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Starring: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Bashir Salahuddin, Ben Mendelsohn
OUR RATING: ★★★☆☆
Story:
Romantic musical drama directed by Joe Wright based on the 1897 Edmond Rostand play Cyrano de Bergerac. Cyrano (2021) centers on the love triangle between French Army officer, Cyrano (Dinklage), a beautiful woman, Roxanne (Bennett), and handsome new cadet, Christian (Harrison Jr.). Cyrano is deeply in love with Roxanne, but because of his physical appearance, assumes she would never love him back. So when she confides in him that she is in love with Christian, Cyrano, an accomplished wordsmith, helps Christian woo her by writing letters for him to send to her.
Our Favorite Quotes:
'They say light is the soul of a holy space. It's designed to be enough. Enough beauty to just let go.' - Cyrano Click To Tweet
Best Quotes
Roxanne: I’m hungry.
Marie: A lady never complains.
Roxanne: We can’t eat dresses. If only the Duke had sent bread.
Marie: I think he wants to marry you.
Roxanne: I’d rather marry you.
Marie: He’s a Duke. And you, my dear, a rapidly ageing orphan.
Marie: [referring to De Guiche] He’s here. Now, don’t be rude to him.
Roxanne: I’m not rude. I am enigmatically distant and fashionably late.
Marie: [referring to De Guiche] If you anger him, he’ll ruin us! Marry the Duke and you’ll be rich. A clever marriage is your only option.
Roxanne: I have no intention of marrying anyone.
Marie: Believe me, spinsterhood is bleak.
Roxanne: And love, does that mean nothing to you?
Marie: It might smell rosy for a year or two, but love doesn’t last. What lasts is compromise and sacrifice. Children need love. Adults need money.
Montfleury: In insulting me, you insult the dramatic muse. And worse, you desecrate this theater, this crucible of human humanity. This sacred wooden O.
Cyrano: No, sir. Untrue. I’m sorry, but you lie. You’ve made this stage your personal sty! The dramatic muse has fled the building. She scampered off when you started gilding the lily with your great big voice. The poor muse had no choice.
Theatre Buff: We paid to see a play!
Cyrano: And I have saved you from seeing a fiasco!
Valvert: You. You’re a freak.
Cyrano: The insult is antique, but I accept it.
Valvert: Freak.
Cyrano: Is that it? Have you exhausted your dictionary of scorn?
Valvert: Who is this savage who dares to present himself in public without ribbons, bows or braids?
Cyrano: I am not au courant, it’s true. But think of my deeds as my ribbons, my humor as a bow.
Valvert: Oh, do pipe down, or else you’ll drown. In verbosity.
Cyrano: A fellow poet. Pleasure to meet you. Cyrano de Bergerac.
Le Bret: Are you in love?
Cyrano: Whatever gave you that idea?
Le Bret: See, I knew you wouldn’t like it.
Cyrano: Do I seem offended?
Le Bret: No. But your guard is up.
Cyrano: It’s just some things are private.
'Sometimes illusion is kind.' - Cyrano Click To Tweet
Cyrano: Yes. I am in love. I dare. My sole purpose on this Earth is to love Roxanne.
Cyrano: [singing] Have you ever wanted something so badly you cannot breathe? Have you ever loved someone madly?
Le Bret: No, I don’t think I have.
Cyrano: [referring to Roxanne] Isn’t she magnificent?
Le Bret: She is, though perhaps a little vain.
Cyrano: Yes, but magnificently so.
Le Bret: There’s some pretension in there too.
Cyrano: She’s full of it.
Cyrano: Even her imperfections are perfect! In our little town, back in the day, she was practically worshipped. To some she was notorious. To me, glorious.
Le Bret: Does she know?
Cyrano: Do you think a person of her beauty, in mind, body, and soul doesn’t know about it?
Le Bret: I mean, does she know that you’re in love with her?
Cyrano: No.
Cyrano: Someone like me supposing to love perfection? No. If I confessed, she’d never see me again.
Le Bret: You don’t have a very high opinion of her.
Cyrano: What? She’s the Alps.
Le Bret: No, but you don’t think she has the depth to look beyond your…
Cyrano: Careful.
Le Bret: Unique physique.
Cyrano: Not bad.
Le Bret: Thank you. To love you for who you are, and not for how you look.
Cyrano: Yes, but don’t you see? I am simply not worthy of her.
'A thing is either accurate or it isn't. There are no degrees of accuracy.' - Roxanne (Cyrano) Click To Tweet
Le Bret: You should tell her. You love her!
Cyrano: No. My fate is to love her from afar. To confess is to shatter the beautiful dream.
Le Bret: You forget, I’ve seen you in battle. You’re a fighter to the end. But in love you’ve raised the white flag. Have faith in her. Tell her the truth.
Cyrano: She wants to see me privately.
Le Bret: There it is.
Cyrano: Alone. Oh, no. I cannot succumb to hope! Hope is madness. Hope is hell.
Le Bret: Hope is life!
Cyrano: Oh, I need an army to vanquish! I have ten hearts, I have twenty arms. I could kill a hundred men.
Cyrano: It’s only a scratch.
Roxanne: It’s a wound, and it needs cleaning.
Cyrano: I’ve been wounded many times. This is not a wound.
Roxanne: Then we’ll call it a cut.
Cyrano: “Scratch” is more accurate.
Roxanne: I dispute “more”. A thing is either accurate or it isn’t. There are no degrees of accuracy. You taught me that.
Cyrano: As you wish. I’ll settle for “cut”.
Roxanne: A deep one.
Roxanne: I’m not impressed by your swordsmanship.
Cyrano: Oh, I know. Or rather, I know you pretend you’re not.
Roxanne: I’d be very angry with you if you died.
Cyrano: Only angry?
Roxanne: Incandescent.
Roxanne: I am madly in love, but the man in question has no idea. And I don’t know how to tell him.
Cyrano: Perhaps he feels the same?
Roxanne: It’s possible. I have hopes.
Cyrano: How do you know you love him?
Roxanne: Because it’s as if I’ve always known. Always known him. He was always there, but this intense romantic connection had not yet manifested.
Cyrano: I understand.
Roxanne: Supposing it’s all a delusion?
Cyrano: No, you’re clearly in love.
'I would prefer to be loved for my true self or not at all.' - Christian (Cyrano) Click To Tweet
Roxanne: I feel he is rather proud. And very charming. He is mysterious, but not obscure. And his face is so bright with intelligence.
Cyrano: What else?
Roxanne: He’s very beautiful, obviously.
Cyrano: Is he?
Roxanne: Yes. But his natural modesty means he’s completely unaware of it.
Cyrano: I’ve met people like that.
Roxanne: They’re so rare.
Cyrano: Perhaps I could make a confession too?
Roxanne: Yes, but I haven’t made mine yet.
Cyrano: I’m sorry. Please continue.
Roxanne: This man I love is a guard. In your regiment.
Cyrano: Of course he is.
Roxanne: It’s embarrassing to admit, but I’ve never actually spoken to him.
Cyrano: Of your love?
Roxanne: Of anything. It was love at first sight. A thunderbolt. It’s madness. Fantastical. And yet it’s absolutely real.
[Cyrano looks crestfallen]
Roxanne: [to Cyrano] Supposing he’s an idiot. He might just be an incredibly beautiful man with the mind of a rabbit. Except he isn’t. He can’t be. I need him not to be. Anyway, I’ve made some discreet inquiries, and I am told that he is Christian. Christian Neuvillette.
Roxanne: I know how the guards treat the new recruits, your ancient initiation rituals and so on. So, please, will you protect him?
Cyrano: I can refuse you nothing.
Roxanne: And never let him fight a duel?
Cyrano: No.
Roxanne: And guard his life with your own?
Cyrano: Yes.
Roxanne: And be his friend?
Cyrano: I might not like him.
Roxanne: All the same. Befriend him.
Roxanne: And make him write to me. And I’ll write back. We’ll exchange long, poetic love letters.
Cyrano: I will suggest that he write to you, but I cannot control the content, or length of his letters.
Roxanne: You said you have a confession to make too.
Cyrano: It’s not important.
Roxanne: I will support you as you’ve supported me.
Cyrano: Really, it’s nothing.
De Guiche: I’m told that you write poetry uncommonly well. I like to publish those that I admire. I could put you into print, distinguish you. I’d only change a few lines. I pay handsomely. You could buy a fine pair of calfskin gloves.
Cyrano: I’m not for sale. Neither is my work.
De Guiche: Aren’t you proud.
Cyrano: Aren’t you observant.
De Guiche: Those men last night were incompetent. Others may not be. Someone’s taken against you. Join my retinue, and you’ll be protected.
Cyrano: First, you try to recruit me, then you try to buy me. When you learn I have no price, you warn me that my life is threatened by an unknown enemy. I saw you last night. The blood of those men is on your hands. You’re a tyrant posing as a noble.
De Guiche: Oh, what a shame we can’t accommodate each other. Because you know something? You’d make a sweet little companion to the acquisition I will make. Roxanne.
Cyrano: [to Le Bret] Do you want me to swallow insults? To crawl? To kneel? To beg? Play both sides? Flatter? No, thank you. Live for other people’s opinions of me? No, thank you. I prefer a different life. My own. I answer to no one, and I am content, thank you.
Trailer: