Share
clip 3Clip description
English writer Christian (Ewan McGregor) recalls his great love for Satine (Nicole Kidman), a courtesan at the Moulin Rouge nightclub in bohemian Montmartre.
Curator’s notes
Moulin Rouge! is told in flashback by Christian. This extract from the opening sequence sets the bittersweet tone of the film. Christian’s memories are filled with the colour and excitement of the Moulin Rouge, but also the price it has exacted on him. The sequence works in much the same way as the overture to an opera. The brief black-and-white shot of Satine in the scene was taken from one of Nicole Kidman’s camera tests.
