was a larger than life character and likely identified, on some level, with Toulouse-Lautrec, and a more honest examination of the artist’s passions and vices could have elevated this to something special. .