Matthew_Capitano Jose Ferrer became probably the most UN-deserved recipient of an Oscar in film history when he was presented with an Academy Award for 'best actor' in this drab filming of Edmond Rostand's wonderful play, 'Cyrano de Bergerac'.Ferrer's bombastically loud voice and tediously self-conscious acting destroys this little undertaking as soon as it gets started. Ferrer aggressively spits all of his dialogue while he poses and postures in defeatism to the lavish costumes and extravagance of Rostand's piece. Mala Powers plays Roxanne with a bit more subtlety, but she fails to impress in any way.There are some rather clueless people out there who feel that Ferrer's performance was "brilliant". Anyone who thinks that knows absolutely nothing about acting.

edwagreen A great performance by Jose Ferrer highlighted by his receiving of the Academy Award for best actor of 1950 in this film based on the Edmund Rostand novel.A story of tragic love, Mala Powers played Roxane, the girl who admits at film's end that she has lost 2 loves.Set in the 1600's, the film tells the tragic tale of Cyrano, a poet playwright, philosopher, and swordsman who loves Roxane but feels rejection because of the size of his nose.When she professes love for Christian, he guides him through the words in expressing his love for the lady.There is politics in this film. I wish it had been stated even more. With war against Spain calling, Christian takes up his duties and his promptly killed.While a tragic fate awaits Cyrano at the hands of other conspirators, his death scene and acting throughout the film will be widely remembered as the part that was meant for him.

whpratt1 Enjoyed this great 1950 performance by Jose Ferrer who won an Academy Award for Best Actor for this role and he sure put his heart and soul into his role. Cyrano De Bergerac was a very smart man with great talent in fighting with a sword, a poet, actor and a man who desperately need a woman to love and marry. Cyrano De Bergerac acted like a Douglas Fairbanks Sr., jumping all around and killing large numbers of people who wanted to insult him and his friends. Cyrano falls in love with his cousin who is very attractive and he even helps her find a lover and actually acts as cupid. I thought that Cyrano's nose was very attractive and much bigger than Jimmy Durante.

John T. Ryan UNITED ARTISTS Corporation presents A Stanley Kramer ProductionCYRANO de BERGERAC From the play by Edmond Rostand. Adaptation by Brian Hooker (Translation) and Carl Foreman (additional dialog). Director Michael Gordon. Producer Stanley Kramer. Associate Producer George Glass. Film Editor Harry Gerstad. Original Musical Score by Dimitri Tiomkin. Cinematographer Frank Planer. Production Designer Rudolph Stenard Starring Jose Ferrer, Mala Powers, William Prince. with Morris Canovsky, Ralph Clanton, Lloyd Corrigan, Virginia Farmer, Edgar Barrier, Elena Verdugo, Albert Cavens, Arthur Blake, Don Beddoe, Percy Helton, Virginia Christine, Gil Warren, Phillip van Zandt, Eric Sinclair, Richaed Avonde, Paul Duboy, John Crawford, Jerry Paris, Robin Hughes, Francis Pierlot, John Harmon.The screen play opened up just about exactly as it was written by Monsieur Edmond Rostand in 1897. As the opening title cards and credits all roll by, we discover that we are in a theatre, Paris in 1640. The current play begins to open before a fairly full house. As the first few painfully dull lines of dialogue are spoken by the Parisian thespians, we are made aware of a boisterous heckler disrupting the dramatic proceedings.The gentleman doing the heckling turns out to be our story's main character and protagonist par excellence, Cyrano de Bergerac (Mr. Jose Ferrer). His verbal barbs continue, and he eventually confronts the playwright and theatre manager, insisting that the play be closed. Cyrano pays a generously large sum in order that the theatrical company be paid and the patrons refunded their Ticketmaster Costs.Upon his being questioned about blowing his whole bankroll in just one moment, he replies, "Yes, but what a moment!"He then is forced into a duel by another theatre patron who purposely insults him about his large nose. He composes a poem about the duel during the sword play and ends both the poem and the duel together at the precise same moment. Monsieur Cyrano, you see is a Master Swordsman and Professional Soldier, as well as a Poet. We learn of his love for the fair Roxanne (Mala Powers), a distant cousin. But he thinks that he dare not even approach her because of his grotesquely over-sized nose. Through a strange set of circumstances, he winds up schilling for one Christian de Neuvilette (William Prince), also a soldier and in Cyrano's unit.It turns out to be the same old Eternal Triangle, as Cyrano loves Roxanne, but she digs this Christian character, but so strong is Cyrano's love that he says nothing for his own interests. He instead coaches the young Christian in the poetic language of love. When the two soldiers are called to active duty at the front in wartime, it is Cyrano who writes letters to the fair Roxanne, but in Christian's name.When Christian is killed, Roxanne enters a lifetime of seclusion in a convent, but Cyrano remains mute on his own behalf; going to visit her almost daily and reading aloud "Christian's" letters to her. He maintains his secret almost to the end of his life, almost but no cigar!Just see the Film, and forget about what I've said here. The play is wonderful, the Film magic and Mr. Jose Ferrer is superb. NOTE: The cast listing shows Miss Elena Verdugo as "Orange Girl"; but the film was done in Black & White. So, how could we tell?