Bad Mixture of 19th and 21st Centuries

Rating: 4/10 (21 May 2001)

Most disappointed. This film does not measure up at all against its 1952 version starring Jose Ferrer as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Trying to mix the 19th Century with the 21st Century is like mixing oil and water. The 19th Century music in the original film was far more interesting than the music in the 2001 film.
The plot seemed contrived just as opera plots are contrived to make the music fit in. It was an attempt to immitate the 1930's-1950's musicals which often did not make sense and were boring in their own way. This as boring, not in the same class as South Pacific, Carousel, and Show Boat. One reason is that Nicole Kidman, really miscast in her role, is not the caliber of singer that starred in the great musicals. Her singing was better than most actresses but the great musicals used great singers.