''Casanova's Big Night'' is a 1954 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

starring

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

and Joan Fontaine, which is a spoof of swashbuckling historical adventure films. It was directed by Norman Z. McLeod. Hope plays a tailor who impersonates Giacomo Casanova, the great lover. The film also stars Audrey Dalton, Basil Rathbone, Hugh Marlowe, John Carradine, Hope Emerson, Lon Chaney Jr., Raymond Burr, Natalie Schafer, and Vincent Price (in a cameo appearance as the real Casanova).

Plot

Pippo, a tailor, impersonates Casanova to woo the girls, particularly the widow Bruni. Casanova has left town, pursued by creditors who persuade Pippo to impersonate Casanova at the behest of a

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

n family that will pay "Casanova" to test the fidelity of the son's betrothed. Pippo, the widow Bruni and Casanova's valet Lucio travel to

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

. The

Doge of Venice The Doge of Venice ( ) – in Italian, was the doge or highest role of authority within the Republic of Venice (697–1797). The word derives from the Latin , meaning 'leader', and Venetian Italian dialect for 'duke', highest official of the ...

, "a snake with whiskers," to use Pippo's description, intends to use the intended seduction as an excuse to wage war against

. After many humorous adventures, exploiting Pippo's traits of vanity, arrogance and cowardice, the heroine so impresses Pippo with her dignity that he refuses to cooperate in the plot to ruin her character. He is arrested by the Doge and sentenced to death by beheading. A desperate Pippo turns the audience for help, but is shocked when they prefer that he lose his head.

Cast

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

Paul Cavanagh William Grigs Atkinson (8 December 1888 – 15 March 1964), known professionally as Paul Cavanagh, was an English film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1928 and 1959. Life and career Cavanagh was born in Felling ...

as Signor Alberto Di Gambetta * Romo Vincent as Giovanni * Henry Brandon as Captain Rugello * Natalie Schafer as Signora Foressi * Douglas Fowley as Second Prisoner * Nestor Paiva as Gnocchi *

Lucien Littlefield Lucien Littlefield (August 16, 1895 – June 4, 1960) was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men befor ...

as First Prisoner * Vincent Price as Casanova (cameo)

Production

Paramount built a 400 feet-long full-scale imitation of the Grand Canal in Venice together with bridge and 16 buildings for the film.

References

External links

* * {{Casanova 1954 films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Norman Z. McLeod Films scored by Lyn Murray American historical comedy films 1950s historical comedy films Films about Giacomo Casanova Films with screenplays by Aubrey Wisberg 1950s English-language films 1950s American films English-language historical comedy films