Casanova's Big Night (1954)

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Hal Kanter (written for the screen by) and
Edmund L. Hartmann (written for the screen by) ...
(more)

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 | Treachery | Doge Of Venice | Venice Italy | Horse

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
Paul Cavanagh	...	Signor Alberto Di Gambetta
Romo Vincent	...	Giovanni
Henry Brandon	...	Capt. Rugello
Natalie Schafer	...	Signora Foressi
Douglas Fowley	...	Second Prisoner
Nestor Paiva	...	Gnocchi
Lucien Littlefield	...	First Prisoner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric Alden	...	Maggiorin's Ruffian (uncredited)
John Alderson	...	Outside Guard (uncredited)
Oliver Blake	...	Amadeo (uncredited)
Charles Cooley	...	Manservant (uncredited)
Gino Corrado	...	Ambassador (uncredited)
John Doucette	...	Mounted Guard (uncredited)
Dan Dowling	...	Cloth Merchant (uncredited)
Trippe Elan	...	Small Boy (uncredited)
Marla English	...	Girl on Bridge (uncredited)
Fritz Feld	...	Diplomat (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Marquesa (uncredited)
Barbara Freking	...	Maria (uncredited)
Kathryn Grant	...	Girl on Bridge (uncredited)
Joe Gray	...	Court Guard (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	...	Assistant Headsman (uncredited)
Arline Hunter	...	Girl in Window (uncredited)
Richard Karlan	...	Outside Guard (uncredited)
Walter Kingsford	...	Minister (uncredited)
Skelton Knaggs	...	Little Man (uncredited)
Edith Leslie	...	(uncredited)
Torben Meyer	...	Attendant (uncredited)
Paul Newlan	...	Regniacci (uncredited)
Vincent Price	...	Casanova (uncredited)
Keith Richards	...	Servant (uncredited)
Michael Ross	...	Jailer (uncredited)
Dick Sands	...	Headsman (uncredited)
Joan Shawlee	...	Beatrice D'Brizzi (uncredited)
Rexene Stevens	...	Swimmer (uncredited)
Joseph Vitale	...	Guard on Steps (uncredited)
Anthony Warde	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Z. McLeod

Writing credits
Hal Kanter		(written for the screen by) and
Edmund L. Hartmann		(written for the screen by) (as Edmund Hartmann)
Aubrey Wisberg		(story)

Produced by
Paul Jones	....	producer

Original Music by
Lyn Murray

Cinematography by
Lionel Lindon		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ellsworth Hoagland

Art Direction by
Albert Nozaki
Hal Pereira

Set Decoration by
Sam Comer
Ross Dowd

Costume Design by
Edith Head		(costumes: women)
Yvonne Wood		(costumes: men)

Makeup Department
Wally Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Roy Burns	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael D. Moore	....	assistant director
Ralph Axness	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Henry E. Brill	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Cliff Reid Jr.	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gene Garvin	....	sound recordist
Gene Merritt	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Farciot Edouart	....	process photography
John P. Fulton	....	special photographic effects

Music Department
Sidney Cutner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Fred Steiner	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Josephine Earl	....	dances stager
Richard Mueller	....	technicolor color consultant
Fred Cavens	....	fencing trainer (uncredited)
Fred Cavens	....	supervisor: dueling scenes (uncredited)
Hilda Grenier	....	technical director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical)
• AFEX (1955) (Austria) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1967) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Technicolor  color

Also Known As:

"Mr. Casanova" - USA (alternative title)

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

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

When a tablecloth catches onto Pippo during his dance with Elena, all the far-end plates and glass goblets adhere to the tablecloth, obviously glued. It's much funnier this way than a floor covered realistically in broken glass.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Pippo swoons from kissing Beatrice D'Brizzi, actress Joan Shawlee who plays Beatrice looks off-camera and smiles, breaking character, apparently amused over Bob Hope hamming up his swoon and ad libbing.

Quotes:

Pippo Popolino:Don't be frightened, Francesca. I'm scared enough for all of us.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Casanova (2005)

Soundtrack:

The Gondolier's Serenade

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!