Overview - Dumas

Rating: 10/10 (31 December 2006)

This movie is excellent. I first watched it at my girlfriend's house, and liked it very much. However, one thing became very clear to me. This story is based either on Alexandre Dumas's play "La dame aux camelias" or the subsequent Verdi opera "La traviata". Despite the apparent thoroughness of the story, it is a wonderful representation of the play, I found no mention of the inspiration therein, or even its author, in the credits. Perhaps someone can clue me in. Am I missing something, or did the producers here fail to recognize that Dumas deserves credit? If anyone is wondering how I know this, it is through extensive study of the afore-mentioned Verdi opera, La traviata. In Moulin Rouge, I have even found similarities between the lines in the screenplay and Francesco Maria Piave's libretto written for Verdi's opera. Intrigued, I purchased a copy of La dame aux camelias and read through the text, and watched Moulin Rouge. There were so many similarities there that it was astounding! Seeing as the producers of this film (to whom I am eternally indebted for a wonderful movie and even more wonderful memories) failed to give credit to Dumas, Piave, Verdi, or even the character about which Dumas wrote his play (based on real life!) Alphonsine Plessis, or Marie DuPlessis, it should most definitely be noted that as wonderful as the movie is, it is something of a fraud. Well, perhaps that's a bit severe, but at the very least, I think they should submit something, somewhere, saying that they had neglected to give credit to Piave or Dumas, seeing as they took lines from both of them! Just a thought.