Cyrano (film)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Company type	Film production and distribution company
Industry	Film
Founded	1924
Headquarters	Beverly Hills, California , United States
Products	Motion pictures
Owner	Amazon (since March 2022)

Cyrano is a 2021 romantic musical drama directed by Joe Wright, adapted from the 2018 stage production by Erica Schmidt, with music composed by Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner, Matt Berninger, and Carin Besser. This film draws inspiration from Edmond Rostand’s 1897 theatrical work Cyrano de Bergerac and features Peter Dinklage in the lead role, supported by Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Ben Mendelsohn.

Written by Schmidt, the screenplay marks Wright’s second venture into musical cinema following Anna Karenina (2012). The narrative centers on Cyrano de Bergerac, a poet and soldier who, doubting his own attractiveness, assists another man in courting the woman he secretly loves. The production was overseen by producers Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Guy Heeley, with original songs performed by members of the band The National. Filming took place in Sicily, Italy, between late 2020 and early 2021 under strict health safety measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film had its debut at the Telluride Film Festival on 2 September 2021 and was subsequently showcased at prominent festivals such as Rome and the Hamptons. It received a theatrical release in both the United Kingdom and the United States on 25 February 2022. Critics largely commended the performances of Dinklage and Bennett, Wright’s direction, and the musical composition. Despite positive reviews, Cyrano did not achieve commercial success, earning $6.4 million against a $30 million budget. It garnered nominations at the 79th Golden Globe Awards, 75th British Academy Film Awards, and 94th Academy Awards, including a nod for Best Costume Design.

Plot

Set in 17th-century France, Roxanne, an intelligent orphan, attends a play accompanied by the self-important Duke De Guiche, who plans to wed her. Although marriage would secure her future stability, Roxanne yearns for genuine love. At the theater, she encounters Christian de Neuvillette, a newly appointed soldier in the King's Guard, and they quickly fall for each other. Cyrano de Bergerac—a noble cadet and Roxanne’s childhood companion—disrupts the performance with sharp poetic insults and duels an interrupter, substituting the classic "nose monologue" with his own verse.

Unaware of Cyrano’s feelings for her, Roxanne reveals her affection for Christian and requests Cyrano’s help to arrange a meeting. Though heartbroken, Cyrano remains devoted and consents. Upon learning Christian lacks poetic skill, Cyrano composes letters to Roxanne on Christian’s behalf, pouring his own passion into them. Believing Christian to be their author, Roxanne falls deeply in love.

When Roxanne finally meets Christian in person, he struggles to live up to the eloquence of the letters. Cyrano assists by whispering words from hiding spots, persuading Roxanne to forgive Christian’s shortcomings. Their reunion is interrupted by De Guiche’s menacing letter demanding Roxanne’s immediate marriage; she and Christian wed quickly. Furious, De Guiche dispatches their regiment to battlefront duty.

During the war, Cyrano continues to write daily letters to Roxanne at great personal risk. Before a perilous charge, he entrusts Christian with one last tear-stained letter. Christian then discovers that Cyrano authored all correspondence and urges him to confess this truth to Roxanne. Before Cyrano can do so, Christian falls in battle.

Three years later, impoverished and wounded, Cyrano remains close to Roxanne who is now grieving in a convent. Sensing his final moments are near, he visits her once more. When Roxanne presents him with Christian’s last letter, Cyrano recites it from memory, revealing himself as its true writer. Realizing the truth at last, they express their love before Cyrano collapses and dies in her arms.

Production

In August 2020, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer secured the film adaptation rights to Erica Schmidt's stage musical Cyrano. The project, produced by Working Title Films and helmed by director Joe Wright, features Peter Dinklage and Haley Bennett reprising their theatrical roles. The cast also includes Ben Mendelsohn, Brian Tyree Henry, with Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Bashir Salahuddin later joining to replace Henry. The score was composed by members of The National (band), who were also responsible for the original stage music.

Filming commenced in October 2020 across locations in Sicily (Noto, Syracuse, and Scicli) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A distinctive aspect of the production was that all vocal performances were captured live on set, contributing to the film’s musical realism.

Music

The soundtrack, created by members of The National, was released through Decca Records on December 10, 2021. Prior to this, two singles were issued: the opening number “Someone to Say” on October 8, 2021, and “Somebody Desperate,” a song featured during the end credits, released on December 3, 2021.

Festival screenings

Cyrano had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2021. It was later showcased at several other festivals including the Hamptons, Mill Valley, Rome, and at the Savannah festival.

Theatrical release

This film marked the last theatrical release from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) before its acquisition by Amazon in March 2022.

Initially planned for a limited release in the United States on December 25, 2021, the date was pushed back to December 31. In November 2021, United Artists Releasing revised their distribution approach to optimize awards season exposure, opting for a one-week exclusive run in Los Angeles starting December 17. This was followed by a limited release scheduled for January 21, 2022, with plans for a broader rollout afterward. These dates were subsequently altered again: limited release was moved to January 28 and wide release to February 11, before ultimately opening widely across both U.S. and U.K. markets on February 25, 2022.

In the United Kingdom, Universal Pictures had initially set a January 14, 2022 release date but postponed it due to ongoing concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Home media

Cyrano became available for digital streaming on March 9, 2022. Physical formats including Blu-ray and DVD were released on April 19, 2022 through Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Box office

Worldwide, Cyrano earned $6.4 million, with $3.9 million generated in the U.S. and Canada and an additional $2.5 million from international markets.

In its domestic debut alongside Studio 666, it was forecasted to generate between $2 million and $5 million across 797 theaters but opened to $1.4 million, placing ninth at the box office. The second weekend saw revenue decline to $678,783 while moving up one spot to eighth place; in its third weekend it dropped further to eleventh with earnings of $398,932.

On the international front, Cyrano brought in $1.04 million from ten countries during its opening weekend.

Critical response

Cyrano garnered mostly favorable critiques, with particular commendation directed at Peter Dinklage's acting, Joe Wright’s direction, and the film’s striking visual elements. However, some reviewers mentioned irregular pacing and a perceived deficiency in emotional resonance.

Dinklage’s interpretation was broadly praised as a testament to his skill, blending nuanced emotional subtlety with compelling charm. Critics emphasized his talent for infusing the character with authentic believability.

Wright’s leadership and the production’s design were lauded for their cinematic sophistication and theatrical refinement, showcasing exquisite costumes alongside evocative environments.

The contemporary soundtrack, crafted by members of The National, elicited mixed reactions—while some appreciated its daring approach and overall effectiveness, others criticized it for lacking in dramatic intensity and diversity.

A number of critics identified tonal fluctuations throughout the film. Despite earnest performances, issues with pacing and a less impactful conclusion were noted. Some felt that the film’s measured approach somewhat diminished its emotional potency despite its visually impressive production qualities.

Accolades

Best Production Design

Awards and nominations for House of Gucci

Award	Ceremony Date	Category	Nominee(s)	Outcome	Ref.
Detroit Film Critics Society	6 December 2021	Best Film	Cyrano	Template:Won
		Best Actor	Peter Dinklage	Template:Won
		Best Use of Music	Cyrano	Template:Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association	December 6, 2021	Best Score	Aaron Dessner and Bryce Dessner	Template:Nominated
Golden Globe Awards	January 9, 2022	Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy	Cyrano	Template:Nom
		Best Actor – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical	Peter Dinklage	Template:Nom
Hollywood Creative Alliance	28 February 2022	Best Comedy/Musical Film	Cyrano	Template:Nominated
		Best Actor	Peter Dinklage	Template:Nominated
		Best Original Song	Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. (for "Every Letter")	Template:Nominated
Costume Designers Guild	9 March 2022	Excellence in Period Film	Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran	Template:Nominated
Critics' Choice Movie Awards	13 March 2022	Best Actor	Peter Dinklage	Template:Nominated
British Academy Film Awards	13 March 2022	Outstanding British Film	Joe Wright, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Guy Heely, and Erica Schmidt	Template:Nom
		Best Costume Design	Massimo Cantini Parrini	Template:Nom
		Best Makeup and Hair	Alessandro Bertolazzi and Siân Miller	Template:Nom
		Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer

! scope="row" | Academy Awards ! March 27, 2022 ! Best Costume Design ! Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran ! ! style="text-align:center;" | |} ! rowspan="3" scope="row" | Satellite Awards ! rowspan="3" | April 2, 2022 ! Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy ! Cyrano ! ! rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | |} ! Best Actor ! Peter Dinklage !

! - Best Costume Design ! Massimo Cantini Parrini !

External links

• Official site
• Screenplay document