Set in the 19th century, MOULIN ROUGE is the story of the crippled artist, Toulouse-Lautrec (José Ferrer). He forgets his worries by drinking and mingling at the Moulin Rouge nightclub in Paris, where he sits and sketches the scenes he sees. Lonely and convinced his crippled state means he will be alone forever, he is delighted to meet Marie (Colette Marchand), a young girl in need of help. The two become lovers, but he soon learns she is being unfaithful. Crushed, he throws her out and attempts to carry on with his life.