Edmond Rostand's play 'Cyrano de Bergerac', about a man with an abnormally large nasal appendage, is re-imagined as a contemporary romantic comedy in this motion picture written by and starring Steve Martin. Transforming the source material into a comedy works better than one might expect thanks to the wit and charm that Martin brings to the role (even if he never outclasses José Ferrer). Martin also displays remarkable athletic agility at several points with the key dynamic being the confidence he is unable to feel around women despite otherwise being an absolutely perfect romantic prospect. At the best of times, the film is very funny too with Martin coming up with several impromptu insults for himself at one point, cheered on by a crowd, and a part where his attempts to help young Rick Rossovich woo Darryl Hannah's title character undone by the interfering police radio signals. The comedy varies in effectiveness though (Martin drinking from a wine glass is particularly unfunny) and it detracts somewhat from the drama. Martin never quite manages to communicate how heartbreaking it is for him to help Rossovich romance the woman he loves. Aside from being painted as intelligent (she is an astronomer), Hannah is never especially alluring either, nor does the interest she takes in the bumbling Rossovich ever really ring true. If one accepts these elements and runs it with though, there are many amusing moments to be had with Golden Globe nominated Steve Martin in very fine form, not to mention the fun ways that the story has been updated for modern times.

"Roxanne" actually tells the story of the French Renaissance-hero Cyrano De Bergerac, but brilliantly turned into a modern romantic comedy. Steve Martin stars as C.D. Bales, the head of a small village fire department. He has quite a big handicap, or should I say: nosicap? His nose is bigger than most men's... uhm, finger. But don't feel sorry for C.D.! In the first five minutes you learn that he is charming, witty, that he can take good care of himself and that he is by no means a victim of circumstances. However, C.D. is not always sure of himself. Especially when he meets beautiful Roxanne, played by Daryl Hannah. What will win Roxanne's heart: Good looks (which C.D. isn't really blessed with) or sweet and sensual poetry? Australian director, Fred Schepisi, brings Martin's adaptation of De Bergerac together in an entertaining modern romantic comedy that even today, despite the dated soundtrack, continues to be funny.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

While "Roxanne" almost seems like a movie on autopilot for Steve Martin, it is still one of a ton of classic Steve Martin movies. It just has that typical wit and humor that Steve Martin brings to all his movies.This is a romantic comedy about a fire chief (played by Steve Martin) with an exceptionally long nose who falls in love with a beautiful woman (played by Daryl Hannah) in town. But she, of course, falls in love with someone else. But as these movies go, their fates and lives become entangled.Although filled with clichés and being sappy, then "Roxanne" hits the nail right on the head. It is a good story with some odd twists, and the movie had a great ensemble of cast to bring it to the screen.Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah were well matched on the screen, and they complimented each other well because of their on-screen chemistry."Roxanne" is a must watch for any fan of Steve Martin.

Steve Martin is Charlie, a fire chief in a small Washington State city where he is as legendary as Cyrano de Bergerac, the French hero whom he emulates in this sweet comedy that was a major crowd pleaser in its day and hopefully will one day be considered a classic. He is an easy-going fellow, well liked by the firemen under his command, yet he has one feature strangers will find hard to avoid staring at: his enormous schnoz. Yes, like Durante, W.C. and Streisand, Charlie is famous for his nose. He can even drink out of it, uses it as a stand for his little bird friends and can even peck obnoxious bullies in the eye with it if he gets too agitated by their harassment. When first seen, he takes on two golfers with his tennis racket, dancing around as them if he was Charlie Chaplin on roller skates.The gorgeous Darryl Hannah gets rid of her mermaid fins to play the beautiful new girl in town, a student of the stars who is not only a looker but personable and intelligent. The sweet but dumb Rick Rossovich is Chris, a brawny new fireman in Martin's brigade who falls head over heels for her but can't seem to get an intelligent word to come out of his mouth. This is where Martin comes in, as poetic as he is temperamental of his head's middle appendage, and in the process, he falls in love with her too, but his love is not based upon lust; It is based upon knowing exactly what to say to her to make her feel special, and in the process of communicating to her for Rossovich, he makes Hannah fall in love with the idea, if not the man, whom she had animal attraction to and pretty much nothing else.This movie is practically picture perfect, taking what in other hands would come off as idiotic humor and making it seem as graceful as the ballet. Martin makes this clear in the seemingly infantile opening as he takes on the two idiot golf players, turns it onto a bully in a bar (20 big nose jokes to put the man to shame) and eventually proves that it isn't the physical that matters but what's in the heart and what that heart will share with the heart it is meant to be aligned with. One of the best romantic comedies of the 1980's, this was Martin's most praised performance, and many critics yelped about him not getting an Oscar Nomination when he clearly deserved it. Yet, other earlier films from his resume seem to be more remembered today, and as entertaining as they are, they don't hold a candle to this.Who else emulated feminine beauty in the 1980's more than the gorgeous Darryl Hannah who made film history as a mermaid and allowed herself to become dowdy for "Steel Magnolias" simply to get the chance to play a real character. She is beautiful without being unapproachable, an earthly goddess one could look at and fall in love with in a sisterly way. Shelley Duvall takes on one of her least weirdo characters here, as far from Popeye's Olive Oyl as possible. She is the voice of wisdom here for both Martin and Hannah and the transition for her is a nice change of pace.I also want to praise the original music score by Bruce Smeaton, a mostly saxophone score back when that was the most popular instrument for movie themes. (Think also "Crimes of the Heart"). Yet, in spite of the many scores which focused mainly on the Sax, this one stands out, and will ring in your ears as so romantically appropriate for this film for which many bags of popcorn were crunched and munched on during 1987. Beautifully directed, written and filmed, "Roxanne" is a throwback to the old romantic comedies of the 30's and 40's which are seldom made today, and rarely as great.