Cyrano's response to mockery is classic use of wit to turn the insult against the person. You can see it at the sequence starting at 0:30, and again, even stronger, at 2:15. The greatest revenge you can give a person who takes themselves too seriously is to make people laugh at them. It reminds me of the blind man in the gospels who replies to the Pharisees' endless question with, "Why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?" (John 9:27)
This may just be a personal aesthetic preference, but I've never found that plays done entirely in rhyme were credible enough to entertain me fully, and this is my principle problem with the original french version of Cyrano. This done away with, I would most likely have enjoyed it. As it is, this is still my favorite version.
P.S.: The rhyming verse theater always obstructs my enjoyment for some reason, even when it's done by Shakespeare himself.
Many of you forgot that J.Ferrer was one of the biggest Theater players. His Oscar for Cyrano was really deserved. Maybe you have to see also his others : The Caine Mutiny, 1954; Affaire in Trinidad, 1952; Moulin Rouge, 1952 directed by J. Huston; Ship of Fools, 1965. I have loved Cyrano cince 1950 and still do it.
It's an absolute tragedy, as a french man, to see how poorly english serves this most extraordinary piece of pure language mastery that is Cyrano de Bergerac.
If u like Cyrano, you MUST learn french to get a glimpse of how unbelievable Rostand's piece is.
@Utnek I would suggest that any play in its original language is superior to any translation of itself. One could not expect Shakespeare to be as well delivered even by a well renowned French-speaking actor any more than one could expect Ferrer to perform Cyrano. Bearing this in mind, Ferrer's performance of the piece was as fantastic as translation could permit it to be - in any language, Rostand's piece is extraordinary, and undeniably the superlative of its contemporary peers.
I tend to disagree. Though an original work is usually better, it can happen that a translation can turn out a better work of art, even if (or because) it's not entirely true to the original. It probably doesn't happen often, since translators are not artists.
@laughingman1138 I don't know. It seems that Cyrano does far more bullying than anybody in the theater scene of the movie. The bullying, however, deservedly succeeds, and Cyrano brings all his skills—both poetic and fencing—to bear against the Viscount. He is far more entertaining than the people he persecutes.
My only complaint is that the fight goes on for too long after he ends the poem; it should end right when he says the last 'Then as I end the refrain,' showing that he was in control of the fight from the beginning to the end.
@BobTanaka He does have control you just don't know much about fighting. Maintaining perfect defense is control of a fight. In the words of sun tzu "...hence the warrior can know victory without having it" because he has to wait for the right time to strike which may seem like weakness but in reality has no bearing on his control of the fight; he can afford to wait forever becuase his defense is impenetrable
@SuperDave123123 It's not a question of realistic fighting skills, it's a question of character and drama. The point of the Duel in Rhyme scene is that he matches the poem throughout the fight, ending on the last line, just as he boasts he can. By separating that last line from the rest of the poem, the effect of the scene is spoiled. Cyrano shouldn't have to 'wait for the right moment to strike;' he ought to be able to find or make the opening whenever he wants to.
@laughingman1138 I don't know. It seems that Cyrano does far more bullying than anybody in the theater scene of the movie. The bullying, however, deservedly succeeds, as Cyrano brings all his skills—both poetic and fencing—to bear against the Viscount. He is far more entertaining than the people he persecutes.
Its interesting to watch this scene as an adult, and see Cyrano's pain at the end of it... There is no gloating or celebration on his part. Only pain.
I have added this to my favorites so I can observe the acting, I am playing Vicomte de Valverte (the noble man that Cyrano mocks and kills in this scene) at our school play, so I need all the tips I can get.
well now I know where steve marting got some of his ideas for roxanne from
MrZathurus 6 months ago
@MrZathurus Well, duh.
raygos 6 days ago
Fencing!!!!!!!!
VolkgartenBySquirrel 7 months ago
Amazing reparte w/ a rapier in a riposte. Bravo
RGN07 7 months ago
This is the best adaptation of the book, I believe, although the version with Depardieu is very good. Has anyone the entire film?
lorrainewands 8 months ago
Fantastic scene.
danbuter 8 months ago
With grace I've tossed my plumed chapue,
with languid grace my mantle shed.
I draw my well trained rapier so,
and circle you with cat-like tred.
Was Celadon the better-bred?
Could Scaramouche such style essay?
The envoy'l end,
and then,
Touche.
johnnyhopper05 10 months ago 2
Awesome voice.
Wisemattress 11 months ago
Cyrano's response to mockery is classic use of wit to turn the insult against the person. You can see it at the sequence starting at 0:30, and again, even stronger, at 2:15. The greatest revenge you can give a person who takes themselves too seriously is to make people laugh at them. It reminds me of the blind man in the gospels who replies to the Pharisees' endless question with, "Why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?" (John 9:27)
HenryvKeiper 11 months ago
the hooter was a great hit with the ladies ( added a new dimension to cunnilinguis)
tazio2 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
YOUR NOSE IS RATHER Large.... *looks at friend and nods his head*,,,,, i bet he thought he was diesel........then he gets owned
dbrookemeade 1 year ago
YOUR NOSE IS RATHER NOSE.... *looks at friend and nods his head*,,,,, i bet he thought he was diesel........then he gets owned
dbrookemeade 1 year ago
4:28 Pretty much the most badass thing ever said.
Solar2 1 year ago
I must say I love how the actor portrays Cyrano! I wonder where I can find a copy of this film?
UnAnimatedMan 1 year ago
@UnAnimatedMan I just bought a copy from Amazon. Be sure to get the Hal Roach Studios version. It's the best out there right now.
Dharanindravarman 1 year ago
Ferrer was the voice of Mr. Badger from Rankin/Bass' version of "Wind in the Willows"
JA268 1 year ago
sir, ur nose...ur nose is rather large.
ca1492bob 1 year ago
Since when did they start putting ads at the bottom of the screen at YouTube?
This is exactly the kind of thing we hate on commercial TV, and one of the reasons we come to YouTube to watch.
al1936ful 1 year ago
@al1936ful
Use an adblocker. It's getting ridiculous i agree.
mocari 1 year ago
Love this movie- got it on DVD.....
DJTBS1 1 year ago
This may just be a personal aesthetic preference, but I've never found that plays done entirely in rhyme were credible enough to entertain me fully, and this is my principle problem with the original french version of Cyrano. This done away with, I would most likely have enjoyed it. As it is, this is still my favorite version.
P.S.: The rhyming verse theater always obstructs my enjoyment for some reason, even when it's done by Shakespeare himself.
mytruepower2 1 year ago
I love this part, Cyrano is my hero!
Raibartroudrix 1 year ago
Many of you forgot that J.Ferrer was one of the biggest Theater players. His Oscar for Cyrano was really deserved. Maybe you have to see also his others : The Caine Mutiny, 1954; Affaire in Trinidad, 1952; Moulin Rouge, 1952 directed by J. Huston; Ship of Fools, 1965. I have loved Cyrano cince 1950 and still do it.
vincentfanelli34 1 year ago
It's an absolute tragedy, as a french man, to see how poorly english serves this most extraordinary piece of pure language mastery that is Cyrano de Bergerac.
If u like Cyrano, you MUST learn french to get a glimpse of how unbelievable Rostand's piece is.
Utnek 1 year ago
@Utnek I would suggest that any play in its original language is superior to any translation of itself. One could not expect Shakespeare to be as well delivered even by a well renowned French-speaking actor any more than one could expect Ferrer to perform Cyrano. Bearing this in mind, Ferrer's performance of the piece was as fantastic as translation could permit it to be - in any language, Rostand's piece is extraordinary, and undeniably the superlative of its contemporary peers.
Musicisliberation 1 year ago
@Musicisliberation
I tend to disagree. Though an original work is usually better, it can happen that a translation can turn out a better work of art, even if (or because) it's not entirely true to the original. It probably doesn't happen often, since translators are not artists.
nine9s 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@laughingman1138 I don't know. It seems that Cyrano does far more bullying than anybody in the theater scene of the movie. The bullying, however, deservedly succeeds, and Cyrano brings all his skills—both poetic and fencing—to bear against the Viscount. He is far more entertaining than the people he persecutes.
AngelBearOH 1 year ago
thank you so much for posting this scene! i think it could be my favourite!
TheMoira1 1 year ago
I am cyrano in my school's production of this and god this is one of my favorite scenes
yamiyugi777 2 years ago
My only complaint is that the fight goes on for too long after he ends the poem; it should end right when he says the last 'Then as I end the refrain,' showing that he was in control of the fight from the beginning to the end.
BobTanaka 2 years ago 3
@BobTanaka He does have control you just don't know much about fighting. Maintaining perfect defense is control of a fight. In the words of sun tzu "...hence the warrior can know victory without having it" because he has to wait for the right time to strike which may seem like weakness but in reality has no bearing on his control of the fight; he can afford to wait forever becuase his defense is impenetrable
SuperDave123123 1 year ago
@SuperDave123123 It's not a question of realistic fighting skills, it's a question of character and drama. The point of the Duel in Rhyme scene is that he matches the poem throughout the fight, ending on the last line, just as he boasts he can. By separating that last line from the rest of the poem, the effect of the scene is spoiled. Cyrano shouldn't have to 'wait for the right moment to strike;' he ought to be able to find or make the opening whenever he wants to.
BobTanaka 1 year ago
@BobTanaka Well all you are asking for then is that is his opponent be weaker and the fight therefor less interesting
SuperDave123123 1 year ago
@SuperDave123123
The whole point of the play and especially this scene is about the strength of language, not about fighting skills
princeelphin 1 year ago
brilliant acting...
madtothegrave 2 years ago 4
This is the REAL way to deal with bullying!
laughingman1138 2 years ago 19
Comment removed
AngelBearOH 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@laughingman1138 I don't know. It seems that Cyrano does far more bullying than anybody in the theater scene of the movie. The bullying, however, deservedly succeeds, as Cyrano brings all his skills—both poetic and fencing—to bear against the Viscount. He is far more entertaining than the people he persecutes.
AngelBearOH 1 year ago
So the name Bergerac ,is both his sir name ,and the region where he and Roxanne grew up?...please comment
robertclemon 2 years ago 2
@robertclemon Yes, it's both a his sir name and the city he's from. The name 'de Bergerac' means 'from Bergerac' which is a city in France.
YougotFacepalm 1 year ago
@YougotFacepalm
robertclemon 1 year ago
LOL Hilarious!
54spiritedwill54 3 years ago
Jose Ferrer OWNS this role!
Griwhoolda 3 years ago 18
omg, for real
one of the best performances EVER!
softcelltainted22 3 years ago 6
@Griwhoolda You are so right!
veidtgirl 1 year ago
Comment removed
robertclemon 3 years ago
I got the role of Christian in my school play! its such a fun part haha
Jmtsguy 3 years ago 2
Im doing this for competition xDD
ADestinyApart 3 years ago
So did I!
TwilightGeisha 3 years ago
I made it to semi-finals bot lost out to Euripides... -[[
ADestinyApart 3 years ago
still cool you got to do the play though!
TwilightGeisha 3 years ago
My favorite play
dulcimerkj52 3 years ago
My favorite play
dulcimerkj52 3 years ago
I am playing Cyrano de Bergerac! in the french original version of the play. It really is a great play
sas2400 4 years ago 3
For sas2400: BRAVO!!!!
vulcanswork 3 years ago
I am playing DeGuiche in my school's version of it. Its a great play
Avatarofhendrix 4 years ago
this is easly my faveorite move ever!
Cnamburner2k103 4 years ago
why didn't he recite the whole ballad like he did in the play?
smackkythepirate 4 years ago
Magnificent. Both Rostand's novel and Ferrer's interpretation of it.
Thank you for posting this- a favorite of my late Father's. RIP Dad. Happy birthday.
ubtubin 4 years ago
i LOVE how he gives different examples of how to insult him.
"Oh that, is the title."
TransmitBatch 4 years ago
a brilliant work by all involved. Hey, Hollywood...
diddymuck 4 years ago
Its interesting to watch this scene as an adult, and see Cyrano's pain at the end of it... There is no gloating or celebration on his part. Only pain.
Healer2K 4 years ago
Amazing. What a performance. Look how few edits there are during long stretches. So much is done with Ferrer's blocking.
kristianjl 4 years ago
I read this play in English class. I love it!
coolness06 4 years ago
God, I'd forgotten how great he was in the part!
jessyquedens 4 years ago
Haha I love his acting!
Especially from 3:42 - 3:47.
I have added this to my favorites so I can observe the acting, I am playing Vicomte de Valverte (the noble man that Cyrano mocks and kills in this scene) at our school play, so I need all the tips I can get.
Thank you for this video, 5 stars from here :)
MillebilleKrokodille 4 years ago
HA! I love Cyrano...
LaTromboniste 4 years ago
Greatest movie ever.
jonathangutierrez87 4 years ago
LOL Hilarious!
BeatBuddy 4 years ago
Perfection
796824 4 years ago
one word, yet the most accurate review of this movie.
hanniballecturer 4 years ago
Fantastic....
seahawk37 4 years ago
yay you finally did it. Well I finally checked if you had done it, and you have. Thanks a lot dude. Respect.
Lewis1985 4 years ago
GREAT VIDEO!
Magnificent acting by Jose Ferrer!
singinginachurch 4 years ago
An absolutely fantastic adaptation of this play. Ferrer was in top form and got a richly deserved Oscar. Great clip.
LucasSpade 4 years ago
What a terrific story. Ferrer is fantastic.
dergeier117 4 years ago
Superb! Simply sweet! Magnelephant! A novelty! Why, he's a hero!!! ^_^ Oh, Cyrano, I love you!!!
SqueegeePie 4 years ago
oh yes, but to be flung so high and then, knocked so low...been there, too.
rocknrollfawn 4 years ago