:
Claudio Pacifico,
Tito Tomassini,
Annamaria Zamperla,
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:
Lasse Hallström,
Lasse Hallström
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: 
: Touchstone / Disney
: 111 min.
: English, Spanish, French
: Spanish, French
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History's most renowned ladies' man finally meets his match in this historical romance laced with comedy and adventure. In Venice in 1753, Giacomo Casanova (Heath Ledger) is a notorious playboy whose way with women goes too far when he's caught leaving the bedroom of a novice nun, and one of the leading prosecutors of the Inquisition, Pucci (Jeremy Irons), puts him on trial. The Doge (Tim McInnerny), Venice's political point man, is a friend of Casanova's and pulls strings to get him off the hook and allow him to stay in the city, but under one condition -- he must take a wife and remain faithful to her. Casanova sets his sights on Victoria (Natalie Dormer), a lovely young maiden who is obviously taken with the handsome ladykiller, but he's not the only one who wants her hand. Giovanni Bruni (Charlie Cox) is a young man who is very much in love with Victoria, and in order to move him out of the picture, Casanova challenges him to a duel. However, when Casanova is bested in swords in the challenge, he discovers he's actually been parrying with Giovanni's sister, Francesca (Sienna Miller). As Casanova gets to know Francesca, he discovers she's a gifted writer and a bright and independent woman as well as a good hand with a sword, and he comes to the realization that she's the woman he wants to take to the altar. However, Francesca has already been promised to the vain and chubby Papprizzio (Oliver Platt), a man she's never met, and she doesn't seem at all interested in the notorious Casanova. Casanova also stars Lena Olin, and Omid Djalili. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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| Classy Casanova
by talltale
April 12, 2006 - 8:49 PM PDT
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2 out of 2 members found this review helpful
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A fun Hollywood romp (with just a tad's worth of upper-class twittering Brits) through the Venice of centuries ago, CASANOVA offers a multitude of pleasures, only a few of which turn ersatz. This may comprise Lasse Hallstrom's finest two hours, as he manages to combine tasteful with crass in a winning combination. His (and his screenwriters') take on love, sex and fidelity is actually quite intelligent and adult.
The cast is glamorous and good (Heath Ledger certainly lands a socko one-two punch with this and "Brokeback Mountain" in the same year), while the repartee's often witty and--when that fails--at least silly fun. The sets, cinematography, costumes and all the rest are first-rate, as well. And Oliver Platt is wonderfully restrained, for a change (not that can't be wonderful when he lets loose, but this performance is a pleasant surprise). If you're feeling "iffy," I suggest giving "Casanova" a chance. There's little violence, and lots of sweet, sexy charm. |
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GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 5.30)
33 Votes
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