Casanova's Big Night (1954)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Aubrey Wisberg (story)
Hal Kanter (writer) ...

Release Date:

12 April 1954 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

A meek tailor thinks his wooing will be helped if he assumes the identity of the famous Casanova...who's deeply in debt.

Plot Keywords:

Casanova | Period Piece | Apprentice | 18th Century | Treachery

Cast

Bob Hope	...	Pippo Popolino
Joan Fontaine	...	Francesca Bruni
Audrey Dalton	...	Elena Di Gambetta
Basil Rathbone	...	Lucio / Narrator
Hugh Marlowe	...	Stefano Di Gambetta
Arnold Moss	...	The Doge
John Carradine	...	Foressi
John Hoyt	...	Maggiorin
Hope Emerson	...	Duchess of Castelbello
Robert Hutton	...	Raphael, Duc of Castelbello
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Emo the Murderer (as Lon Chaney)
Raymond Burr	...	Bragadin
Frieda Inescort	...	Signora Di Gambetta
Primo Carnera	...	Corfa
Frank Puglia	...	Carabaccio

Also Known As:

Mr. Casanova (USA)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Vincent Price lost credit for his performance as the real Casanova when he was caught up in the McCarthy-era "Red Scare" hysteria that swept the US in the 1950s.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Pippo is thrown off the balcony by Casanova, and when he bounces on the cemented flagstones in the street, one of the flagstones bounces with him.

Quotes:

Pippo Popolino: [To Maggioni] Oh, please spare my miserable life! I'll work off the debt! I'll make more wine for you. I've got big feet! What grapes I can't trample on, I'll sit on!

Movie Connections:

References Of Mice and Men (1939)

Soundtrack:

TIC-A-TIC-A-TIC

Bob at his Best

This is a great film for all Bob Hope fans and lovers of vintage comedy everywhere. The colour, as in a lot of these old movies, is very rich and is a real treat for the eyes. As pointed out by other reviewers, the theme is quite similar to that of Bob's earlier black and white film "Monsieur Beaucaire", but none the worse for it.

In order to save a group of merchants from bankruptcy, Bob, as Pippo Popolino, a miserable tailor's apprentice, agrees to impersonate the great lover "Casanova". As Casanova, he is engaged by a Duchess to test the love of her son's future bride and is promised a large sum of money if succeeding in the seduction. The jokes arrive thick and fast and as usual, Bob's delivery is masterful. Ironically though, for me, one of the funniest lines comes from Basil Rathbone who, playing Lucio, the former servant of Casanova sharing in the deception of the impersonation of his former master, declares to the hapless Pippo at a particularly frustrating moment "You'll never be anyone other than Pippo Popolino and I can't think of anything more insulting!". There are excellent supporting roles from the aforementioned Rathbone and Arnold Moss as the Doge, who our hero refers to as "a snake with a beard". There are some great visual jokes too with Bob remarking while dancing with his intended victim "I have a big following in Venice" at which point his sword drags a tablecloth loaded with crockery from a table, which he then trails behind him in the dance and tries to kick away nonchalantly. What really makes the film though is the pace and delivery of Bob's stream of one-liners.

Mr Hope at his very best!