CYRANO

UK/US, 2021, 124 minutes, Colour.

Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Ben Mendelsohn, Monica Dolan, Bashir Salahuddin, Ruth Sheen, Mark Benton, Richard McCabe.

Directed by Joe Wright.

Cyrano, Cyrano de Bergerac must be one of the most romantic characters in fiction. Created as a verse play by Edmond Rostand in 1897, his story has been told and retold, with Jose Ferrer winning an Oscar for the 1950 Cyrano de Bergerac, later Gerard Depardieu as Cyrano, and a contemporary version with Steve Martin in Roxanne.

Cyrano is a man of unrequited love – or his love being requited by Roxanne as simple friendship. But Cyrano is a man of unconditional love, devoted to Roxanne, and finding the outlet for his passion in writing letters for the handsome guard, Christian, even providing his voice in the famous balcony scene where Roxanne is in love with Christian’s soul, his poetry. Which, of course, is the soul of Cyrano.

This present version, directed by Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karenina, Darkest Hour) is a musical. The book was written and staged by Erica Schmidt and she has written the screenplay – this project also a work of love because Peter Dinklage and Erica Schmidt are married in real life.

One of the most famous characteristics of Cyrano de Bergerac was his long nose. However, no long nose in this version. Rather, the film uses Peter Dinklage’s form of dwarfism, lack of development in his bones, to make him distinctive, and sometimes the butt of mocking humour. (Peter Dinklage’s successful film and television career, especially with Game of Thrones making him known worldwide, has become a significant icon for dwarfism, audiences accepting him for his characters rather than focus on his physical condition.)

So, while the film traces the basic tale of Cyrano and his devotion to Roxanne (Haley Bennett who worked with Peter Dinklage in the stage version), her infatuation with the handsome Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr), the romanticism of the wooing by literate letters, it also shows Cyrano as a master swordsman and, at the end, in vivid war sequence in snowy mountainous terrain leading to deaths.

The musical aspects of the film, the songs, their dramatisation, the elaborate choreography surrounding many of them, the melodies, may not appeal to audiences whose sensibilities do not extend to musicals. However, with the power of the story and Peter Dinklage’s performance, these audiences may be won over and, finally, be moved and identify with the characters.

Audiences who do enjoy musicals will be amazed at the quite lavish sets, from 17^th century theatre performance (and mockery) to the military training grounds, to the battle in the snow, big cast, especially for the staging of some of the songs, and elaborate choreography.

Much of Cyrano was filmed in Sicily with the atmosphere of life in the 17^th century.

And, there is an interesting supporting cast, led by Ben Mendelsohn as the Duke of Guise, Monica Dolan as Roxanne’s maid, Marie, Richard McCabe as the officiating priest.

But, it is the focus on Cyrano himself and Peter Dinklage’s presence and performance. He is not the greatest of singers (perhaps better if we think of him in the tradition of Lee Marvin in Paint Your Wagon or Rex Harrison’s recitative style in My Fair Lady). He is adept with the sword, delivers his romantic lines and aspirations with aplomb, and, at times, especially in the final sequences, the longing in his eyes is extraordinarily moving.

Doubtless there will be other versions of Cyrano de Bergerac – but, in its imagination and in the casting of Peter Dinklag and the repercussions of his dwarfism, this is a very distinctive version.

1. The popularity of Edmond Rostand’s character and play? The romantic hero? Limitations? Poetic?
2. Audience knowledge of the various versions of Cyrano, Jose Ferrer, Gerard Depardieu, Steve Martin?
3. A musical version, the songs and melodies, insertion throughout the film, characters, situations? Romance? Sadness? Atmosphere of war? The range of lyrics, commenting on the characters and situations? Revelation of characters?
4. The lavish production, sets, recreation of the period, France and the 17^th century, costumes and decor? The background musical score?
5. The original play, verse, rhymes? Incorporated into the screenplay?
6. The opening, the theatre, the audience and crowds, the actor, sets and style, audience participation? The vanity of the actor? The challenge by Cyrano? Defiance, insults, confrontation, scaring the actor away? The audience liking the actor, then taking Cyrano side? Criticisms?
7. Peter Dinklage as Cyrano, not having the traditional long nose, his dwarfism, the dramatic effect, on Cyrano as a person, character, interactions with others, looked down on, friends?
8. The introduction to Roxanne, age, poor family, Marie as her assistant? The various suitors? Duke of Guise? His taking her to the theatre, her wanting to see the play, leading the Duke on? Costumes and dresses? She being serious and flighty? Her friendship with Cyrano, growing up with him, not aware of his love for her, but relying on his devotion?
9. The arrival of the guards, her glimpsing Christian, the instant infatuation, his response to her? His arrival, the reaction of the guards, his capacity for fighting? The various offices?
10. Cyrano, his life, poetry, friendships, place in the military? His swordsmanship? The challenge in the theatre, the fight, his skills, vanquishing his mockery? His realisation about Roxanne and Christian, her asking Cyrano to help him, especially in the barracks? Cyrano agreeing, meeting him, reluctance but sincerity?
11. The war situation, the Duke, the command of the king, having to go to battle, his visiting Roxanne, her ambiguous response, his going to war? Leaving the guards behind? The later change, the guards going, Christian and Cyrano, the long time in the mountains, the winter?
12. The basic familiar situation, Christian, not having a poetic talent, Cyrano writing the letters, pouring out his own heart, Roxanne and her dismissive responses, in love with the words, with the soul of the poet? Christian going, his awkwardness, Roxanne’s reaction to his being inarticulate? The balcony scene, Cyrano supplying the words, Cyrano eventually speaking them?
13. The contriving of the wedding, the priest arriving with the message from the Duke, Roxanne and her marrying Christian, the Duke arriving, upset, Roxanne’s seeming betrayal? His sending the guard to the mountains?
14. The time in the mountains, Christian pining for Roxanne, Cyrano sending the letters every day, Christian eventually seeing what was happening, the final letter, the blood, Christian going to the mountaintop, his death?
15. Cyrano and his return, his wound, Roxanne meeting him, the final letter, her realising the truth, getting him to read that final letter? His death?
16. The basic plot, the range of the songs, each of the characters, the revelations? The importance of the dancing, the choreography, the costumes and style, soldiers, theatre?
17. How effective having Cyrano to Bergerac as a musical?