Zidler Quotes in Moulin Rouge (1952)

La Goulue: Is that supposed to be *me*?

Aicha: Ah, it couldn't be. Her linen is clean.

La Goulue: Which could never be said of your neck.

Zidler: Ladies, ladies!

La Goulue: Carrion.

Aicha: Gutter filth!

La Goulue: You drink your own bath water.

Aicha: You drink *other* people's!

La Goulue: [Slapping her own head] Ha ha!

[the women fight]

Henri: Big crowd tonight.

Zidler: Too big, thanks to your poster. Oh, I know I'm making millions, but I liked the Moulin Rouge as she was, lighthearted and hot-blooded, a little strumpet who thought only of tonight. Now she is grown up and knows better. She has money in her stocking, wears corsets, and never drinks a drop too much. Worst of all, she never sees her old friends anymore. She has gone into society. Last night she entertained a cabinet minister and his wife and daughter. It's *disgusting*!

Zidler: [referring to La Goulue] Before, she was difficult; Now she is *impossible*!

Zidler: Send Christian away.

Satine: He will fight for me.

Zidler: Unless he believes that you don't love him.

Satine: What?

Zidler: You're a great actress, Satine. Make him believe that you don't love him.

Satine: No!

Zidler: Use your talent to save him! Hurt him, Satine. Hurt him to save him. There is no other way. The show must go on. We are creatures of the underworld. We can't afford to love.

Zidler: The show must go on, Satine. We're creatures of the underworld. We can't afford to love.

The Duke: I don't like this ending...

Zidler: Don't like the ending, my dear Duke?

The Duke: Why should the courtesan chose the penniless sitar player over the maharajah who is offering her a lifetime of security? That's real love. Once the sitar player has satisfied his lust he will leave her with nothing. I suggest that the courtesan chose the maharajah.

Toulouse-Lautrec: But, but tell me, that ending does not uphold the Bohemian ideals of truth, beauty, freedom, and...

The Duke: [shouts] I don't care about your ridiculous dogma! Why shouldn't the courtesan chose the maharajah?

Christian: [shouts] Because she doesn't love you!... Him... Hi-him, she doesn't love... she doesn't love him.

The Duke: Oh, I see... Monsieur Zidler, the play will be rewritten with the courtesan choosing the maharajah and without the lovers' secret song. It will be rehearsed in the morning, ready for the opening tomorrow night...

Zidler: But, my dear Duke, that will be quite impossible.

Satine: Harold, the Duke is being treated appallingly. These silly writers let their imaginations run away with themselves. Why don't you and I have a little supper, and then we can tell Monsieur Zidler how we would like the story to end.

Zidler: She said you make her feel "like a virgin."

The Duke: Virgin?

Zidler: You know, touched for the very first time.

Zidler: A magnificent, opulent, tremendous, stupendous, gargantuan, bedazzlement, a sensual ravishment. It will be: Spectacular Spectacular.

Zidler: I am the evil maharajah.

Satine: Oh Harold, no one could play him like you could.

Zidler: No one's going to.

Zidler: [singing] If life's an awful bore, and living's just a chore that we do caus' death's not much fun. I just have the antidote, and though I mustn't gloat at the Moulin Rouge. You'll have fun... Scratch that little niggle, have a little wiggle, you know that you can... Because we can can can.

Zidler: The Duke holds the deeds to the Moulin Rouge, he's spending a fortune on you, he's giving you a beautiful new dressing room, he wants to make you a star, and YOU'RE DALLYING WITH THE WRITER!

Satine: Harold, that's ridic...

Zidler: I SAW YOU TOGETHER.

Satine: It's nothing. It's just an infatuation... it's nothing.

Zidler: The infatuation will end. Go to the boy; tell him it's over, and the Duke is expecting you in the tower at eight.

Zidler: You know it is. The show must go on. And now my bride it is time to raise your voice to the heavens and say your wedding vows.

Satine: [singing] Today's the day...

Satine, Zidler: [singing] When dreaming ends

Christian: How could I know... in those last fatal days... that a force darker than jealousy... and stronger than love; had began to take hold of Satine...

Zidler: Where is she?

Zidler: [after the Argentinian collapses asleep in mid-rehearsal] Honestly amigo, this is impossible!

Zidler: Send Christian away. Only you can save him.

Satine: What's his type? Wilting flower? Bright and bubbly? Or smoldering temptress?

Zidler: I'd say... smoldering temptress.

Zidler: You're dying, Satine.

Satine: [long pause] Another trick, Harold?

Zidler: The doctor told us.

Satine: Marie?

Marie: [silence]

Satine: [singing to self] I was a fool to believe, a fool to believe. It all ends today, yes it all ends today.

Zidler: She is mine.

The Duke: She is mine.

Zidler: Outside it may be raining, but in here it's entertaining.

[singing]

Zidler: 'Cause we can cancan. Yes we can cancan.

Zidler: Outside things may be tragic, but in here we feel its magic.

Zidler: Everything's going so well.

Zidler: Remember, a real show, in a real theater, with a real audience. And you'll be...

Satine: A real actress.

Zidler: ...And you're dallying with the writer.

Satine: Oh, Harold, don't be ridicul...

Zidler: I saw you together.

Satine: It's nothing. It's just an infatuation. It's... it's nothing.