The Duke is a rich, pompus man, who uses his money to get what he wants, all the while still being respected.He comes to the Moulin Rouge with the persuasion of Zidler, and instantly lusts after Satine, the young, beautiful, high-class prostitute who works at the Moulin Rouge. After a rocky start with Satine, he is drawn in the Christians idea for a play. And makes the necessary arrangments to fund the play, and have Satine, unaware that she has fallen for the penniless writer Christian. He has his own ideas about the play, and believes that his generous contrabution to the play will allow his control over everything.He is an very two-faced man. He wants Satine, but does not have the courage to pay directly for her, so he hides it as a 'business transaction' -- where she just happens to be a part. All the people in the Moulin Rouge, including Satine, know his true intentions, but say nothing, as the future of the Moulin Rouge rests upon his shoulders.In the beginning of the film he is mearly an annoyance, another hurdle for the lovers to cross. But when he begins to suspect that Satine is not being entirley faithful to him, his malicious side starts to surface. In a jealous rage he orders for the play to be changed, so that the beatuiful Courtesian (Satine) will choose the Maharajah (his play-within-the-play character) over the penniless Sitar player (the composite of Christian), stating that the Maharajah can offer the Courtesian security, in the hopes that it will persuade Satine to love him. In an attempt to save the play, Satine goades him into having dinner with her, and discussing the ending 'alone together'.The night arrives, but Satine has passed out from Consumption, nearer to death than ever before. Zidler, sensing trouble, and knowing how much power the Duke posseses over his beloved club lies to the Duke and tells him Satine is away confessing her sins and repenting, and when she comes to him she will be a figurative virgin, and he will have Satine all to himself. He and Zidler happily sing 'Like a Virgin', and the Duke hotly anticipates her arrival.The night comes when finally, Satine has no other choice to sleep with the Duke. They dine, and Satine denies her feelings for Christian. The Duke gives Satine a very expensive necklace, as he knows he cannot make her love him, he can just have her body, but hopes that the necklace will change that. Satine is overwhelmed, and The Duke believes that the gesture worked, he believes he finally has Satine to himself, and that Satine returns his feelings. As he no longer views Christian as a threat, he allows the play to keep 'its fairytale ending'.He begins to seduce Satine, but half-way though Satine spots Christian on a balcony, and gazes lovingly at him, singing 'Your Song' under her breath. The Duke, realising he has been played for a fool, and fully realising how deeply Satine and Christian love each other flies into a fit of rage. He assults Satine, and is prepared to take her by force until Chocolat knocks him out.Satine goes back into Christians arms. The Duke orders Zidler to retain control, and tell Satine that if she flees the Moulin Rouge with Christian, the Duke will have his Bodyguard kill Christian. Upon relaying this to Satine, Zidler also tells her that she is dying, and hints would be best for her to allow Christian to live, and live out the rest of her short life with the Duke. Satine reculantly agrees, and tells Christian the bad news. She metaphorically tells him the the Courtesian chooses the Maharajah, and she no longer wants to see him. A devastated Christian is thrown out of the Moulin Rouge, but sneaks back in.Zidler, who now knows everything that has happened, tells The Duke that Satine will come to him after the play. The Duke goes to watch the paly unfold, with the his ending re-instated. Suddenly, Christian reappears onstage, and after a he realises that Satine does indeed love him, the two profess their love onstage. The embrassment and anger is more than The Duke can bear and he goes to shoot Christian. He is knocked out again, and is furious. He leaves the Moulin Rouge fir the last time, unaware that Satine is now dead.It is assumed he severed all ties with the Moulin Rouge, and because it can no longer run without his money, it shuts down, and the Duke is alone again. Show less «