Never Be Bored
8 June 2022
Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours
Cyrano, 2021 Joe Wright film. The Phantom of the Opera, 2004 Joel Schumacher film and Gaston Leroux novel; I Am Easy to Find album by the National; Pride and Prejudice novel by Jane Austen and 2005 Joe Wright film.
Based on a stage musical, book by Erica Schmidt, itself an adaptation of Edmond Rostand's 1897 play, Cyrano stars Peter Dinklage as Cyrano de Bergerac, a soldier with dwarfism, in love with his childhood friend Roxanne. Unfortunately for him, Roxanne takes one look at Christian, a handsome but rather ineloquent new recruit to Cyrano's company, and declares she has fallen in love. Afraid to confess his own feelings, Cyrano writes beautiful love letters to Roxanne on Christian's behalf.
I watched Cyrano on a plane flying home from SFO this past weekend, knowing basically nothing going in—not even that it was a musical. Then all of a sudden Roxanne started singing, and it only got better from there—love it when you find something so thoroughly delightful practically by accident. In particular I adored how the choreography creates such a dreamy and romantic atmosphere (10/10 amazing job Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui) as backdrop for the excellent score; overall, it's a gorgeous movie to watch.
The Half of It, 2020 Alice Wu movie featured in Baby if you love me, won't you please just give me a smile?, is modern retelling of the Cyrano story.
For another filmed version of a stage musical about two men, one conventionally attractive, one not, both in love with the same woman, try The Phantom of the Opera. I don't care what musical theater snobs say, it'll always be special to me. But if musicals aren't your thing, you may still like the Gaston Leroux Gothic romance/mystery novel it's based on—it leans darker than the musical, we get more of the Phantom's backstory and how he came to live deep underneath the Paris Opera House.
My favorite song from Cyrano is "Wherever I Fall - Pt. 1," which absolutely stomped on my heart. Music and lyrics from the musical were written by Matt Berninger, Aaron Dessner, and Bryce Dessner of the National, along with Carin Besser, who also sometimes writes lyrics for the band. I like falling asleep listening to their album I Am Easy to Find; my favorites are the titular song, with its slow, repeating chorus, "Not in Kansas," and "Light Years."
If you're a fan of the romantic pining and clever wit of Cyrano, like period drama, and daydream about exchanging handwritten letters, then Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is for you. Although there are many adaptations, I have to say my favorite is the 2005 movie, coincidentally by the same director as Cyrano, Joe Wright.