Casanova

This is one of my all-time favorite movies. It's a romp, a spoof, an adventure starting with Casanove doing what Casanova does in an upscale nunnery for the daughters and nieces of the elite. Signals indicate the authorities have entered the building. He jumps into clothes, grabs the rest, and starts running down the marble hall with the nuns waving from their doors and shouting, "Don't forget me!" He climbs out a window onto the tiled roof in Venice (where this movie was filmed). The group of authorities follow. One looses footing and plops into the canal below. Casanova also looses footing, but stops his slide inches from going into the canal and escapes by leaping the canal, and clawing his way up over the window sill and into a lecture hall in the Doge's palace where the wigged and robed intellectuals are listening to lectures on the subject of women. The lecturers include a Bernardo Guardi, already damned by the Catholic church as a heretic. In his escape from the nunnery, he drops a shoe in the chambers of Sister Beatrice, niece of the Cardinal, and the the chief authority comes after him. Next we're spectators in a trial of Casanove for fornication in a nunnery and hear him sentenced to be hanged at dawn. The Doge enters and informs the judge that his witness (Sister Beatrice) is the niece of the Cardinal who will be mightily upset at this scandale in his family, The doge places Casanove under his protection and the case is dismissed. As they walk outside along the arcade beside the Doge's plaice, he informs Casanove that he's banishing him from Venice for his own good. The only way he'll let him stay is if he finds a reputable woman of property and marries her. Thus begins the shopping for such a woman all over Venice, by Casanove and his man-servant, and his finally settling for the girl in the window across the canal from a family that is destined to play a huge role in life. Her father accepts Casanova's proposal, the young woman is smitten and can hardly wait. But Casanova discovers he's engaged to the wrong young woman and falls head-over-heels for the young woman across the canal form his fiancee. He discovers that she is, in fact, Bernardo Guardi, the writer/heretic, who disguises herself as a man. She was, in fact, the lecturer in the Doge's palace when he jumped the canal and climbed into the lecture hall. In his/her writings she rails against such men as Casanova who seek pleasure with women, and are destined to be untrue. How he manages a duel, finds that his love does NOT have a secret lover as rumored, how he survives a night at a Carnival ball with two women looking for him, how he elude the Pope's chief of the Inquisition (played masterfully by Jeremy Irons), wins his love and escapes another hanging. enliving the rest of the film. The only movie entirely filmed in Venice (in some of the most beautiful interiors in the world). this movie is gorgeous, sexy, and fun. The surprise ending leaves everybody but the Inquisitor very happy. A must see!

This is a total twist on the normal Casanova story. Normally I wouldn't watch a story of an ardent womanizer but this story is about Casanova, early in the film, falling in love and thus hiding his identity, and going to great lengths to keep his love from marrying someone else. Heath Ledger is great in this; I wanted to see him so that's why I originally watched it. This film is full of surprising developments, good music, great sets and costumes, lots of dry humor, adventurous moments, not at all boring, all the actors are great, some great scenes, and a superb ending. I saw this years ago and have seen it 3-4 times since then; but not for a couple of years til tonight when I flashed on it as just the kind of movie that would make for an enjoyable movie night and was very glad it was here. I might buy the dvd as well.

Yes, this is a romance. Ande a comedey. So if you like romantic comedy, or the two protagonists, you will like it. But the cinematogaphy and the costumes are beautiful, so it is also a periord piece of the most charming kind. There is sensuality and one extremely short but intense scene of the act of sex, this being Casanova, after all. And finally, the writing--The Writing--is superb. It is-----so clever and full of things that you will probably miss the first few times you see it. I say few times, because I have lost count--more than 10--of the times I have watched it, and even this morning, I am picking up a phrase here and there which matters in the story. I must admit that Heath Ledger is delightful to observe, but his assistant, "Lupo" and his guest/protege, Paprizzio, are both hysterical. In particular, the relationship between Lupo and Casanova, beginning with their first scence alone together, sets the comic tone. The many, many cases of mistaken identity would normally be tiresome, and I would generally stop watching for that reason. But this one is a charmer. You will feel good each time you watch. I HIGHLY recommend it.

Esta edición en DVD cuenta con una muy buena calidad de imagen y sonido. Además de esto, contamos con extras.

Eine wirklich gelungene Inszenierung von Lasse Hallström. Ein sehr temporeiches und flüssiges Spielgeschehen, viele Höhen und Tiefen und amüsante Sequenzen sorgen für sehr vergnügliche Unterhaltung von Anfang bis Ende. Inhaltlich mag der Film wohl nur sehr frei an die tatsächliche Lebensgeschichte des Casanova erinnern, was der Filmqualität aber absolut nichts nimmt. Die Dialoge sind zeitgemäss aber keinesfalls hölzern, sehr spritzig und lebhaft, sparen nicht an Ironie und Hintergrundwitz. Die Ausstattung und die Kostüme sind sehr opulent und prächtig, bilden die ideale Kulisse für diese herrliche Komödie. Der Handlungsablauf wird durch eine perfekte und stimmungsvolle Musikauswahl sehr wirkungsvoll untermalt.( Ein vielleicht unterbewerteter aber manchmal doch sehr wichtiger Aspekt, gemessen an der in keinster Weise zeitgerechten und mitunter doch sehr störenden Musikauswahl zu "Ritter aus Leidenschaft" ). Trotz der sehr gelungenen Inszenierung wird der Film massgeblich von seiner glänzenden Besetzung getragen, voran ein brillianter Heath Ledger, der sehr überzeugend und charismatisch die Rolle des Frauenhelden verkörpert. Aber auch Sienna Miller glänzt in der Rolle der "Francesca", spielt in Bestform. Insgesamt sehr sehenswert und überaus unterhaltsam. Ideal für einen entspannten Filmabend. Kann man sich immer mal wieder ansehen.

such a wonderful flick with superb performances by all - lovely, entertaining & fun

Dvd arrivato puntuale ed in perfette condizioni. Una piena ventata di serenità e buonumore. Storia immaginaria avente protagonista un giovane e,si scoprirà, sentimentale Casanova.Attori eccellenti e cast indovinatissimo.Assolutamente consigliato

Film da 8 fatto bene in tutto