Is Cyrano Based On A True Story? Get To Know All About It

Is Cyrano Based On A True Story? ‘Cyrano,’ directed by Joe Wright, is a musical love period drama film. It follows the titular French nobleman, who is preoccupied with his physical beauty and social standing. This makes it difficult for him to earn Roxanne’s affections, who finally falls in love with another guy named Christian de Neuvillette. Despite his irrevocable love for Roxanne, Cyrano realizes that he will never be able to be with her. As a result, he resolves to assist Christian in wooing her by utilizing his amazing lyrical abilities.

‘Cyrano’ is a melancholy love story set against a beautiful backdrop adorned with the poetic beauty of heartbreak. The natural performances of the ensemble members, as well as the protagonist’s familiar predicament, make the spectator question if the film is based on a true event and person. Is Cyrano Based On A True Story? If you’re interested in learning more about it, we’ve got you covered. Let’s get started!

Is Cyrano Based On A True Story?

Is Cyrano Based On A True Story? Yes, ‘Cyrano’ is based on a genuine story in part. It is based on Erica Schmidt’s eponymous 2018 theatrical musical, which is based on Edmond Rostand’s 1897 drama “Cyrano de Bergerac.” Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac, a French novelist, playwright, and duelist in the 1600s, is loosely depicted in this film. He was well-known for his unusual thoughts and contributions to libertine literature.

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Due to a lack of good documentation and verification of facts, the majority of Savinien’s life is shrouded in mystery. Most of what we know about him comes from the prologue to his work, ‘Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon,’ which was released nearly two years after his death in 1657. Savinien’s country childhood and schooling, military service, injuries, and causes of death were all documented in the prelude, which was written by his buddy Henri Le Bret.

Is Cyrano Based On A True Story?
Is Cyrano Based On A True Story?

Savinien was born in Paris on March 6, 1619, to nobility-related parents Abel I de Cyrano and Espérance Bellanger. In his father’s holdings in Mauvières and Bergerac, he was educated in the area parish by a country priest. Later, he proceeded to Paris, where he studied under master Jean Grangier at the College de Dormans-Beauvais. He had a hunger for information and a non-conformist disposition from an early age, which led to his acquaintance with the Libertins.

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Savinien joined a guards corps at the age of nineteen, where he developed a reputation as a skilled duelist. He served in the army from 1639 to 1640 and, in the latter year, fought at the Siege of Arras. During the siege, Savinien was wounded in the neck by a sword wielded by the Spanish soldiers, and he eventually left the service. After that, he went to Paris to study literature. According to the book ‘Cyrano: The Life and Legend of Cyrano de Bergerac,’ he was frequently associated with poet and musician Charles Coypeau d’Assoucy, and they were supposed to be in a romantic relationship. However, they became rivals in 1653 and penned a series of sarcastic works in response to one another.

Savinien collaborated with intellectuals such as Théophile de Viau and Pierre Gassendi and went on to write conventional classical plays, literary works, and political works. ‘Le Pédant joué’ (1654) and the novels ‘Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon’ (1657) and ‘The States and Empires of the Sun’ (1662), all published posthumously after his death, are among his most noteworthy works. The last two are considered classics in the modern science fiction genre, combining aspects of romance and science to influence writers such as Edgar Allan Poe and Voltaire.

Savinien died on July 28, 1655, in Sannois, at the age of 36, spawning various theories about his untimely death. While Rostand’s play depicts him dying as a consequence of an injury caused by a falling wooden beam at his patron Duc D’Arpajon’s residence, academic Madeleine Alcover unearthed a manuscript that claims he died as a result of an attack on the duke’s carriage. However, critical evidence indicates a botched assassination attempt as well as health difficulties as a result of being imprisoned in an asylum by his adversaries and brother.

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Though there are still many stitches in our knowledge of Savinien’s life, he is unquestionably an iconic figure in the worlds of literature and history, with several essays, research theses, books, and films dedicated to him and his works. The 1897 drama ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ is likely the most renowned fictitious portrayal of his life, albeit it does include a few real-life elements.

Is Cyrano Based On A True Story?
Is Cyrano Based On A True Story?

Roxane, the play’s female heroine, is based on Savinien’s cousin, who lived with his sister Catherine. Furthermore, she married Baron Christian de Neuvillette, a soldier who served beside him in the army. The love part of Cyrano and Roxanne’s connection in the play, however, is entirely fictional.

Furthermore, as depicted in the play, Savinien was acutely aware of his physical appearance in real life, particularly his enormous nose, which has become a recurring theme in all productions of the play. When director Joe Wright saw Erica Schmidt’s musical, he was taken aback by the fact that Cyrano was not portrayed with a funny nose. As a result, Savinien was drawn to the notion and chose to adopt the stage musical into a film.

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In an interview, Wright expounded on the subject, saying that despite knowing Cyrano’s narrative since he was a teenager, he was blown away by Haley Bennet and Peter Dinklage’s performances on stage and decided to cast them in the film as well. That’s why he was drawn to the notion and chose to adopt the stage musical into a film. He expounded on this in an interview, saying that despite knowing Cyrano’s narrative since he was a teenager, he was blown away by the fresh viewpoint Peter Dinklage and Haley Bennet brought to the stage.

‘Cyrano’ also addresses the frailty of human perception as well as people’s modern-day fears owing to a continual inspection of their appearance and belongings through Savinien’s pining for Roxanne and his lack of confidence in his appearances and social status. Despite the fact that it is set in another era, it deals with the universal themes of heartbreak and rejection. To sum it up, it’s a touching fictional recounting of a historical genius’s ideas, brought to life by a great cast and team.

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