Moulin Rouge

I like this movie so much but I'm surprised I haven't seen it on any lists of romance films. 

What a pity. 

I'd heard a lot about this movie and it was supposed to be the 'it' romantic film. I'd never really got the chance to watch it when I was younger because it wasn't for kids and I always thought I was too young to watch it. But I finally caught it on television last year and I loved it.

This movie made me cry so hard. I'm almost ashamed to talk about it.

Come on, let's jump right into it! 

The story of Moulin Rouge follows a young english poet named Christian. It's set in the Montmatre region of Paris (just like Amelie, but this happens earlier) in a theatre called the Moulin Rouge. Together with his friends, he's written a play called Spectacular Spectacular! and is supposed to present it to the star of the Moulin Rouge, Satine. Gorgeous as hell with fiery red hair, Satine is a cabaret actress and a courtesan. On that night, she was supposed to meet with a Duke who was to be investing in the Moulin Rouge. 

However, due to a mix-up, she ends up in a room with Christian. Believing that he is the Duke, she tries to seduce him to secure the investment. But her advances are useless on shy and innocent Christian as he is trying to . He too, does not know that she thinks he is a Duke. He sings for her and for a moment you believe that she might be falling in love with him. But when she finds out that she is not the Duke, she turns cold and angry towards Christian. 

The real Duke visits her in her room and she, with some help, sells him the idea of Spectacular Spectacular and secures the investment. Under the terms of a contract, Satine is promised to the Duke. 

Christian and Satine grow closer and spend more and more time together under the pretense of rehearsals. Even then, Satine is still unsure of her love for Christian. The Duke grows increasingly jealous and demands that Satine and him have supper together that night or he will stop financing the play. But Satine has already made plans with Christian. 

However, before she even has a chance to choose, she falls ill and is taken to bed. It is then that we learn that she has tuberculosis.

The owner of Moulin Rouge, Zidler, convinces the Duke that Satine is so in love with the Duke that she is confessing. He calms down and a crisis averted. 

Knowing that her relationship with Christian might jeopardise the show, she tries to convince him to stop but he is persistent and they continue. 

During a rehearsal one day, it is suddenly brought to the attention of the Duke that the play is based on him, Satine and Christian. Him being the villain of course. He demands that the ending be changed immediately even when opening night is only a few days away. Satine offers to spend the night with him so that she can negotiate with him. 

While she is in his room, she sees Christian down below and realises that she cannot go through with the Duke. He sees her looking down at Christian and is enraged and tries to rape her. She is, however, saved by one of the dancers. 

He brings Satine back to Christian and they plan to runaway from the Moulin Rouge and the duke. But Zidler finally tells Satine that she's dying and also that the Duke plans to kill Christian and that she must save him by chasing him away by convincing him that she doesn't love him anymore.

She does so, unwilling, because it is the only way she knows how to save him. Christian doesn't know about the plot to kill him and believes that she has played with his heart all along.

He turns bitter and on the opening night of Spectacular Spectacular! he goes to the Moulin Rouge and confronts her, throwing money at her feet because he feels like all she's done is because of money.

But she sings their song and he understand that her love was real. The duke and his bodyguard try to shoot Christian but are stopped by Zidler and one of the dancers.

Christian and Satine finally come to terms with their love but the happy moment is cut short by Satine dying from her tuberculosis. Christian cries over her dead body and then writes about their story.

The end. 

What I like about this movie: 

Ewan McGregor. Oh lord. I don't even know why I have a thing for him.

He's not even that good-looking to me really. 

It must be that adorable accent of his. 

He does a really good job at playing the sensitive writer.

I lost it and started crying when he was crying over Satine in the last scene. I want my man to cry over me when I die. I want him to write a story about our love too. I want him to sing to me too. I want my own Christian.

It's a tragic love story and I am completely in love with those. Instead of a happily ever after, you get a bittersweet ending where the protagonist's love dies right when they are finally together. How sad. It's like every dream they ever had together just disappeared, all the plans they made to run away, to treasure their love, all gone.

Oh yeah, in case you don't know, this film is a musical. There's songs and stuff. So yeap, if you're into that kind of stuff then this is definitely your thing. But if not that I wouldn't even bother giving it a go.

Favourite Quotes: 

Christian: I owe you nothing. And you are nothing to me. Thank you for curing me of my ridiculous obsession with love.

Satine: I don't need you anymore! All my life you made believe I was only worth what someone would pay for me! But Christian loves me. He loves me! He loves me, Harold. And that is worth everything! We're going away from you, away from the Duke, away from the Moulin Rouge!

Favourite Scene: 

The scene in Satine's bedroom when she mistakes Christian for the Duke and tries to seduce him. It doesn't sound funny here but trust me, when you watch the scene you'll end up in stitches.

Actually the whole movie has its funny parts, even though it's kinda tragic.

What I learnt about love: 

Treasure your loved ones and makes use of the time you have with them cause you never know when you'll lose the person you love.

Never lie to yourself and deny your love for someone. 

All images by Leave me the white