Cyrano de Bergerac

Gérard Depardieu became famous with Cyrano, and Cyrano de Bergerac knew its master with Depardieu.

This classic piece of French literature is based on real events (largely adapted), and while it is a stage play, the skill of transposing the play to the silver screen is a feat!

The film resorts to skillful cutting of the text (now public domain - check Gutemberg), which sounds easy, but is not, because it flows so naturally and needs to be cut surgically, word for word.

At the same time, all that is missing from the script by Edmond Rostand is inspired by generations of stage performance. The miracle then is making the script in French likable to audiences who do not understand French, as Edmond Rostand can be compared to George Bernard Shaw, Shakespeare and Samuel Beckett.

The genius of Gérard Depardieu and the beauty of the sets, the quality and care for detail all push to bring this beautiful film within reach of non French audiences. In that respect the sword duel scene at the beginning is memorable and worth playing twice on DVD!

One thing though, the finale scene I found awkward but Edmond Rostand created it so the director had no choice.

No, no, my dearest love... I don't love you!

I was just a teenager when I first saw this film. I really didn't know what to expect of a French movie with unknown actors (at least to me by then), with a story I didn't previously know and with the only reference of some Cesar awards. After all, it was an european movie, it was French, it was based in a classic book and with a romantic theme. But something attracted me.

I was shocked.

Actually it was the first movie I ever went to see to the cinema more than once. I purchased it on VHS as soon as I could, and I am getting it on DVD now that it's available in Spain. After all this time, I know by heart almost every scene of the movie, and it keeps on bringing tears to my eyes in the final scenes, no matter how many times I've seen it.

The movie has so many things so nicely put together, it's almost impossible not to be hooked on some of them.

To begin with, I was very surprised with the fact that the whole movie is spoken in verse. I think it was the first time I had ever seen something like that, and it is probably also the last since I can't remember any other movie like this! I don't know how well it was done in English, but I can say it was translated into Spanish awesomely. I can only wonder how beautiful it is in the original French version. Everything is so musically coherent and adequate, that you really enjoy watching the movie spoken in verse. I loved it.

Then there is the absolutely magnificent performance by Gerard Depardieu. He perfectly resembles at every moment the personality of the eager and sometimes naive but at the same time extremely intelligent, romantic, desperate and vulnerable Cyrano. His physical look, his facial expressions, his voice... everything makes him the perfect Cyrano de Bergerac. You really share his suffering and at the same time you admire its strong personality and determination. He makes Cyrano an admirable man, an enjoyable human being. Wonderful.

Apart from that, there is many more things in this movie that make it absolutely enjoyable. The humor. The sets and props, all the environments created. The music. And the story is an absolute classic that many people will feel related to; the struggle of a man than, even though not physically gifted, wants to live and love with no limits... to the person who is not ready to correspond him. Maybe it's the reason why it was so touching for me when I was a teenager, and maybe that's why it still brings tears to my eyes even today :)

All in all, a beautiful romantic tale with great sets and performances and that will touch almost anyone's hearts. My favourite movie of all time, and definetly a classic.

If you are a hopelessly romantic guy like me, you will love this movie. :) It is very poetic and moving. The english sub-titles forces you to really pay attention to the words, which are the best part of the movie. French IS the language of love, so they say. I bet your girlfriend will like it too! (In case you don't have a girlfriend, you can watch it and think of yourself as a diamond in the rough, romantic, poetic and underappreciated, just Cyrano. :p

Very rarely, you come across a foreign-language film that is so masterfully directed, acted and translated that by the end, you forget you're reading the subtitles. This is such a movie. The story of Cyrano de Bergerac--soldier, scholar, nonconformist and poet, with a beautiful soul and freakish face--is one that should resonate with anyone who has ever yearned for love, but feared rejection too much to take the risk. It's a movie that should be seen by every awkward teenager, every hopeless romantic, and every stubborn soul that refuses to conform.

All I have to say is wow! I think it's safe to say that these French don't mess around when it comes to acting. Gérard Depardieu was absolutely brilliant as Cyrano himself and it was such a refreshing pace from the garbage I've seen recently. This was definitely one of the most brilliant performances in late film history. Yes the acting was theatrical but that was the only real way to carry it out...it would've stunk if they modernized it just for the cameras, I'm sure other versions have done this and that's why you don't hear too much about them. I thought it was funny that Vincent Perez was such a proper performer in this and then they made him Eric Draven in "The Crow" sequel which was far from good. Just everything about this movie was well done and while it was very romantic it didn't do it in a mushy kind of way that'd turn off guys that aren't really big on that stuff such as myself. There was some decent swashbuckling but it's not one you'd choose for the action itself per say. Just watching this made me really want to read the book because the script was simply genius and nothing less.

The poetic lines sounded like silk feels and I highly recommend this to any couples out there that are looking for a little revitalization!

Final Gesture:

Movies: It's long but I think I'd make it through just to give it due credit.

DVD Purchase: The idea is gnawing away at the back of my mind.

Rental: YES!