Moulin Rouge: the unusual modern movie that Morgan Freeman called “perfect”
To say that Morgan Freeman is one of the best actors of all time would be something of an understatement. The Memphis-born actor has lent his trademark deep voice to a number of excellent features over the years, including The Shawshank Redemption, Se7en, Amistad, Invictus and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy.
Looking at Freeman’s favourite films may surprise his biggest fans somewhat. The actor has a special admiration for a Clint Eastwood classic, 1976’s The Outlaw Josey Wales. Of course, Freeman would collaborate with Eastwood in one of the icon’s best-ever films, 1992’s Unforgiven, the first of many times the two would work together – including Million Dollar Baby.
However, it looks like Freeman’s favourite film of all time is Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 musical romance film Moulin Rouge. Freeman once said: “I think one of the best movies ever made was Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! It was just an extraordinarily well done film. Editing, directing, costuming — just everything about it was perfect.”
High praise indeed from one of the most well-respected actors of all time. Elsewhere, Freeman noted the reasons why he loves Luhrmann’s flick. “I just think that movie is fabulous,” Freeman said. “What Baz Luhrmann did is really amazing… the dancing, the wardrobe, the music. People tend to fall on either side of that movie.”
Indeed, the film is one of true cinematic division. “Some people really like it, and some people just don’t,” Freeman noted. “I think when you have divided opinions like that, that’s the sign of art. It’s a work of art. It’s impressionable, and I think people tend to fall one way or the other because of that. I like the way Moulin Rouge! is edited. It has frantic energy to it.”
Moulin Rouge! does have that distinctive Luhrmann-esque quality to it in terms of its editing, which is undoubtedly what prompted Freeman to claim it is “one of the best movies [he’s] ever seen”. Drilling the point home, Freeman added: “Looking at it from every standpoint of filmmaking, it’s incredible.”
The film focuses on a young English poet, played by Ewan McGregor, who falls in love with the lead cabaret actress of the titular Moulin Rouge in Paris (Nicole Kidman). Moulin Rouge! is the final part of Luhrmann’s acclaimed Red Curtain Trilogy, along with 1992’s Strictly Ballroom and 1996’s Romeo + Juliet. It’s admittedly a rather strange pick from Freeman as his favourite ever film, but given the passion expressed in his comments, we won’t deny him choosing one of Luhrmann’s classics.
