Roxanne

I do not routinely enjoy Steve Martin, but was extremely impressed with the sensitivity and deftness with which he played Cyrano de Bergerac in modern guise. There is nothing archaic or stilted about the script, yet it is surprisingly faithful to the character of the original play (which in turn is closely based on Cyrano's true history). Numerous scenes - including most of the best ones - are lifted almost intact from the Edmond Rostand play, but a viewer who is unfamiliar with that source probably will have no idea which scenes they are. The poetry, imaginative spark and romantic instincts of the original play are handled lovingly and with finesse. Daryl Hannah is just right as a thoroughly modern Roxanne, willingly surprised to find that there is still romance in the world. You do not have to be familiar with the source to enjoy this witty, satisfying, and very funny movie - but if you are, you will enjoy it all the more.

Note added 2015: When I first wrote the above in 1999, Steve Martin had not yet done most of his (in my view) best work; but I still go back to this as my very favorite of his performances.

In Nelson, the chief of the firemen C. D. Bales (Steve Martin) is a man with complex since he has a huge nose. When his friend Dixie (Shelley Duvall) rents her house to the gorgeous student of astronomy Roxanne (Daryl Hannah), he falls in love with her but keeps his feelings as a secret. C.D. hires the handsome fireman Chris (Rick Rossovich) and Roxanne asks C.D. to help her to date him. However Chris is an average American with very limited culture and he asks C.D. to help him to get in her pants. C.D. writes letters disclosing his feelings for her and Roxanne is seduced by the man that writes such letters. What will happen when she meets Chris?

"Roxanne" is a totally different version of "Cyrano De Bergerac" by Edmond Rostands. There are many versions of this romantic play in the cinema history, but none of them with a modernization of the story. The beauty of Daryl Hannah is impressive and her chemistry with the large nosed Steve Martin is fantastic. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Roxanne"

Steve Martin's genius as a comic actor has never been in doubt. But once in a while even a genius does something astounding. For Martin it is "Roxanne". Possibly THE funniest movie that I have ever seen, not to mention passionately romantic, it also does something that so few movies are able to do today... it stays intelligent despite the humor. In today's Hollywood so many comedies fall into the trap of deplorable slapstick and gratuitous cussing, "Roxanne" succeeds in entertaining us through colorful characters, enchanting surprises, and witty intelligent dialogue. Where have movies like this gone to? Where were they to begin with? A rare jewel in the sands of Hollywood, see this movie like your life depends on it (tip to the wise: take a date). Pay special attention to the character of Andy, he is a special treat throughout the film. Also look for a VERY young Damon Wayans. The treats abound.

I have to admit that this was a nice and sweet version of Martin's interpretation of Cyrano de Bergerac. It was nice to see a little comedy into the story. I know of the story, but have seen none of the movies. So, this is pretty much as close as I will get to the story even though my mom has the old version of Cyrano de Bergerac, it doesn't look that entertaining.

Steve plays Charlie, a kind and funny fireman with one little... well... actually huge thing on his face, a very long and big nose. But he ends up meeting Roxanne, a very beautiful woman who is a rocket scientist and just wants be romanced, she meets another man, Chris, very handsome, but doesn't exactly have a way with words. Charlie has a huge crush on Roxanne, but she's attracted to Chris, Chris also has a thing for Roxanne, so through the hardest times, Chralie helps Chris try to woe Roxanne with his words going through Chris's mouth.

It's a very sweet and romantic movie with some good little laughs here and there. I think this is an under rated Steve Martin movie that I think everyone could give a chance too. Because, let's face it, we all have that little imperfection that can always be seen as unique and beautiful in the eyes of other's.

7/10

One of my favourite Steve Martin comedies, before he followed the example of Woody Allen and stopped with the comedy and hankered after more serious parts in dull films by Ron Howard and David Mamet. This is definitely how I like him best, in genuinely funny situations that make you laugh. He wrote his own screenplay too, cleverly if loosely taking the old classic story of the big-nosed romantic Cyrano De Bergerac and transplanting it to a modern American small town romantic comedy.

As Charlie, the local fire-chief, Martin's character, besides being a loquacious wordsmith, is also, it would appear, a Cirque-class acrobat and martial arts expert which he amply demonstrates as the movie progresses. The arrival in town of intellectual hottie Darryl Hannah finds the two striking up a blossoming if offbeat friendship before the entrance of lunk-hunk Chris, nicely played by Rick Rossovich, to his fire-crew finds Charlie pressed into action as Chris's prompter in trying to win over Hannah's heart in his stead.

Needless to say, the paths of true love don't run smoothly but do eventually find their rightful destinations for all the main parties but not before many highly comedic scenes get in the way. The extended scenes where Martin takes out two insulting tennis players at the start, his top 20 nose-jokes and especially the by-proxy seduction of Hannah at her Juliet window are all hilarious, but there's plenty of devilry in the detail too especially the short scenes with the "Golden Girls" of the town.

Just maybe, Martin could have downplayed the slapstick comedy element of his Keystone Fire Brigade, which can't touch the Golden Silents of Keaton and Lloyd for amusement, but their coming together to finally demonstrate competence in actually putting out a fire, to the strains of "The Blue Danube", at least concluded another minor plot story arc too. Oh, and I hated the sleep-inducing saxophone-dominated soundtrack too, but hey, this was the 80's, I guess.

Martin is terrific in the "Cyrano" part and Darryl Hannah is surprisingly good in being asked to do more than just shake her curls. Mild distraction as they were as a group, it was still nice to see Michael J Pollard as one of the fire crew too.

Like I said, I'm a big fan of Martin's early comedies and this is one of his best. If I'm lying, may my nose grow in length!