Casanova's Big Night Movie

Casanova's Big Night
Rating:
Run Time: 85 min
MPAA Rating:
Released: 1954
Directors: Norman Z. McLeod
Genre/Type: Comedy
Slapstick
Producers: Paul Jones
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Bob Hope tries to capture the comic magic of his 1946 costume farce Monsieur Beaucaire with the splashy Technicolor romp Casanova's Big Night (filmed in 1952, released in 1954). Set in 18th century Venice, the film casts Hope as Pippo, the humble tailor of notorious ladies' man Casanova (an unbilled Vincent Price). When Casanova skips town without paying his debts, the local tradesman's guild, led by Casanova's butler Lucio (Basil Rathbone), conspire to pass off one of their number as the great lover and arrange a profitable marriage. Selected to impersonate Casanova is the hapless Pippo, who soon afterward is hired by the imperious Duchess of Castelbello (Hope Emerson) to test the fidelity of the duchess' future daughter-in-law Elena (Audrey Dalton). Along the way, Pippo is given lessons in etiquette and swordsmanship by both Lucio and tradeswoman Francesca (Joan Fontaine). Eventually, Pippo finds himself up to his neck in court intrigue, courtesy of the scheming Doge of Venice (Arnold Moss). Further complications include a couple of hilarious swashbuckling scenes, an interlude in a dungeon with addlepated prisoner Emo (Lon Chaney), and the obligatory disguise scene. The Pirandellian ending of Casanova's Big Night was later imitated by such films as The Maltese Bippy (1969) and Wayne's World (1992). Bob Hope is in fine form, the production is sumptuous and the supporting cast superb, but somehow there's a little something missing in Casanova's Big Night.

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Cast

Actors Character Born
Bob Hope Pippo Popolino May 29, 1903 in Standiforth Court, Eltham, England
Joan Fontaine Francesca Bruni Oct 22, 1917 in Tokyo, Japan
Basil Rathbone Lucio Jun 13, 1892 in Johannesburg, South Africa
Audrey Dalton Elena Jan 21, 1934 in Dublin, Ireland
Hugh Marlowe Stefano Di Gambetta Jan 30, 1911 in Philadelphia, PA
Arnold Moss The Doge of Venice Jan 28, 1910 in Brooklyn, New York City, NY
John Carradine Minister Foressi Feb 5, 1906 in Greenwich Village, New York City, NY
John Hoyt Maggiomi Oct 5, 1904 in Bronxville, NY
Hope Emerson Duchess of Castelbello Oct 27, 1897 in Hawarden, IA
Robert Hutton Raphael Duc of Castelbello Jun 11, 1920 in Kingston, NY
Lon Chaney, Jr. Emo Feb 10, 1906 in Oklahoma City, OK
Raymond Burr Bragadin May 21, 1917 in New Westminster, BC, Canada
Frieda Inescort Signora Di Gambetta Jun 29, 1901 in Edinburgh, Scotland
Primo Carnera Corfa
Frank Puglia Carabaccio
Paul Cavanagh Signor Di Gambetta Dec 8, 1895 in Chislehurst, Kent, England
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