What was your take on Roxane? Did you find her shallow? Do you think she ever suspected that Christian's words were not his own? Couldn't she have recognized her cousin's particular manner of expression? And do you think she had a sense that Cyrano had feelings for her?
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
I think she really thought (based on his eyes) that Christian would be eloquent.
And I'm not sure whether poets of Cyrano's vintage were supposed to have a particular voice -- I get the feeling that they all used the same poetic language, but maybe I'm wrong.
She thought of Cyrano as a brother, and I think that obscured her view of his feelings. She thought his love was familial.
And I don't know about shallow, but I did think her character was pretty flat.
At first I disliked Roxane, and I wondered how a lead who eventually claimed an Oscar (as Ben reported) would be paired with such a weak co-star. As the movie went on, I thought her acting improved and her character matured. From that I'd say audiences were supposed to be lukewarm to her initially because her shallowness was supposed to stand in contrast to her older, more emotionally mature self later in the film.
It was risky, though, because at first I wasn't sure whether I could emotionally invest in whether Cyrano's love was returned. I thought he was blundering into prizing another's beauty, like it would make up for his own imperfections.
In a way, I think the shallowness of her character and her characterization brought the depth of Cyrano's character and Ferrar's acting into high relief. And I'd say Christian was clearly a more important character than Roxane, to the playwright and to the audience.
I'd say the actor playing Roxane did a good job. I never felt that she was outmatched by Ferrar -- I just felt that Roxane was outmatched by Cyrano.
I would agree with that. The actress did a fine job. I especially watching her face as she realized at the end that Cyrano had written Christian's farewell letter.
Roxane herself was not particularly likeable to me. I don't think we were given sufficient justification for Cyrano's great love for her. Yes, she may be "the woman in the world most beautiful," but is that enough for Cyrano? Perhaps we can assume he has loved her since they were childhood playmates, but he doesn't really say that. When he's confessing his love to his friend, I got the impression that it was a fairly new thing.
I did rather enjoy Roxane's speech about the condition of women. "If I am to be chattel, I shall set the terms."
I do think that Roxane at least suspected Cyrano's feelings for her. In the scene at Ragueneau's, Cyrano tells her that yes, you can read the soul in the eyes. She looks at him and then quickly looks away, seemingly embarrassed. Then, after Cyrano promises to look out for Christian, there is a moment as Cyrano holds Roxane's hands and looks down at her. Then Roxane hastily pulls her hands away and turns to hurry out.
The idea that Roxane wouldn't recognize Cyrano's voice under the balcony is ludicrous. (Especially with Jose Ferrer doing the voice!) I don't think that she KNEW, per se, but I think that perhaps she dismissed any doubts she may have had because she so much wanted to believe in Christian and his love.
I think it would have added another welcome element of humor if they had had Ferrer imitate Christian's voice in that scene.
Oh, but that scene is when Cyrano's emotion bubbles over, in his one moment, as he says. He feels forever trapped in silence and loneliness by that nose, however misguided that notion may be, and the balcony scene is his chance for freedom. It seems as if he is mimicking Christian slightly at first, but he is caught up in the moment as he begins to pour forth everything that he has longed to say. My heart hurts for him in that scene.
Erin, I believe Cyrano, in striking your fancy so, has struck the wellspring of your own eloquence.
Your passion for this film is a delight to behold, cherie.
I might call that flattery.
Post a Comment