Moulin Rouge!

Baz Luhrmann puts a young writer, Christian, in Montmartre in 1899, in love with the club star Satine, while the duke financing the show wants her too. It closes the Red Curtain trilogy begun with Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet, opening on a red curtain parting over the Fox logo. Clearing the pop songs took Luhrmann two and a half years. Come What May, the love theme, could not be nominated for the original song Oscar: it was written for Romeo + Juliet, his previous film. Nicole Kidman broke her ribs twice and, by her own account, danced five days before realising; she also tore knee cartilage falling during Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend. Shot at Fox Studios in Sydney, it overran, gave up the stages to Star Wars: Episode II and finished pick ups in Madrid. Eight nominations, two wins: Art Direction, as the category was then called (Catherine Martin, set decoration Brigitte Broch), and Costume Design (Catherine Martin, Angus Strathie). Best picture, Kidman for lead actress, cinematography, film editing, makeup and sound all lost; Luhrmann was not nominated for directing. A good fit if you want characters arguing in borrowed pop lyrics, the Police’s Roxanne turned into a tango. Not for anyone who wants songs whole; they are cut up and spliced into dialogue.