Gérard Depardieu made a splash in French cinema in the 1970s, and in the ensuing two decades, he rose the ranks to become the nation's most beloved star. With all his talent and range, it's no wonder he was chosen to play the title role in Cyrano de Bergerac. Released the same year as Green Card, Gérard used the 1990s to show American audiences what he could do, earning an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Edmond Rostand's tragic hero.
Thanks to Steve Martin, we all know the story of the large-nosed Cyrano. While Gérard takes on the leading role, Ann Brochet plays his love interest, Roxane, and Vincent Perez plays his shy friend, Christian. If all you've seen is the 1987 modern remake, and you really love the comic charm, you should probably call it a day. The real story is a touch more dramatic, although Gérard's character is very charming and witty. Steve Martin's famous monologue rattling off twenty insults about his nose is a direct retelling from the original play. You'll be treated to watching Gérard rattling off similar insults-at least according to the English subtitles-while fencing the man who originally insulted him.
Still, with all Gérard's charm and lovable lightness, the movie is a drama. As a seasoned dramatic actor, he handles those scenes just as effortlessly as he handles the cute ones. If you're a fan of his, you're going to want to see this classic, one of the last he made before the infamous, inaccurate Time magazine scandal dampened his popularity in the United States just in time for the Academy Awards. If you know anything about the film industry, it's sickeningly predictable how well timed the article was, and it's just as upsetting that no one came to his defense and explained the correct situation until Paul Chutkow's biography four years later.
There are many versions of Cyrano de Bergerac, and so far, I've seen five of them. If you're loyal to a particular actor (Jose Ferrer, Steve Martin, Kevin Kline) you might want to start with his version. I'm loyal to one of my favorite celebrity boyfriends, Gérard Depardieu, so it's understandable I started with his.
Thanks to Steve Martin, we all know the story of the large-nosed Cyrano. While Gérard takes on the leading role, Ann Brochet plays his love interest, Roxane, and Vincent Perez plays his shy friend, Christian. If all you've seen is the 1987 modern remake, and you really love the comic charm, you should probably call it a day. The real story is a touch more dramatic, although Gérard's character is very charming and witty. Steve Martin's famous monologue rattling off twenty insults about his nose is a direct retelling from the original play. You'll be treated to watching Gérard rattling off similar insults-at least according to the English subtitles-while fencing the man who originally insulted him.
Still, with all Gérard's charm and lovable lightness, the movie is a drama. As a seasoned dramatic actor, he handles those scenes just as effortlessly as he handles the cute ones. If you're a fan of his, you're going to want to see this classic, one of the last he made before the infamous, inaccurate Time magazine scandal dampened his popularity in the United States just in time for the Academy Awards. If you know anything about the film industry, it's sickeningly predictable how well timed the article was, and it's just as upsetting that no one came to his defense and explained the correct situation until Paul Chutkow's biography four years later.
There are many versions of Cyrano de Bergerac, and so far, I've seen five of them. If you're loyal to a particular actor (Jose Ferrer, Steve Martin, Kevin Kline) you might want to start with his version. I'm loyal to one of my favorite celebrity boyfriends, Gérard Depardieu, so it's understandable I started with his.