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Summary

Nineteenth-century Paris comes vibrantly alive in Jean Renoir’s exhilarating tale of the opening of the world-renowned Moulin Rouge. Jean Gabin plays the wily impresario Danglard, who makes the cancan all the rage while juggling the love of two beautiful women—an Egyptian belly-dancer and a naive working girl turned cancan star.

Cast

Jean Gabin

Henri Danglard

Françoise Arnoul

Nini

María Félix

Lola

Anna Amendola

Esther Georges

Jean-Roger Caussimon

Baron Walter

Dora Doll

La Génisse

Giani Esposito

Prince Alexandre

Gaston Gabaroche

Oscar

Jacques Jouanneau

Bidon

Jean Parédès

Coudrier

Franco Pastorino

Paulo

Michèle Philippe

Eleonore

Michel Piccoli

Le Capitaine Valorgueil

Albert Rémy

Barjolin

France Roche

Beatrix

Jean-Marc Tennberg

Savate

Valentine Tessier

Mme. Olympe

Philippe Clay

Casimir le Serpentin

Édith Piaf

Eugénie Buffet

Patachou

Yvette Guilbert

Cora Vaucaire

Esther Georges (voice)

André Claveau

Paul Delmet

Mario Juillard

Bruno Balpe

Jean Raymond

Paulus

Martine Alexis

Woman (uncredited)

Claude Arnay

Deuxième gommeux (uncredited)

Robert Auboyneau

Le liftier (uncredited)

Bruno Balp

Man (uncredited)

Maurice Barnay

Man (uncredited)

Laurence Bataille

La Pygmée (uncredited)

Claude Berri

Un jeune homme à l'inauguration (uncredited)

Dorothée Blanck

Woman (uncredited)

Geneviève Bujold

Woman (uncredited)

Léo Campion

Le commandant (uncredited)

Jaque Catelain

Le ministre (uncredited)

René-Jean Chauffard

L'inspecteur de police (uncredited)

Jacques Ciron

Premier gommeux (uncredited)

Max Dalban

Patron de "La Reine Blanche" (uncredited)

Sylvine Delannoy

Titine (uncredited)

Hubert Deschamps

Isidore (uncredited)

Valentino Garavani

Man (uncredited)

Henri-Roland Hercé

Man (uncredited)

Jacques Hilling

Le chirurgien (uncredited)

Corinne Jansen

Woman (uncredited)

Jedlinska

La Gigolette (uncredited)

Lydia Johnson

Mme. Guibolle (uncredited)

François Joux

Le secrétaire (uncredited)

Maïa Jusanova

Woman (uncredited)

Ursula Vian-Kübler

Une danseuse de "La Reine Blanche" (uncredited)

Palmyre Levasseur

Une blanchisseuse (uncredited)

Jacques Marin

Un spectateur (uncredited)

Paul Mercey

Un homme à l'inauguration (uncredited)

Anne-Marie Mersen

Paquita (uncredited)

Gaston Modot

Le valet de Danglard (uncredited)

Pierre Moncorbier

L'huissier (uncredited)

Annik Morice

Thérèse (uncredited)

Jean Mortier

Le gérant de l'hôtel (uncredited)

Michèle Nadal

Bigoudi (uncredited)

André Numès

Le voisin (uncredited)

Pierre Olaf

Roberto (uncredited)

René Pascal

Man (uncredited)

André Philip

Man (uncredited)

Pâquerette

Mimi Prunelle (uncredited)

Jean Sylvère

Le groom (uncredited)

Rosy Varte

Habituée du café (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Adaptation, Writer

Jean Renoir

Idea

André-Paul Antoine

Reviews

Geronimo1967

August 22, 2024

This is quite an entertaining story about monsieur "Danglard" (Jean Gabin) who runs a chic little Parisian café but hasn't two sous to rub together. He's ambitious though, a bit of a dreamer, an so when out on a jaunt with belly-dancing mistress "Lola" (Maria Félix) to the city's seedy Montmatre district he sees the original cancan in full flow and decides that there's still a place for that dance in late 19th century society. How to raise the cash, though? Who is going to lead the dance? Well that latter question is solved when he meets the feisty "Nini" (Françoise Arnoul). She works in a laundry by day, but is a mean dancer and just the person. The first of his problems is fortuitously solved by the kindly intervention of the wealthy young prince "Alexandre" (Giani Esposito) who is so loved up that he donates the dilapidated old "Moulin Rouge" to help make it all happen. As this sumptuously lively drama continues, a love triangle develops between the two girls and the impresario "Danglard" and there's some professional rivalry smouldering too whilst the increasingly sidelined prince must deal with an unwelcome rejection. With opening night looming, tempers fray and "Nini" becomes jealous - but will she go on stage? This is good fun to watch, a colourfully enjoyable romp through a French society full of lust, longing and a fair amount of absinthe before a denouement that is extended and vibrant. It's actually quite reminiscent of a few of the Hollywood films of the mid 1950s with a solid story, strong cast and some quite witty writing to help it tell a story that taps into history, national pride and, of course, a good old fashioned love story (well, quite a few if them, actually).