Too Tight Toulouse

Filming the life story of French Painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) posed a serious make-up problem for Director John Huston and Actor Jose Ferrer. Toulouse-Lautrec was a dwarf who stood 4 ft. 8 in., and Ferrer, who plays the part, is 5 ft. 11. The solution: Ferrer plays the part on his knees. Last week as the film, Moulin Rouge, neared completion in London, Ferrer showed photographers the "torture boots" that enable him to walk like a dwarf. Few movie stars since the days of Lon Chancy have submitted to such complicated and elaborately painful makeup.

Each boot is a leather "saddle" which supports Ferrer's thigh, knee and upper leg when his knees are bent. The boots themselves are supported by a canvas shoulder harness, which pulls the calves of both legs tightly against his thighs. Fitted to the bottom of the knees are fake shoes. Obviously, only camera angles which do not show Ferrer's real feet (i.e., front and close-up views) can be used. Since the boots are tight and painful--pressure on his kneecaps cuts off blood circulation--Ferrer wears them for only 20 minutes at a time, keeps a doctor standing by just in case.

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