This film is not to be mistaken for the extravagant Baz Luhrrmann / Nicole Kidman / Ewan McGregor masterpiece musical, this film from Oscar nominated director John Huston (The Asphalt Jungle, The African Queen, Prizzi's Honor) is the original version it was based on. Basically in the year 1890 in Paris, France, young artist Henri de Toulouse- Lautrec (Oscar nominated José Ferrer) is a frequent visit at the Moulin Rouge nightclub, there he enjoys a drink of cognac and draws sketches of the dancers and singers, including Jane Avril (Zsa Zsa Gabor). Henri is the son of a French count, his legs were badly deformed by a childhood fall, he stands at four-foot six- inches tall, and he has an unhappy time in his personal life. Whilst going home one night he asked for a help by a young woman on the streets, the spirited Marie Charlet (Golden Globe winning, and Oscar and BAFTA nominated Colette Marchand), after some time he falls in love with her and they become involved in an uproarious relationship. As time goes by however it becomes increasingly difficult for Henri to balance his personal feelings, his artistic abilities and his family name and position, but he does go on to become a great master of Impressionism. Also starring Ferrer as Count Alphonse de Toulouse-Lautrec - his father, Suzanne Flon as Myriamme Hayem, Katherine Kath as La Goulue, Claude Nollier as Countess Adèle de Toulouse-Lautrec, Muriel Smith as Aicha and Georges Lannes as Police Sergeant Patou. Ferrer gives a great performance as the dwarf artist (not sympathy seeking) who has many weaknesses that are brought out, and Gabor with her time on screen makes a beautiful dancer, there are some good elaborate dance and performance sequences, but most of the film I found too chatty, obviously it is based on a true story, seeing the dark side of the glitzy world was good, and there is good use of colour and costume, but I think you should stick to the 2001 remake, but this is an interesting biographical drama film. It won the Oscar for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Best Costume Design, and it was nominated for Best Picture and Best Film Editing, it was nominated the BAFTA for Best British Film and Best Film from any Source. Worth watching!

Joes Ferrer is painter Toulouse-Lautrec in this lush, colorful film co-written and directed by John Huston. It had been years since I saw this the first time and I had forgotten just how great it is and how much I liked it. I was impressed with its deep affinity for its subject matter and with Jose Ferrer's performance. He exuded a warmth towards those he knew and conversed with at the Moulin Rouge, as if he knew all about them and loved them for who and what they are, because he himself as Toulouse Lautrec, not being like everyone else, needed self-affirmation and therefore knew how to be open towards others and how to really connect to people without judgment. He gave a very personable and vulnerable performance. Zsa Zsa Gabor is seen to good advantage in this film and is one of the ones that Toulouse appreciates for what she gives to others, herself and the ability to be herself. Colette Marchand gives an unforgettable performance as a common girl, who happens into Toulouse's life and he falls for her. But will he find love? Will he only find solace in the paintings he leaves behind? Watch this loving adaptation of Toulouse-Lautrec's life and find out.

When John Leguizamo was asked if he saw Ferrer's Toulouse-Lautrec, he said yes, he had to see all the Puerto Ricans who had played Toulouse-Lautrec. He's a riot.This is a somewhat romanticized version of Toulouse-Lautrec's life, with John Houston attempting, successfully, to incorporate Toulouse-Lautrec's paintings into the film, capturing the poses, the colors, the atmosphere of the Moulin Rouge, the dancers, the different characters, and finally, capturing Paris itself. It's quite a stunning movie.As in the film, Toulouse-Lautrec suffered an injury to his legs, and because of genetic deficiencies developed because his parents were first cousins, his legs never knitted properly or grew. He had an adult torso and a child's legs. Understandably he was insecure and isolated, turning to his painting, brothels, and alcohol. Ferrer's legs were bound at the knees, and his knees were placed in the shoe devices. He was in agony and could only wear them for short amounts of time. Nevertheless, he does a magnificent job capturing the loneliness and neediness of the artist.Zsa-Zsa Gabor plays a singer at the Moulin Rouge, and she's impossibly beautiful. And then she's just impossible. Her acting, her lip-synching, forget it. I met her and spent time with her once, and she's a wonderful lady, very funny and warm. She was a precursor of the people who are famous for being famous that we read about constantly today. I doubt she ever had any illusions about her limited abilities, but boy, did she make the most of them. She's dubbed by Muriel Smith, the first black opera singer to work at Covent Garden - she plays the black dancer in the film.A gorgeous movie, a poignant ending, and an excellent performance by Ferrer as both Toulouse-Lautrec and his father - don't miss it.

My wife and I were able to tolerate about 45 minutes of this terrible movie. I just don't see how anyone could possibly think Jose Ferrer did a great acting job in this. I've seen better acting from Charlie McCarthy -- to say Ferrer was wooden in this is an understatement. The out-of-synch-lipping scene with Zsa Zsa was hilarious. Not as bad as a dubbed Japanese 1950's sci-fi film, but it came close. Suzanne Flon's performance was in sharp contrast to Ferrer's dull, disengaged portrayal. Her scenery-chewing portrayal of Myriamme was positively painful to watch. Take a pass on this Huston effort and do something rewarding with the time you save -- play with your kids, take a walk, or read a book about Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Remember, you can't unwatch this. I wish I could.