14 | April | 2015 | Clintington on Film

My how glorious she was–to look at.

Perfect casting for this film. After her “awesome bottom” scenes in “Splash” every man and boy that watched her, lusted after her. She had to be the woman that needs to capture the affection of C. D. Bales and the rest of the small town in “Roxanne.”

I remember watching this with my mom and dad in the summer time. I knew it was summer because we were able to start and finish the whole movie without going to bed at 8pm for school the next day half way through the movie.

I hated when that happened. This is one of the first movies I remember watching in its entirety with my parents after we had our VCR.

I give credit to Hannah, equal credit should be given to Rick Rossovich.

He takes on the role of Chris, the hunky new fireman that is everything but smooth with the women, in a friendly/reckless manner that is both pitiful and charming for the viewer. His bumbling and comedic timing when he is showing signs of nerves around Roxanne for the first time is priceless. How many of us have felt that same way around beautiful women? How many of us have used a “faulty” faucet in the boys bathroom and got water all over our pants? (Yes, I did dammit–I couldn’t escape out a window like Chris though, I was at school and had to get back to class….I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT)

Steve Martin as C. D. Bales, the local fire chief, is amazing as always. People generally remember the bar scene in which he defends his own honor by taking jabs at his physical “deformity,” making his antagonist look like a foolish ass. Great scene….deserves the accolades that it has gotten over the years…but, it is not my favorite scene.

I love the scene where Chris is attempting to woo Roxanne while wearing an Elmer Fudd hat to cover up the earpiece that C. D. is using to communicate with him by feeding the lines that Roxanne will want to hear as C. D. is camped out in a surveillance van. Needless to say there are technical problems, hilarious facial expressions for all involved, and laugh out loud comedy ensues.

Martin also takes advantage of his physical comedy skills in this picture in a very controlled and acrobatic manner in almost every scene that he is in.

The drama that all of the actors are asked to convey is genuine as well. I appreciated the misunderstandings, the longing, and the discomfort of watching someone else be with the woman that you love so dearly.

In the end, this is a comedy of sorts, but it is a great modernization of an old story.

When I first saw this, I had never heard of “Cyrano de Bergerac.” My mother explained to me later that it was an adaptation of that play. I never had any interest to read or watch a different version after my first viewing of this film.

I still feel that way.