CYRANO DE BERGERAC
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1997 Ben Hoffman
Not surprisingly, there have been several films made of Edmond Rostand's poignant story of unrequited love. More astonishing is that each has been just about excellent. In 1950, Jose Ferrer was CYRANO DE BERGERAC and in 1987, Steve Martin acted in his own version, the film being called ROXANNE. The current version stars the ubiquitous hot French actor, Gerard Depardieu.
The swashbuckling hero, Cyrano, wants to be remembered, as he says, for his "panache." He is amazingly wonderful as he battles single-handedly against 100 men. He is even more astonishing as the man with the soul of a poet but with a nose too large to be taken seriously as a lover.
Just quickly, the story is that a young soldier in love with the beautiful Roxanne but he lacks the words to convey his love. He asks Cyrano to hide in the bushes below Roxanne's window and to speak for him to his beloved. . . who happens to be a distant cousin of Cyrano who too is in love with Roxanne and is able to "pour it on" while all the time aware that he, with his very large schnozz has but a minuscule chance to win the beauty for himself.
Rostand gave Cyrano such lines of beauty as would break your heart: "And what is a kiss, when all is done? A promise given under seal. . . a vow taken before the shrine of memory. . . a signature acknowledged. . . a rosy dot over the i of loving."
This version will rank high among the best Cyranos ever made. With Depardieu at his very finest, you will not want to miss it.
In addition to Depardieu, there is Anne Brochet as Roxanne, Vincent Perez and Jacques Weber.
In French with English subtitles.
Directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau
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Ben Hoffman
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