Roxanne (1987)

November 2, 2022 1:38 AM

C. D. Bales, the witty local fire chief, falls for astronomer Roxanne Kowalski. But Roxanne is more interested in the conventionally attractive Chris McConnel. C.D. believing Roxanne could never fall for him because of his appearance agrees to help Chris woo Roxanne.

This adaptation of Edmund Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac boasts 88% at Rotten Tomatoes.

The film features the "20 better insults" scene.

Starring: Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah, Shelley Duvall, Rick Rossovich, Michael J Pollard, Fred Willard, and John Kapelos.

posted by miss-lapin (10 comments total)

Cannot express just how much I loved this movie as a kid and how much it made me dig into Cyrano and the various versions over the years. This is honestly some of Martin's best work to me. Erudite, informed, but also funny as hell.
posted by drewbage1847 at 8:50 AM on November 2, 2022 [4 favorites]

always loved this as a kid too... haven't watched in 20 years though!
posted by lefty lucky cat at 8:53 AM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]

This has a great script and the locations/scenery are great. I like it but I can't get past Daryl Hannah for some reason. I just find her annoying and unattractive which makes the whole plot make much less sense. The rest of the cast is fantastic though so it's still a fun watch. Shelley Duvall is great (as she was in everything she did in the 80s) and the fire house people are all fun.

I think my favorite scene is the "I really admire your shoes" bit. It's dumb slapstick and even has cheesy sound effects but it still cracks me up. Even as a kid I thought it was odd that guys were walking down the street with both tennis racquets and downhill skis in the summer. But it's hard to beat a ski pole vs. racquet fencing/swordfight, so meh!
posted by Clinging to the Wreckage at 9:56 AM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]

One of my favorite quotes: "We haven't had any irony here since about, uh, '83, when I was the only practitioner of it. And I stopped because I was tired of being stared at." Even at a young age, I felt seen.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 10:52 AM on November 2, 2022 [5 favorites]

I did too!

I also loved how real and yet witty their fight felt when she confronted him about the letters.

Roxanne Kowalski: When you're getting love letters, you don't go around trying to compare the signature to the handwriting.

C.D. Bales: You wanna know why? Cause you wanted to believe it. You wanted it all. All the romance and emotion, all wrapped up in a cute little nose and a cute little ass!
posted by drewbage1847 at 11:12 AM on November 2, 2022 [4 favorites]

My husband and I still like to jokingly use the line "a Nelson tradition of hottubbing" whenever we see a hottub.

I unabashedly love this movie.
posted by Archer25 at 11:56 AM on November 2, 2022 [3 favorites]

Because I was afraid of worms, Roxanne. Worms!
posted by ActingTheGoat at 12:38 PM on November 2, 2022 [4 favorites]

"I would rather be with the people of this town than with the finest people in the world!"

Fred Willard is great in everything.
posted by Gelatin at 4:44 AM on November 3, 2022 [3 favorites]

For years, my father and I would just periodically say "Earn more sessions vice sleeving." and cackle.

God I love this movie.
posted by teleri025 at 3:48 PM on November 4, 2022 [2 favorites]

Steve Martin comic about making Roxanne - just published in WaPo
posted by drewbage1847 at 12:30 AM on November 5, 2022 [2 favorites]