Casanova's Big Night (1954)

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

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Hal Kanter (written for the screen by), Edmund L. Hartmann (written for the screen by) (as Edmund Hartmann)

Stars:

Bob Hope, Joan Fontaine, Audrey Dalton

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bob Hope	...	Pippo Popolino
Joan Fontaine	...	Francesca Bruni
Audrey Dalton	...	Donna Elena Di Gambetta
Basil Rathbone	...	Lucio / Narrator
Hugh Marlowe	...	Stefano Di Gambetta
Arnold Moss	...	The Doge
John Carradine	...	Minister 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	...	Minister Bragadin
Frieda Inescort	...	Signora Di Gambetta
Primo Carnera	...	Corfa
Frank Puglia	...	Carabaccio

Storyline

Italy, 1757. Lowly tailor Pippo Popolino disguises himself as the great Casanova in order to romance attractive widow Francesca. He little suspects what he's getting into: locked into the incongruous role by the desperation of the real Casanova's creditors, Pippo must journey to Venice on a delicate mission far beyond his capabilities.

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Plot Keywords:

tailor | casanova | italy | reference to the novel of mice and men | of mice and men spoof | 

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Taglines:

The hilarious story of Casanova - history's greatest wolf !

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 April 1954 (UK)

Also Known As:

Mr. Casanova

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Gross USA:

$3,500,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lon Chaney Jr and Raymond Burr had previously appeared in Bride Of The Gorilla (1951) together. They would again be reunited the same year in Passion (1954).

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Goofs

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. Similarly, Joan Fontaine visibly cracks up during her initial scene with Hope.

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Quotes

Pippo Popolino: I can't let her down. I'd never be able to look another needle in the eye.

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Connections

Referenced in Casanova (2005)

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Soundtracks

Tic-A-Tic-A-Tic
by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Sung by Bob Hope (uncredited)

User Reviews

There's Hope For Venice Yet

One of Bob Hope's funnier comedies was Casanova's Big Night which finds tailor's apprentice Hope exchanging places with the great Casanova who is played by Vincent Price in an unbilled cameo.

Casanova's been down on his luck lately and he's beating it out of town owing the butcher, baker, and candlestick maker as well as his valet, Basil Rathbone. But after Dutchess Hope Emerson and her son Robert Hutton catch Hope in Casanova's outfit, Rathbone and the creditors decide to let the ruse continue.

Emerson wants to hire the world's greatest lover to seduce her son's intended, Audrey Dalton, because she feels she's a titled goldigger. True, but that's beside the point. The proof will be if the great lover can steal a certain petticoat with a crest embroidered on it.

The Doge of Venice Arnold Moss and his two scheming aides Raymond Burr and John Carradine also have their doubts that Hope might not be the great Casanova. What could ever give them that idea?

By the way Cassanova's Big Night was unusual for Hope in that he went the entire film without one Crosby joke.

The palace intrigue is as thick as a cement pudding, but Hope manages to bumble through it with the help of Joan Fontaine who is one of the creditors. As is the case in all his films, she develops as a soft spot for old ski nose.

Paramount gave Hope an unusually good supporting cast here and they all perform well. Of course fans of the classics might well recognize that the plot was lifted from The Three Musketeers.

But can you imagine the havoc that three Bob Hopes would have caused Venice?