Directed By
Baz Luhrmann

Written By
Baz Luhrmann
Craig Pearce

Cast

Plot
In 1899, a young British writer, Christian (Ewan McGregor), moves to the Montmartre district of Paris with few possessions beyond his typewriter to try to establish himself in the Bohemian culture. By luck, he encounters a musical troupe led by Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo) that is attempting to present a new play for Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent), the owner of the cabaret, the Moulin Rouge. Christian's writing helps to finalize the show, entitled "Spectacular Spectacular", and the troupe takes Christian to the cabaret to present the work itself to its star courtesan, Satine (Nicole Kidman), in order to win her favour. However, Zidler has arranged for Satine to spend the night with the wealthy Duke (Richard Roxburgh) who is looking to invest in the cabaret. Through miscommunication, Satine mistakes Christian for the Duke, and the two depart to her private chambers. She begins to seduce him despite his insistence he is only there to present his script, but the two slowly realize they have fallen in love with each other. The Duke returns, and discovers Christian and Satine in a compromising position. Satine quickly states that Christian is only there to present a play. With the help of the troupe, Satine, and Zidler, Christian quickly improvises a new plot to "Spectacular Spectacular" as a thinly-covered veil of their current situation, with an evil maharajah attempting to woo the love of an Indian courtesan who is actually in love with a penniless sitar player. The Duke, unable to see through the show's meaning, agrees to finance the show, but only if he is allowed to continue to see Satine. Unfortunately for the Duke, Satine and Christian continuously make up excuses as to why he can't see her.

Over the next several weeks, the entire Moulin Rouge troupe prepares for the show as the club is turned into a theater. Christian and Satine attempt to evade the Duke and keep their love alive by pretending to be practicing their lines as well as the "secret song" that the sitar player and courtesan share. On a day that the Duke has invited Satine to his tower for the evening, Satine insists that she must practice her lines with Christian, and they depart. Later Nini Legs-In-The-Air (Caroline O'Connor), a jealous courtesan, points out to the Duke that the play is obviously a metaphor for Christian, Satine, and the Duke. The Duke takes drastic steps to make sure that Christian and Satine are separated, demanding that Zidler let Satine spend the night with him. On that night, Satine refuses the Duke's advances. The Duke becomes enraged, and threatens to rape Satine. She is saved by another dancer, Chocolat, and then flees to Christian; the two plan to run away together. The Duke reports this to Zidler, and states that unless Satine is his, he will have Christian killed. Zidler tells this to Satine and he finally tells her that she is dying from tuberculosis. Satine sadly makes her way back to Christian's loft and claims that she wants the Duke's wealth more than Christian's love. Heartbroken, Christian follows Satine back to the Moulin Rouge and calls for her, only to be beaten by two men and refused entry.

On the opening night of "Spectacular Spectacular", Toulouse tries to remind Christian of the Bohemian way - truth, beauty, freedom, and love - and that he truly loves Satine as she does him, but Christian is too depressed to listen. As the show starts, Christian approaches Satine, trying to pay her for the sex that she had freely given to him with her heart, but Satine tries to send him away, fearing that the Duke's bodyguard will kill him. Suddenly, the two find themselves in the spotlight on stage, momentarily confusing the performers and audience. Zidler quickly improvises, stating that Christian is the sitar player in disguise and trying to make the show go on, but Christian walks off stage. As he leaves the theater, Toulouse-Lautrec shouts from the rafters "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." Satine realizes what she has done and sings the "secret song," showing Christian that she truly loves him. Christian rejoins her on stage and joins her in singing the song, angering the Duke. The Duke's bodyguard attempts to kill Christian, but the courtesans and Bohemians stop him; the Duke then tries to finish the job himself, only to be stopped by Zidler, who disarms the Duke so true love can prevail. The lovers are able to finish their song without incident to a standing ovation; the Duke storms away from the Moulin Rouge. As the performers get ready for taking a bow, Satine finally succumbs to her illness, and dies in Christian's arms. A year later, with the Moulin Rouge having closed down, Christian, still mournful over his loss, decides to write the story of the love shared between himself and Satine, which was her dying wish.