It’s an iconic image – Steve Martin sporting a prosthetic nose, on the end of which is perched an adorable yellow canary, as he looks into oblivion, deep in despair at the fact that his appearance weighs him down and prevents his character from ever finding love, since it’s impossible to encounter anyone who can look beyond the exterior. This is, of course, the premise for Roxanne, the fascinating and cherished comedy that Martin carefully guided to the screen, working alongside director Fred Schepisi to bring to life this contemporary version of Edmond Rostand’s iconic verse play, Cyrano the Bergerac, which has been the subject of many wonderful adaptations over the years. Many consider Roxanne to be one of the finest comedies of the 1980s, a decade that not only served to be arguably the most prolific for Martin, but one that is also known for pushing the boundaries of mainstream comedy, and while this film may be quite conventional in many ways, its peculiarities keep us engaged and enthralled throughout, which is entirely what we’d expect from a film with such a gifted cast and gifted team of artists behind the camera. Roxanne has undergone several critical re-evaluations, as well as periods of increasing appreciation as audiences from subsequent generations discover it, mostly as a result of the strong word-of-mouth the film has received from those who are already ardent devotees to this wonderfully strange but heartwarming parable – and from beginning to end, we’re perched on the edge of our seats as we venture through this lovable world, following the lead of a truly charismatic comedic mind, and his unique group of collaborators.

Watching Roxanne again for the first time in several years was an interesting experience, since not only is one more keenly aware of the twists and turns taken in this film, but there is a certain attention to detail that we don’t notice at first. I was struck by many qualities on this rewatch that I had not noticed in the first place – beyond the very obvious narrative nuances that aren’t prominent from the outset (Martin’s screenplay is just as strong as his performance), there is a certain sophistication to the film that isn’t all that noticeable on the first voyage into this story. It is exceptionally well-made, a comedy that pays as much attention to the visual scope of its surroundings as it does the jokes that define them, and it people who populate it. Schepisi, who may not be much of an auteur (instead functioning as a reliable journeyman of a director who could pull together many strong ideas, granted the material facilitated it), works well with his cast and crew to create an idyllic “slice of heaven” where the story could take place, each moment in this beautiful, pastoral hamlet appearing absolutely stunning, and complementing a story that depends on the audience wanting to get lost in this tranquil environment, the peaceful appearance sharply contrasting the rapid-fire, energetic storyline – if there was ever someone whose entire career thrived on subverting expectations and utilising his resources in a way that was far from their intended use, it was Martin, whose authorial vision over the film extends further than that of the director, who I think can be argued was only brought on to help establish a clear and consistent tone in the realization of Martin’s impeccable screenplay, of which he seemed exceptionally proud, and for perfectly appropriate reasons to boot.

Looking at the work he produced solely in the 1980s, it’s not difficult to understand why Martin became one of the most trusted and endearing actors of his generation, someone whose presence is always comforting and indicative of quality (at least at the time). Even when some of his more abstract projects weren’t appreciated at the time of their release, they gained cult followings that extended into the succeeding decades, cementing his legacy as one of the most important comedians to ever work in the medium. Roxanne is one of his crowning achievements, a tender and heartfelt comedy that proves that beneath the upbeat, eccentric persona, there is a deeply complex actor capable of plumbing the emotional depths of any character and emerging as somehow both vulnerable and willful, which is a good way to describe his character in Roxanne, who is a man confident in his skills and understands his self-worth (since he embodies the concept of beauty not necessarily being skin-deep), but whose only weakness is unfortunately the one quality that everyone notices first. It’s difficult to imagine any other actor bringing the gravitas to the role that Martin did – his skills are clear and cohesive, and he finds the perfect balance between humour and pathos, which was vitally important for the character. Daryl Hannah, also at the peak of her popularity, is magnetic as the titular romantic interest, even if she isn’t given much of an opportunity to go beyond that, and Shelley Duvall (always a welcome presence) is magnetic in her small but pivotal role as Martin’s friend who finally convinces him to take the leap and to follow his heart. The cast is solid, both in terms of the major characters and scene-stealing supporting roles, but it all circles back to Martin and his spirited leading performance that is absolutely some of his finest work.

The aspect that makes Roxanne so interesting is how it is a perfect example of using both comedy and romance together to form something special. There is a very important distinction to be made between this idea, and the more common concept of a romantic comedy, even if it is only a small difference that has to do with the tone and intentions of the story. Had either the romantic storyline, or the concurrent excursions into small town-based humour been elided, it’s not clear how successful this film would’ve been, since while the entire story doesn’t depend on the main character pursuing love, and eventually achieving it, there is a sense of every other theme orbiting around it. Martin, who certainly did have experience with this kind of charming, irreverent approach to using both romance and comedy in tandem (until they converge in the stunning final scene), did manage to evoke the genuine emotions. This is another reason behind the popularity of Roxanne – despite the vaguely absurd story that sometimes veers towards featuring a slapstick level of comedy, everything is kept so simple, with the tone being unexpectedly subdued, especially in the moments where we’d expect such a film to go intentionally broad. The writer and director both seemed to understand that a good comedy doesn’t always consist of wall-to-wall jokes and tomfoolery, but also requires a kind of depth, and while it may not necessarily be the epitome of deep, insightful philosophical inquiry, there’s a self-reflective quality to Roxanne that keeps it afloat and consistently allows it to sample from a range of genres without becoming too dependent on one particular method of storytelling, which gives it a massively endearing quality that has allowed it to only grow in esteem over the years.

Roxanne is not a revolutionary film, but it’s also not one that should be dismissed at face value, since what appears to be a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy actually turns out to be one of the more introspective, heartwarming forays into the human condition produced at the time. There are a few flaws in the story, such as some of the character motivations being murky at best, and a few scenes seem to be included unnecessarily, present only for the sake of complementing a story that didn’t need much exposition in the first place. However, the merits easily outweigh the minor shortcomings, especially when we focus on how this is an exceptionally well-formed comedy that has a terrific cast, and a story that allows them all to play to their talents, each one of them turning in very memorable performances for the most part. As a whole, Roxanne is a delight – it has a lot of heart that informs the overall story, and it is always actively trying to be positive, while avoiding overt delusion, which we’ve seen drag down numerous well-meaning films, which ultimately struggle to find a coherent point of view when it comes down to looking beyond the comedy. It’s not surprising that this film has aged so well – its story is resonant and meaningful, the humour is precise and earnest, and the emotions are genuine, all of these components culminating in a truly charming and incredibly lovable comedy that proves that beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder.