I first saw this at a little cinema near Notting Hill in the early 50s. What inspired me was the plot, damned simple yet profound too – that a man who was heroic, bold, brilliant, masterful, fearless should feel so completely undermined in his quest for love by the gross snozzle on his face. It's the curse of many men who feel less than worthy because they don't have a perfect visage. I identified with Cyrano very strongly as a young man.
Making the film all the more remarkable is José Ferrer's definitive performance as Cyrano. It's acting at a level which reaches an absolute sublimity. Ferrer is one of the 10 best actors in the world and probably the only American who stands shoulder to shoulder with someone like Laurence Olivier. His is a voice of silk and honey, with a particular and peculiar depth.
I still watch Cyrano from time to time. It's a tribute to the art of film-making that we have preserved on film this most magnificent of performances.
Steven Berkoff stars in Shadow of the Sword, out on DVD on 9 April. His book, Tales From An Actor's Life, is out now
