---
title: "Cyrano de Bergerac"
year: 1990
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/cyrano-de-bergerac"
fi1m_id: "cyrano-de-bergerac"
imdb_id: "tt0099334"
tmdb_id: 11673
wikidata_id: "Q128982"
fi1m_score: 88
critics_score: 87
critics_reviews: 7
published: "2026-09-13"
updated: "2026-10-06T12:12:39.151453+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)

Directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau · 2h 17m · MPA PG-13 · Drama, Comedy, History, Romance

## Identity

Cyrano de Bergerac

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/cyrano-de-bergerac
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** cyrano-de-bergerac
- **IMDb ID:** tt0099334
- **TMDB ID:** 11673
- **Wikidata ID:** Q128982
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099334/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11673, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q128982

**Fi1m score: 88** · Critics 87 from 7 reviews

*In a sentence:* All that swordplay, and asking someone out is still the difficult bit

> Gérard Depardieu makes this grand, verse-speaking romance funny and painfully vulnerable. Jean-Paul Rappeneau keeps it moving, though the emotional insistence occasionally grows tiring; we recommend it for the performance and the unembarrassed belief in love.

## Synopsis

In seventeenth-century France, Cyrano de Bergerac (Gérard Depardieu) is a poet and swordsman who conceals his feelings behind wit and bravado. Convinced that his large nose puts him out of contention in love, he helps a rival instead of declaring himself. Anne Brochet plays Roxane, with Vincent Perez as Christian de Neuvillette and Jacques Weber as the Count of Guiche. Jean-Paul Rappeneau directs a story told in verse, in which speaking for someone else gives Cyrano a way to express feelings he cannot admit as his own.

## Review

Jean-Paul Rappeneau takes the romantic predicament of *Cyrano de Bergerac* seriously, and gives us good reason to do the same. The verse stays, the scale expands, and Gérard Depardieu supplies enough wounded pride to prevent the finery from taking over. We warmly recommend this vigorous, often funny romance, with a central performance that makes its extravagance feel necessary. It occasionally presses an emotion we have already understood, but it never seems embarrassed to ask us to care.

Depardieu understands how exhausting Cyrano could be in less patient hands. The verbal swagger is entertaining, but we also see the effort involved in maintaining it. His large nose matters because he treats it as a reason to rule himself out before anyone else can decide. We were moved by the embarrassment he allows beneath the bravado when this eloquent poet cannot be open about his own feelings. He makes the self-inflicted misery credible without asking us to think it sensible.

The screenplay by Jean-Claude Carrière and Rappeneau preserves the verse, and its delivery rarely has that polished, waiting-for-applause sound that can make filmed theatre so wearing. Words arrive as attempts to persuade, provoke or conceal. Noëlle Boisson’s editing gives the performances enough room for their rhythms to register, while keeping the bustle from becoming a series of interruptions. The movement and the speech belong together, so the film’s energy does not depend on getting away from the dialogue.

Pierre Lhomme’s rich colour photography gives the period setting warmth without making the finery difficult to look past. The production design by Ezio Frigerio and Jacques Rouxel gives seventeenth-century France enough scale to accommodate all this public performance. Franca Squarciapino’s costumes contribute to the pleasure without reducing the people to well-dressed exhibits. The clothes and surroundings suit a man who expects to attract attention wherever he goes. We are less persuaded by Jean-Claude Petit’s score, which sometimes feels too insistent beside acting that needs little help.

Anne Brochet gives Roxane enough composure to stand opposite Depardieu without competing for volume. Vincent Perez’s Christian is a more limited pleasure: the performance is clear, but the character is much less interesting than the man helping him. That imbalance belongs partly to the premise, yet the film does not entirely overcome it. Perez has the difficult job of holding our interest while Depardieu is given so much more to express.

As a swashbuckling romance, the film offers the expected pleasure of a hero who can command attention, then makes his private timidity matter just as much. Cyrano is bold on another man’s behalf and painfully hesitant on his own, and Rappeneau trusts that difficulty to sustain a large, busy film. There is no need to turn the verse into everyday chat to make his fear recognisable. At 137 minutes, the film does ask us to spend longer with some feelings than they need, particularly when Depardieu has already conveyed them in his face.

That reservation should not deter anyone with an appetite for heightened speech and a romance played without a protective smirk. Depardieu makes the wit enjoyable and the shame uncomfortable, and Rappeneau gives him ample room to be difficult as well as lovable. Allow the film its grand manner; the small admissions of fear are worth listening for.

*Fi1m score 88, published 13 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The consensus is strongly positive, with praise centred on Gérard Depardieu’s performance as Cyrano. Critics repeatedly find both swagger and sadness in his portrayal, crediting him with making the character’s romantic suffering convincing without diminishing his comic energy. Jean-Paul Rappeneau’s adaptation also earns broad approval for preserving the verse while giving the action pace and scale. The reviews admire the rich period detail, rhythmic delivery and ensemble work; Variety particularly values the balance between verbal and visual flamboyance.

There is little substantive disagreement, and these reviews identify no recurring weakness. The differences concern emphasis rather than verdict: some critics foreground the adaptation’s vigour and spectacle, while others concentrate on its emotional sincerity. The New York Times gives particular attention to the prosthetic nose as an expressive part of the character, rather than merely a technical accomplishment. Even the less effusive assessments remain firmly appreciative of Depardieu.

## Straight answers

**Is Cyrano de Bergerac worth watching?**

*Cyrano de Bergerac* (1990) is worth watching for anyone who enjoys a heightened, verse-speaking romance played without a protective smirk, and we scored it 88. Gérard Depardieu makes the swaggering poet funny and painfully shy about his own feelings, and that performance carries the film's grand manner. At 137 minutes it does linger on some emotions after we have understood them.

**How long is Cyrano de Bergerac, and what is it rated?**

*Cyrano de Bergerac* runs 2h 17m and is rated PG-13 by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and comedy film.

**Where can I watch Cyrano de Bergerac in the US?**

*Cyrano de Bergerac* is streaming on The Criterion Channel in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How does Cyrano de Bergerac compare to Much Ado About Nothing?**

*Cyrano de Bergerac* (1990) is the sadder and more single-minded of the two, built around one man's fear of speaking for himself, where [*Much Ado About Nothing*](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing) spreads its pleasures across a sparring couple. We think Rappeneau's film is the stronger, because Depardieu makes its extravagance feel necessary, while Branagh's physical comedy sometimes runs away with itself. Choose Much Ado for lightness, Cyrano for wit with real pain beneath it.

**What should I watch after Cyrano de Bergerac?**

After *Cyrano de Bergerac*, try [*Much Ado About Nothing*](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing) (1993, Fi1m 78): Another costume romance where quick tongues offer little protection against wounded feelings. Then [*The Lunchbox*](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox) (2013, Fi1m 75): Hesitant affection carried by letters, for an evening with fewer swords; and [*The Shop Around the Corner*](https://film.one/film/the-shop-around-the-corner) (1940, Fi1m 88): A quieter comedy about people who write more honestly than they speak.

### Reviews we read (9)

- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The critic praises the film as a splendid, lusty classical adaptation centered on Depardieu's transformative performance as the passionate, panache-filled Cyrano. He singles out the virtuoso dying scene and the movie's sincere belief in its romantic story for particular admiration. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/cyrano-de-bergerac-1990)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kevin Thomas (90/100, inferred): Thomas calls the film glorious and well-nigh flawless, crediting Depardieu as born for the role and the perfect nose design for adding poignancy. He praises Rappeneau's graceful, vigorous adaptation and the lush evocation of 17th-century France. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-18-ca-6646-story.html)
- **Time Out**, GA (90/100, inferred): The critic praises Rappeneau's faithful yet dynamic adaptation of Rostand's play, highlighting Gérard Depardieu's perfect portrayal of Cyrano. They single out the rhythmic verse delivery, choreographed performances, and expansive scale that captures the character's inner torment. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/cyrano-de-bergerac)
- **Variety**, Variety Staff (85/100, inferred): The review deems it a near-perfect balance of verbal and visual flamboyance, with Depardieu's grand performance setting a new standard. It singles out the sumptuous adaptation's dash, lyricism, and superb ensemble, including the preserved verse and fine lensing. [Read](https://variety.com/1989/film/reviews/cyrano-de-bergerac-3-1200428457/)
- **The Guardian** (80/100, inferred): The film was a huge success for a subtitled release both in London and elsewhere. It features a marvellous performance from Gérard Depardieu in Jean-Paul Rappeneau's swashbuckling adaptation. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/movie/37086/cyrano-de-bergerac)
- **The New York Times**, Vincent Canby (80/100, inferred): Canby highlights Depardieu's graceful ability to embody the blustery yet wistful Cyrano without missing a beat across roles. He notes the film's effective use of the epic nose through makeup and engineering as a key visual and thematic element. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/16/movies/review-film-depardieu-as-the-blustery-yet-wistful-cyrano-de-bergerac.html)
- **Empire**, Phillipa Bloom: This faithful, fantastic adaptation of Rostand's classic positively bursts with wonder, excitement, rich colours and sumptuous details. It is above all Gérard Depardieu's film, with his moving, spellbinding performance as the gentle giant Cyrano guaranteeing much hanky-wringing in the aisles. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/cyrano-de-bergerac-review/)
- **The Times**, Ed Potton (★★★★☆): Gérard Depardieu gives a charismatic and pathos-filled performance as the poet and swashbuckler with the large nose who aids a rival in love while hiding his own feelings. Rappeneau's film is grand-scale comedy-tragedy with lavish sets, costumes and battles matching the verse and emotion. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/theatre-dance/article/cyrano-de-bergerac-1990-review-tragicomedy-in-the-grand-style-j2d8gbh3g)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (85/100, inferred): The critic praises Jean-Paul Rappeneau for infusing the adaptation with energy, rumbustiousness, eloquence and panache. Depardieu's tragic and convincing performance as the proxy lover and poet is singled out as a triumph. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/cyrano-de-bergerac-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** Jean-Paul Rappeneau
- **Director:** Jean-Paul Rappeneau
- **Screenplay:** Jean-Paul Rappeneau, Jean-Claude Carrière
- **Cinematography:** Pierre Lhomme
- **Editor:** Noëlle Boisson
- **Music:** Jean-Claude Petit
- **Production design:** Jacques Rouxel, Ezio Frigerio
- **Costume design:** Franca Squarciapino
- **Producer:** André Szöts, René Cleitman, Michel Seydoux
- **Cast:** Gérard Depardieu as Cyrano de Bergerac; Anne Brochet as Madeleine 'Roxane' Robin; Vincent Perez as Christian de Neuvillette; Jacques Weber as Count of Guiche; Roland Bertin as Ragueneau; Philippe Morier-Genoud as 'Le Bret'; Pierre Maguelon as Carbon de Castel-Jaloux; Josiane Stoléru as The Duenna
- **Runtime:** 2h 17m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13
- **Release (the US):** 1 December 1990
- **Genres:** Drama, Comedy, History, Romance
- **Box office:** $6 million

## Where to watch in the US

- The Criterion Channel: streaming
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, hd

*Checked 2026-09-13.*

Also available in: BE, CA, ES, FR, GB, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 1991: Best Actor (nominated); Best International Feature Film (nominated); Best Makeup and Hairstyling (nominated); Best Production Design (nominated); Best Costume Design (won)
- César Award for Best Actress 1991: César Award for Best Actress (nominated)
- International Submission to the Academy Awards 1991: International Submission to the Academy Awards (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Actor 1990: European Film Award for Best Actor (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Actress 1990: European Film Award for Best Actress (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Cinematographer 1990: European Film Award for Best Cinematographer (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Composer 1990: European Film Award for Best Composer (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Film 1990: European Film Award for Best Film (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Production Designer 1990: European Film Award for Best Production Designer (won)

## If you liked this

- *Roxanne* (1987): The same romantic problem, with Steve Martin making eloquence look less exhausting.
- *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), Fi1m 78: Another costume romance where quick tongues offer little protection against wounded feelings. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md)
- *Le Bossu* (1997): French swordplay and concealed identity, with room for affection among the acrobatics.
- *The Lunchbox* (2013), Fi1m 75: Hesitant affection carried by letters, for an evening with fewer swords. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox.md)
- *The Shop Around the Corner* (1940), Fi1m 88: A quieter comedy about people who write more honestly than they speak. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-shop-around-the-corner.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/cyrano-de-bergerac