Casanova's Big Night (1954)

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) (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

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: Farffel farffel pippick.

Movie Connections:

References Of Mice and Men (1939)

Soundtrack:

THE GONDOLIER'S SERENADE

Tiresome and trivial Hope film despite lavish Technicolor settings...

BOB HOPE was just over the crest of his most popular films when he made CASANOVA'S BIG NIGHT and it has to be ranked as one of his poorest despite some lavish Techicolor, vivid costumes and sets. The script is too weak and even his one-liners have little sting to them.

Furthermore, the whole set-up of the story is so improbable, with Hope as a meek tailor forced into impersonating the great lover before he finds out what a dangerous assignment it is. JOAN FONTAINE and AUDREY DALTON are the two fetching females and it's obviously not their fault that they're given little to do. Fontaine looks distracted most of the time, probably wishing she had nothing to do with playing Francesca to Hope's Casanova impersonation.

VINCENT PRICE has a minor role as the real Casanova and if you look closely you can see RAYMOND BURR among the bit players. BASIL RATHBONE does what he can as Hope's enemy, but his role here pales in comparison to some of the great villains of his past.

Worthwhile only if you're enough of a Hope fan to get amusement from watching him in one of his more foolish comedies.