This French film of Rostand's classic play was highly successful and deservedly so, as it has everything - wit, drama, unrequited love and lots of swashbuckling action. Gérard Depardieu fills the role of the swaggering chevalier with the prominent proboscis with lusty vigour. He also manages to convey Cyrano's self-conscious insecurities because of his love for Roxane (luminously portrayed by Anne Brochet). The balcony love scene is wittily done, as is the sequence in which Cyrano creates a fracas in a theatre, and the final scene is poignant in the extreme. The film looks spectacular and even the subtitles aren't the usual irritating necessity. They're also well-written - not surprising as they were the work of novelist Anthony Burgess. All in all, this romp is something of which even the real Cyrano (a 17th century soldier, duellist, writer and braggart) might have approved!

©ipc tx. Film content from TVTimes