Cyrano de Bergerac

A remarkable achievement in directing, acting, and writing. Jose Ferrer delivers the performance of a lifetime that strikes deep into the heart. Anyone who has even been mocked, scored, or ridiculed, or simply felt unworthy of the affections of another will sympathize with Cyrano, and Ferrer brings the character to life as no one has ever been able to do, before or since. The movie is exceptionally smart, humorous, and tragic all at the same time. A perfect film.

Almost never shown these days, "Cyrano de Bergerac", one of the best films of 1950, turned up the other night unexpectedly on a cable channel. It was a pleasure to see it again after so many years since we first saw it. Michael Gordon directed the screen version that became a favorite of people who were delighted to make concessions to a man that was far from being endowed with any physical attributes.

The enjoyment of the picture is due to the amazing tour de force by that wonderful actor, Jose Ferrer, a man whose friendship we cherished because he enriched our life with his honesty, frankness and charisma. Mr. Ferrer's contribution to the stage and screen can be best sampled as we watch him become Cyrano, a man in love with his cousin Roxanne, whose great fear is the possible rejection of the beautiful young woman in favor of the handsome, and younger, Christian.

This beloved theater play by Edmond Rostand had been translated by Brian Hooker, in what became the most familiar way American audiences met the illustrious French author. The screen play by Carl Foreman clarifies the text in ways that the movie going public of that era could relate to this man whose wit and charm outweighed his appearance, which was dominated by a big nose that rendered him an unattractive man. The poetry of the play is preserved even though it is not done in verse like the original manuscript. Dimitri Tiomkin's score lent itself to the action.

Mala Powers was a disappointment though. Yes, she was a beauty, but her Roxanne doesn't quite come across; she is at a disadvantage playing opposite an icon of the theater like Mr. Ferrer, who certainly had more experience. William Prince does a fair job as Christian. Morris Carnovsky, another great stage actor, appears as Le Bret and Ralph Clanton makes his contribution with his take of Guiche.

"Cyrano de Bergerac" is recommended to movie fans of all ages to watch the magnificent Jose Ferrer at his best.

Back years ago in high school studying Cyrano de Bergerac, with a textbook having pictures from this film, one of the other students asked simply why didn't he just get a nose job? It got a lot of amusement when the teacher told her that that procedure just wasn't available in Cardinal Richelieu's France.

I'm afraid that that might be the feeling of a lot of readers of the play and viewers of the film. Rostand, who wrote the play in the 19th century about the 17th century might as well have been writing about people on Mars.

If they take that tack then folks will be losing out on appreciating a great play and role essayed by a man who possessed one of the great speaking voices of the century. Jose Ferrer puts everyone else in the cast to shame with his performance of Cyrano.

To be sure Cyrano de Bergerac is a one man play. All the other characters Rostand gave absolutely no depth to. Roxanne is a sweet young girl looking for romance, Christian is a handsome dunce, Comte de Guiche is a Snidely Whiplash villain. But Cyrano, you have to be a real actor to play that one.

Cyrano is a soldier, writer, swordsman even a gourmet of sorts. But that proboscis fills him with doubt when the opposite sex is concerned. He's a tortured soul and Ferrer gives THE interpretation of Cyrano. It will be so a hundred years from now. He's a swashbuckler to be sure, but you certainly couldn't cast any of the normal movie swashbucklers in that part.

I don't know if the MTV generation will feel like my classmate of years ago, but if they turn away from music videos and watch this, they will be treated to a once in a lifetime acting performance.

Classy version of Edmond Rostand's play about romantic as well as grotesque-looking /poet Cyrano Bergerac (José Ferrer who provides his most sensitive and believable acting) who fears to reveal his love to the beautiful Roxanne (Mala Powers) because the feels his huge nose makes him unattractive . Cyrano bears the pain of his devotion Roxanne ; however , attempting to help his lover contender . So , he serves as a surrogate lover by encouraging another man's attention to her . As , he supports the good-looking but tongue-tied Christian (William Prince) to romance her . As Cyrano expresses his own feelings by helping handsome fellow soldier woo Roxanne instead . And , finally , declarating his love to the gorgeous Roxanne . Meanwhile , there is developed a bloody war between the French and Spanish Armies and in which the two lovers take part with tragic consequences . The most fabulous hero of all time, with the most famous nose in history! He fought because of it! .He loved in spite of it! He lived to immortalize it! Fabulous Hero! Famous Nose!The Most Loved of All Love Stories!... he was the three musketeers in one, and one lover in a million!

Ths is the vintage retelling around playwright Edmond Rostand's known story of a giant-nose yet poetic cavalier . Settings are well designed to show the environment and piece period . And language attempting to capture the intricate sense and rhymes of the original dialogue written by Edmond Rostand . This is a multi-awarded movie for its cast , costumes, production design , music and photography . José Ferrer gives an extraordinary acting as the large-nosed Musketeer who finds himself too ugly to be loved . Ferrer brings to exhilarating life Rostand's well-loved play , delivering a portentous acting . Ferrer became successful and really famous for this role , which won him a deseved Academy Award . Being based on Edmond Rostand play and Brian Hooke carried out the adequate translation of the play . It displays an evocative cinematography in black and white by Franz Planer . Although , it is also availble in horrible colorized version . An and atmospheric and appropriate musical score by Dimitri Tiomkin . This Stanley Kramer production released thru United Artists was well made by Michael Gordon . Rating : 7/10 . Better than average . Essential and indispensable watching .

Other adaptations about this famous play are the following ones : Cyrano Bergerac 1925 silent recounting by Augusto Genina with Pierre Magner and Ferrari . Cyrano Bergerac 1950 , a nice recounting well played by Derek Jacobi , Sinead Cusack , this is a Royal Shakespeare Company Production , being translated and adapted by Anthony Burgess . 1987 , titled Roxanne directed by Fred Schepesi , this is a marvellous adaptation for the modern age , a contemporary comic take on Rostand's Cyrano with a romantic triangle between a a big-nosed , small town fire chief , a shy fireman and the lovely astronomer they both love , being performed by Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah and Rick Rossovich . And the best : Cyrano Bergerac 1990 by Jean Paul Rappenau with Gerard Depardieu , Anne Brochet , Jacques Wever ,

"Cyrano de Bergerac" is based on the play by Edmond Rostand about a swordsman and poet with a long nose who helps another man to win the woman he loves. The film's story is an abridged version of the play based on the famous English translation from Brian Hooker.

José Ferrer is excellent in the title role as Cyrano de Bergerac. He handles all aspects of the character well, from the sharp poetic dialogue to the reluctance in conveying his feelings to Roxane. The rest of the performances were respectable as well, though clearly the title role requires the most acting ability.

This film is criticized for its minimalist sets. Admittedly they never bothered me, but at times the film was excessively dark, especially during the combat scenes toward the end of the film.

The story is abridged, but for me the essential components of the story were there with clever verse of Hooker's translation and the tragedy and humor of Rostand's story. The swordplay scenes are believable, though not exceptional other than for Cyrano's ability to fight and compose poetry simultaneously. "Cyrano de Bergerac" is a solid adaptation of Rostand's play best known for a striking performance from José Ferrer.