--- title: "Cyrano de Bergerac: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/cyrano-de-bergerac/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/cyrano-de-bergerac" critics_score: 87 critics_reviews: 7 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): what the critics said Critics' score 87 from 7 reviews: 7 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. 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. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 4/4. 25 December 1990. 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 the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/cyrano-de-bergerac-1990) ## Los Angeles Times — Kevin Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 December 1990. 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 the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-18-ca-6646-story.html) ## Time Out — GA Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. 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 the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/cyrano-de-bergerac) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1989. 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 the review](https://variety.com/1989/film/reviews/cyrano-de-bergerac-3-1200428457/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 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 the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/movie/37086/cyrano-de-bergerac) ## The New York Times — Vincent Canby Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 1990. 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 the review](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 the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/cyrano-de-bergerac-review/) ## The Times — Ed Potton Rating ★★★★☆. 21 February 2020. 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 the review](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 Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2005. 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 the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/cyrano-de-bergerac-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/cyrano-de-bergerac.md