Casanova's Big Night is a 1954 American comedy film starring Bob Hope and Joan Fontaine, which is a spoof of swashbuckling historical adventure films. It was directed by Norman Z. McLeod.
Casanova's Big Night | |
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Directed by | Norman Z. McLeod |
Written by | Aubrey Wisberg |
Screenplay by | Edmund Hartmann Hal Kanter |
Produced by | Paul Jones |
Starring | Bob Hope Joan Fontaine Basil Rathbone John Carradine Lon Chaney, Jr. Raymond Burr |
Cinematography | Lionel Lindon |
Edited by | Ellsworth Hoagland |
Music by | Lyn Murray |
Production company | Paramount Pictures |
Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 86 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
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).
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 Genoan 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. The Doge of Venice, "a snake with whiskers," to use Pippo's description, intends to use the intended seduction as an excuse to wage war against Genoa. 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 be heading. A desperate Pippo turns the audience for help, but is shocked when they prefer that he lose his head.
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