 The plot of the movie essentially derives from three  operas/operettas. The plot line of a young writer with Bohemian  friends who falls in love with a sick girl that eventually dies is  from "La Bohème". (Baz Luhrmann (qv) directed a stage production  of "La Bohème" in Sydney as well as a Broadway production in New  York.) The plot line of a courtesan who learns that love can also be  true and idealistic comes from "La Traviata". Finally, the plot line  of the writer who travels to the "under