gerard depardieu was 42 then, at the peak of his art. you forget that it's gerard depardieu. de bergerac. i've chosen cyrano de bergerac, the film directed byjean—paul rappeneau in 1990. you know, it's a bit like the eiffel tower or notre—dame cathedral — it's a monument of a film. cyrano de bergerac is set in paris in 1640. this is cyrano�*s paris, the palais royal, just a stone's throw from the louvre. it's the story of this flamboyant poet and formidable swordsman, cyrano de bergerac. he's in love with his cousin... ..the beautiful and intellectual roxane. it would be a match made in heaven, except for his nose. poor cyrano thinks that he's not worthy of love. he doesn't even risk telling roxane of his feelings. and roxane has a penchant for christian. christian has realised that roxane likes a witty man, and he's not witty. and cyrano enters a pact, if you like, with christian, saying, you know, "i'm too ugly to be loved and too "ugly to love. "but i will give you my wit, my verve. "and i will write those love letters to roxane." of course, roxane falls in love with chris