Nanà (2001)

After a film of "Nana" is shown in 1914, the young cinema owner BORDENAVE # nephew of the former owner of the disreputable "Théâtre des Variétés" # asks an OLD LADY to tell him all about the legendary NANA. She begins to tell him the true story of Nana's life (unjustly altered by Zola). 1867-70: the young Nana, a street harlot, celebrates her acting debut at the "Théâtre des Variétés". She has average talent, but her incredible femininity and the magical attractions of her body soon gain her power over ministers, aristocrats, and numerous gentlemen in the respectable upper echelons of society, all of whom shower her with valuable gifts # even a villa of her own. The upper classes are not prepared to treat Nana as an equal, however # whereupon Nana promptly ends her liaison with COUNT MUFFAT. After her next relationship with the brutal, violent and alcoholic actor FONTAN, who takes her back onto the streets, Nana's heart is broken. Using her body as a weapon, she decides on a campaign of revenge. Falling for her yet again, Muffat buys her a lead role in the theater. Nana, the femme fatale, becomes a symbol of social success, and many aristocrats pay a small fortune to conquer her, even if only for one night. Anyone who comes into contact with her goes crazy about her and ends up destroyed (jail, suicide). When the winning horse in a race bears Nana's name, and all the most influential men in Parisian society throng around Nana, she revels in her social triumph. She then leaves Paris, only returning to take care of her sick girlfriend SATIN until her death. 1914: the old lady now informs young Bordenave that she is actually Nana. She tells the astonished young man that she bought a phony death certificate, and spent many happy years far away from Paris with Count Muffat until his death.