Classics Corner: "Cyrano de Bergerac"

If there's one thing I love, it's old school cinema.

So a black-and-white movie released in 1950, based on a play written in 1897, based in turn on the life of a 1600s swashbuckler/author is right up my alley.

The story follows Cyrano (a spot-on performance by Jose Ferrier), a dashing duelist and dramatist of 1640 France. Although he's a poor soldier, Cyrano draws the respect and admiration -not to mention jealousy- of Parisians great and small thanks to his unequalled skill with sword and pen and his razor sharp rhetorical wit. However, Cyrano's macho posturing turns out to be only a cover for his delicate ego.

Cyrano's problem is, he has a big nose. Huge even- like six inches long, and he's very sensitive about it. He's convinced that he's ugly, and so he never pursues the woman he secretly loves with a passion: his childhood companion (and distant cousin) Roxanne. Determined to see her happy, he even helps another man woo her, the handsome but not too bright Christian. An irreverent comedy ensues, in which Cyrano feeds sweet poetry to Christian who in turn repeats it (as best he can) to Roxanne. She falls for the words, not knowing that they were truly written by her just-a-friend, while Christian reeps the kisses without any idea of Cyrano's own passion for Roxanne.

Uh oh, I'm afraid I've led the poor reader astray. It looks like I'm reviewing a boring chick flick, doesn't it? Another movie about innocent deception and the resulting awkward romantic situations. Like Pillow Talk if Rock Hudson had a big nose.

Banish the thought! Cyrano de Bergerac has some excellently choreographed duel scenes as well as rivetting battle sequences. Cyrano himself is a real man's man; a swaggering action hero who's willing to face death for his devotion, laughs at impossible odds, and don't take no crap offa' nobody. Sort of a talkative Clint Eastwood.

But for all it's attention grabbing surface flair, Cyrano de Bergerac is at heart a substantial work, which manages to deal seriously and artfully with love, devotion, and tragic sacrifice. Even its most light hearted scenes use dialogue of such wit and charm that they stand head and shoulders above the inferior soundbites of the best modern movies.

Of course a lot of the movie's success is the result of Jose Ferrier's brilliant charisma in the title role. Ferrier sometimes has to carry his less skilled fellow performers, most notably Roxanne herself, but this takes very little from enjoyment of the movie. This is a truly great movie for the ages.

Smarty Pants Sez: Cyrano de Bergerac is highly recommended.

Caveats: None. Stop what you're doing and go watch it. Right now. What are you waiting for?