Moulin Rouge (2001) - 17 questions

Question: At the end of the Roxanne number it looked to me as if the Argentinean snapped Nini's neck, killing her as payment for her betrayal. I thought I saw her on stage at the end in the finale. With which part am I mistaken?

Answer: The Roxanne number was the Argentinian telling a story - he didn't really snap her neck. Either he pretended to (showing the man in the story killed his love), or it was simply a dance move that resembled one.

Question: Children could have been a good extra to the film. You could have had maybe Christian or Satine having a younger sister or brother and the Duke having a niece or nephew both about thirteen or twelve and instead of Tolouse finding out about the duke killing Christian, the Duke's niece could have talked to Christian or Satine's sister and the Duke found out that his niece or nephew had told and done something to her and then Satine or Christian's sibling could have gone to find them and had to rush to try to save Satine and Christian from going away from each other entirely. Maybe they could have had a little love story too within Christian and Satine's. What do you think? Why couldn't children have been put in the film?

Answer: It simply didn't happen. Why SHOULD they have done it. Just because it COULD have happened, doesn't mean they made a big mistake by NOT doing it. It's like saying "I really liked Star Wars, but why couldn't they have made it about a little guy with hairy feet who wanted to destroy a ring?" That just wasn't the plot they went with. But, on a more practical level, there could have been people complaining about children present hanging out with 'ladies of the night'.

Question: In the "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" scene when Satine dances with Christian. Why doesn't the Duke realise that she went up to someone else entirely and asked them to dance and why didn't he realise that she was dancing with someone else when it was supposed to be him?

Answer: A Duke would not expect to be dancing with Satine during her performance; he is only expecting that they are to meet sometime that evening, which they do later. He probably thought Christian was part of the cabaret act.

Question: During the Roxanne number, why does Chocolat leave just in time to stop the Duke from raping her? How did he know she'd be in danger?

Answer: He didn't. If you recall in that scene the mood is very dark and everyone knows what Satine has to do in order to keep thier jobs and her job. But they all knew she was obligated to do it, so Chocolat took it upon himself to get Satine out of that situation before something bad happened, regardless of what happens to them later. As shown, he gets there in the nick of time.

Question: Why does Satine decide not to run away with Christian, just because she finds out that she's dying? Why couldn't they have run away anyway, and escaped from the Duke entirely?

Answer: If Satine runs, the Duke takes control of the Moulin Rouge and shuts the place down, putting everyone she works with onto the streets. If she stays with the Duke, she'll still die, but the Duke won't have any real reason to shut things down. She could run away with Christian and have a few days of freedom and love with him, but she'd be condemning everyone at the Moulin Rouge to destitution, plus the Duke would probably have Christian hunted down and killed. By staying for her final few days, she saves everyone that she loves, at the price of her own happiness (and that of Christian, but at least she'll save his life).

Question: There is a song playing at the beginning of the movie, it starts just as Christian gives the narration "I first came to Paris 1 year ago. It was 1819, the summer of love. I knew nothing of the Moulin Rouge." The song itself is French and has a single voice singing with an accordion sounding instrument in the background, any idea what song that is?

Answer: The song is called "Complainte De La Butte" and is sung by Rufus Wainwright. It's on the soundtrack.

Question: What is the song that Christian is singing during the Roxanne dance scene? I recognise the words, but I think it is to a different tune.

Answer: The words are from "Roxanne" by Sting and the tune is "Le Tango du Moulin Rouge".

Question: Is John Leguizamo's character supposed to be the Toulouse-Lautrec (the painter) or a person from the same time period who happens to have the same name as the painter?

Answer: He's supposed to be the actual person.

Question: Why do the Bohos have to evade Zidler in the first place? Zidler obviously knows Toulouse by sight, and doesn't seem to mind them being there too much when he sees them near the duke.

Answer: He's willing to put up with their presence, but isn't likely to tolerate their attempt to arrange a meeting between Satine and Christian to discuss their play - Satine has other more important things to be doing.

Question: On the soundtrack the Argentinian can be heard on the "Because We Can" song. What is he singing? I can't make it out.

Answer: "I only speak the truth, I only speak the truth".

Question: Why does the black haired courtesan, (I believe her name is nini-legs-in-the-air) Give the game away to the duke? Is she supposed to have a specific problem with Satine, or Ewan Mcgregor, or both?

Answer: It's not clear, but it seems most likely that she resents Satine's status as top courtesan, and the rich clients that she attracts as a consequence. Trying to ingratiate herself with the rich Duke, while simultaneously bringing Satine down a notch or two, seems like part of this resentment.

Question: Seconds before Satine makes her entrance on the trapeze singing 'Diamonds...' Toulouse whispers something to Christian. It starts with 'Christian, we've successfully...' what else does Toulouse say?

Answer: Toulouse says to Christian, "Mission accomplished. We have successfully evaded Zidler."

Question: During the song El Tango de Roxanne, towards the end someone starts speaking in French or Spanish. Who is speaking and what is the English translation?

Answer: The words are Spanish, but it's no one from the movie. "And I who love you so much; what am I going to do? You left me...you left me like a dove. My soul has left me; my heart has left me. I no longer wish to live because I cannot convince you not to sell yourself, Roxanne."

Question: What happened to the Moulin Rouge in the film after Satine died?

Answer: It's not clear. Given that they owed a lot of money to the Duke, he probably closed them down.

Question: What happened to Christian after Satine's death?

Answer: He wallows in self-pity for a while, then eventually begins to write their story. There's no indication that he has any further links with the Moulin Rouge - it would probably be too painful for him.

Question: What does Satine die of?

Answer: "Consumption" was the name given to many illnesses. She actually dies of TB.

Question: In the beginning of the movie, Christian is living in a flat with a sign that says L'amour on the side of the building. Does the sign change to L'ament by the end of the movie, after Satine dies? Or is it just the angle of the shot?

Answer: It is in fact the angle of the shot, the sign L'amour is on Christians building throughout the movie, which means love in French.