Review of Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) by Chung W — 21 Mar 2008

All of us have read Dumas? novels as a kid, where d?Artagnan and like-minded friends would go swooping down a tree or jumping off a horse to save a ?belle demoiselle?. Classic historic films will take you to the lands of vilains, thugs, heroes, castles and swordfights. But none do it with as much poetry and beauty as Cyrano de Bergerac.

Cyrano is a famous novel from French writer Edmond Rostand.

The movie cast is prestigious: Gérard Depardieu in the lead title, Anne Brochet as the pretty and passionate Roxane and Vincent Perez as the charming musketeer and, nonetheless, French actor Jacques Weber who plays the jealous de Guiche. He used to play Cyrano in the theatre too. All this wonderful cast is directed by the magnificent Jean-Paul Rappeneau, who films beautifully and leads the whole set with passion and force.

The set is in France, in the 17th century. Cyrano (Depardieu) is musketeer cadet, from Gascony, buoyant and fearless but unfortunately blessed with a long and huge nose. The story starts off to a play at the ?Hotel de Bourgogne?; as Cyrano enters the screen, Depardieu makes a remarkable impression in the famous ?nose dialog? in the theatre with some foppish and despicable lout, who as Cyrano so justly puts it ?True; all my elegances are within. I do not prank myself out, puppy-like?

Depardieu makes this Cyrano a rabble-rouser, always around the city, friend with some and hated by a powerful few. A formidable swordsman who takes a hundred men alone to a sword duel in the dark streets of Paris. Despite his best efforts to appear confident, Cyrano cannot stand any remarks about his nose and it despairs him so that he believes he cannot win the love of any woman. But there is one woman for Cyrano, his cousin, the beautiful and witty Roxane (Anne Brochet). Cyrano is deeply and passionately in love with Roxane but does not confide his feeling for fear of being rejected.

As the story unfolds, Cyrano meets Christian (Vincent Perez), a musketeer in the same company and who is utterly in love with Roxane. Christian is blessed with amazing looks but for him love is a fancy, not something to bother about with poetry or nice words whereas for Cyrano, love is passion, poetry and inspiration. The two meet, become friends and Cyrano agrees to lend his wit and poetry to Christian to woo Roxane. With this masquerade, Christian wins the heart of Roxane and marries her under the protection of Cyrano, from whom Depardieu makes a most impressive foe in front of a jealous Count (Jacques Weber) and delivers us of the funniest scenes of the film where Cyrano tries to hold off the Count, disturbing the wedding, by pretending he landed from the moon. War takes both Cyrano and Christian away from Paris. Christian eventually dies of a battle wound in the arms of Roxane, who came to the battlefield to be reunited with her husband. As he utters is last words, Cyrano cannot bear the pain of revealing his love to a grief-stricken Roxane and hides his secret.

In a final and moving scene, Cyrano is old and comes to visit his widowed cousin in a convent. On the way, he is attacked very severely but nevertheless makes his visit to Roxane and, in a dying light, finally whispers his love to her. This is most endearing scene as Depardieu is truly believable as the dying musketeer and secret lover all along. He brings us to tears as he utters his last words about his love, his unending battle against dishonesty, ambition and greed: ?What say you? It is useless? Ay, I know. But who fights ever hoping for success?? This sums up well the true character of Cyrano? that and of course, his panache.

One would think that Cyrano?s role was not meant for Depardieu, too much charisma, too much presence for a Cyrano people would see as shy, diminutive and not confident at all. Depardieu brings humour, fearlessness and passion to a classic love-story. He?s at his best shape, his charismatic presence, his booming voice and his amazing talent make this Cyrano the best ever made. In fact, he does not only a great performance but manages not to crush the other actors? performance even if the film is obviously centred on him. Weber, as the Count, delivers a stunning show of experienced acting and is truly one the best side-characters of this film. The music score composed by Jean-Claude Petit carries us all through the movie, in sword-fighting duels, in battles, in love and in death. The score at the siege d?Arras, with the flute player, is truly amazing, lively and poignant. Rappeneau took an immense risk by filming some scenes by candlelight, as was Kubrick?s Barry Lyndon, but the results are wonderful. The whole movie is in rhymes, alexandrines to be precise as is the original play, it was a truly an achievement for the actors to learn all the lines and the rhythm that goes with reading poetry.

This film won 10 French Cesar awards, in 1990 with best film, best actor, best music and best adaptation. The film also won an academy award for costumes and Depardieu was nominated for best-actor Oscar award, a first for a non-Anglophone role.

Cyrano de Bergerac is a splendid movie, made with care, thought and most of all love. My advice, even if you do not like historic movies, go see this movie, you will laugh, roar and cry for this timeless and ageless love story.