After a life spent seeking pleasure and decadence, Casanova seeks his one true love, Henriette.After a life spent seeking pleasure and decadence, Casanova seeks his one true love, Henriette.After a life spent seeking pleasure and decadence, Casanova seeks his one true love, Henriette.
- Nominated for 3 BAFTA Awards
- 2 wins & 5 nominations total
Featured reviews
Russell T Davies's work is of a very particular style, knowing and self-conscious (one critic here seemed to think this was inevitably a bad thing) and, above all, camp and celebratory. If you don't warm to his style then avoid his work is my advice. For those who can accept it for what it is and what it intends, it is glorious stuff.
Here, Casanova is portrayed as a man constantly in love. A hopeless romantic, one could say. The evolution of the character is handled beautifully: in the beginning of the movie he's just a young boy, trying to find himself, developing slowly into a confident man, to the end, when he's a bitter old man, who stopped dreaming.
The direction is certainly memorable, shocking in some places, but the true asset of this movie is David Tennant. He's a spectacular actor, and (being an avid Doctor Who fan) I expected to watch this movie and say: "Look, there's the Doctor.", but he just detached himself from any previous role and he just was Casanova. I really ended up loving this movie because of his beautiful portrayal.
There's of course Peter O'Toole who was just as brilliant, in portraying old Casanova. Also, this is the first movie I've seen with two actors playing the same part -young and old- in which I could see the same character. Sure, O'Toole's Casanova is bitter and old, but you can see Tennant's Casanova developing into that person.
It's a movie definitely worth seeing. If you can't find the DVD, maybe you'll be lucky and catch it on BBC.
Normally I don't watch much TV, but this came on following some programme that was playing to itself and it grabbed me almost instantly with its humour.
Being broadcast on Finnish television over two evenings, I was agog to see the second part, for the first half of this one was touching, funny, and so uniquely entertaining - with a brilliant cast to boot!
By the end of the entire thing, I felt a strange sensation within me: INSPIRATION.
Oddly enough, some American-produced film based on the same individual came out not long after, with some daft Australian actor at the helm. That piece was pretty hyped-up and well marketed, being released into cinemas rather than straight to TV.
I've not seen this other "version" and don't intend to ever - I've heard enough about to to know that it couldn't possibly stand up to the challenge of comparison I'd be making whilst watching it.
Read other reviews if you want to get a plot over-view; this article is simply to sing the praises for what was a beautiful, witty and powerful piece of film - recommended viewing for all!
Now: if only it had been THIS film that had the backing of millions of Hollywood cash...
Did you know
- TriviaRussell T. Davies was so impressed by David Tennant's performance as Casanova that he cast him as the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who (2005).
- Quotes
[Casanova enters the confessional and crosses himself]
Giacomo Casanova: Bless me father, for I have sinned. Again. Um, I don't know where to start, um. It's money, father, er, love of money is a sin, isn't it?
Priest: A grave sin.
Giacomo Casanova: I, I don't love it as such, but I need it, is that a sin?
Priest: In too great a measure then, yes.
Giacomo Casanova: It's not for me. You see, there's this woman, um, and I suppose you can include lustful thoughts while you're at it...
[the priest nods]
Giacomo Casanova: Er, there's this woman, but she's engaged, and all this went on behind her fiancé's back. Um, not literally.
[remembering]
Giacomo Casanova: Although I have actually done that... But anyway, um, first of all I was with another woman, and I slept with her, sorry, er, well, I slept with her lots of times so, very sorry. Um, but before that she was a man. I was going to sleep with a man, sorry. But it turned out she had a false penis down her trousers.
[the Priest clutches at his heart]
Giacomo Casanova: So, I slept with her, without the false penis obviously, um,
[dreamily]
Giacomo Casanova: although we did find a way of using it... But never mind that. You see, I, I was just trying to be honest, like the sisters told me, um. Oh yeah, two sisters. I slept with them, both at the same time, er, er, lots of times, I suppose I should, I should mention that.
Priest: [clutching at his heart] Oh dear God!
Giacomo Casanova: I know, I know, but at least I didn't sleep with their mother.
[Remembering]
Giacomo Casanova: Although I have actually done that, um, I suppose you should put that on the list. Two sisters, and a mother, and... oh and those nuns... two nuns, you might know them.
[the Priest keels over]
Giacomo Casanova: So, all in all, it's been a bit of a time, really, and I've ended up penniless. So, what do you think I should do, father?
[Silence]
Giacomo Casanova: Father? Father?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Screenwipe: Episode #2.1 (2006)
- How many seasons does Casanova have?Powered by Alexa
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- Казанова
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