Roxanne



Not your average romantic comedy, this remake of Cyrano de Bergerac tells the story of C.D. "Charlie" Bales (Steve Martin), the long-nosed fire chief of a small quirky town and Roxanne Kowalski (Daryl Hannah), a visiting astronomy student. Bales, in love with Roxanne from the start but violently self-conscious about his schnozz, settles for helping a handsome but ditzy fireman woo her. The results are predictable, if you know the story, but the humor surrounding the town and C.D.'s nose set the movie apart.

"Roxanne: (Naming the comet she discovered) "Comet Kowalski."
 * The Ace: CD, although his insecurity about his nose still hinders his ability to pursue women.
 * As You Know: The film explains why CD can't get a nose job in an early scene where a plastic surgeon reminds him, as if for the hundredth time, that he's allergic to anesthetic.
 * Berserk Button -- Uh, yeah. The whole nose thing.
 * Brainless Beauty / The Ditz -- Chris
 * Earpiece Conversation
 * Gag Nose -- Obviously.
 * Ignore the Disability -- Roxanne: "Would you like a little wine with your nose?" and others.
 * Long List -- the 20 (actually 26) nose jokes C.D. tells in the bar.
 * Loves My Alter Ego
 * Naked People Trapped Outside -- Roxanne gets locked out of her house, and the towel gets caught in the door.
 * Offhand Backhand -- C.D., after the Long List of jokes, does this to level the Jerkass who insulted him.
 * Playing Cyrano
 * Self-Deprecation: When yokels make fun of CD's nose, he shows them how much better he can do it himself.
 * Setting Update of Cyrano de Bergerac.
 * Sitting on the Roof -- CD, along with a pudgy kid in one scene
 * Stood Up -- "I met somebody else and she's real great too..."
 * Unfortunate Names:

C.D.: "Kowalski"? Why? You've got a chance to give it a beautiful name!"

Roxanne: "That's my name."

C.D.: "It is? Roxanne Kowalski? Oh, heh-heh... sorry.""


 * What Could Have Been: Steve Martin's first choice for the title character was Olivia Hussey (from the 1968 Romeo and Juliet and Black Christmas). Martin is a big fan of the latter film.
 * Wrong Guy First