Casanova's Big Night

Although I haven't seen the film since the first run showing, I'll never forget the scene where Bob Hope (as Pippo Popolino aka Casanova) was in a gondola in Venice. He dips his finger in the water, sniffs it, and says "Canal Number 5."

1953's "Casanova's Big Night" may not have lit up the box office that year, but it's still one of Bob Hope's last truly great comedies, playing on his fast patter and brave coward persona while slyly acknowledging his off screen reputation as a ladies man. As usual, he assembles a fine cast of veteran players, with beautiful teen newcomer Audrey Dalton playing it straight as damsel in distress, Joan Fontaine going for laughs as Bob's leading lady Francesca. Even better for often deprived horror fans is the array of talent lined up to play the villains, apart from Basil Rathbone's triumphant return to Hollywood since retiring from the Sherlock Holmes series a decade earlier. Also back in Tinseltown for the first time since 1946 is John Carradine, whose Foressi is like that of Raymond Burr as Bragadin, a secondary minister to Arnold Moss as the powerful Doge. Curiously unbilled as the actual Casanova is Vincent Price, clean shaven and certainly handsome enough, first taunting Hope's hapless tailor for impersonating him to infiltrate Francesca's bedroom, then needing his assistance to avoid the unpaid bills of grasping creditors. Last but not least is Lon Chaney at the one hour mark, announcing himself as 'Emo, the Murderer from Milan,' who offers an imprisoned Bob an escape from their cell for a simple exchange of clothes (he was prominently featured in Hope's 1946 "My Favorite Brunette"). A pleasant nod to Chaney's Lennie in "Of Mice and Men" arrives when a mouse is found in Emo's pocket, which he promptly disowns: "he must be yours!" Rathbone too enjoys this comic resurgence as Casanova's valet, soon reuniting with Carradine in Danny Kaye's "The Court Jester," proudly displaying his fencing prowess on both occasions.

What a treat to see Bob impersonate the greatest of all lovers-Casanova. This is a wonderfully entertaining movie which keeps you amused throughout the entire film.Basil Rathbone as usual up to top form. Did he ever play anything but a scoundrel in all his movies? There are so many highlights it is difficult to choose any favorites,but the best would be at the end of the movie when Hope as Casanova is to be executed and appeals to the movie audience to spare him ,is one of the funniest scenes ever done.Next time you go to the movies take some popcorn with you and we may be able to save Bob from a fate worse than death.

Wow, what a cast! This Bob Hope film sure sported a long list of wonderful supporting actors, such as Joan Fontaine, Vincent Price, Basil Rathbone, Raymond Burr, John Carradine, John Hoyt, Lon Chaney, Jr.and even the ex-boxing champ, Primo Carnera! It's really amazing to see so many familiar faces in a rather ordinary sort of film.

Hope plays a tailor's apprentice who is roped into impersonating the famous lover, Casanova. It seems the real Casanova is a deadbeat and his many creditors have devised a plan to use Hope in his place. All Hope needs to do is try to seduce a young lady (Hope Emerson) to see if she is or is not virtuous--as her prospective mother-in-law wants to test her. He is assisted by Rathbone and Fontaine (who is WAAAY to old for this role). Naturally, things don't go as they all planned and soon Hope is running for his life.

As for the film, it's pretty much a typical 1940s-50s Bob Hope film--very pleasant and fun, but not particularly outstanding--even with the excellent supporting cast. High points would include a cute prison cell scene and a cute ending. And, among the lamest moments was Hope in drag. While cross-dressing is usually a sure laugh-getter, Hope's routine is pretty poor and this good idea falters.

One of Bob Hope's funnier comedies was Casanova's Big Night which finds tailor's apprentice Hope exchanging places with the great Casanova who is played by Vincent Price in an unbilled cameo.

Casanova's been down on his luck lately and he's beating it out of town owing the butcher, baker, and candlestick maker as well as his valet, Basil Rathbone. But after Dutchess Hope Emerson and her son Robert Hutton catch Hope in Casanova's outfit, Rathbone and the creditors decide to let the ruse continue.

Emerson wants to hire the world's greatest lover to seduce her son's intended, Audrey Dalton, because she feels she's a titled goldigger. True, but that's beside the point. The proof will be if the great lover can steal a certain petticoat with a crest embroidered on it.

The Doge of Venice Arnold Moss and his two scheming aides Raymond Burr and John Carradine also have their doubts that Hope might not be the great Casanova. What could ever give them that idea?

By the way Cassanova's Big Night was unusual for Hope in that he went the entire film without one Crosby joke.

The palace intrigue is as thick as a cement pudding, but Hope manages to bumble through it with the help of Joan Fontaine who is one of the creditors. As is the case in all his films, she develops as a soft spot for old ski nose.

Paramount gave Hope an unusually good supporting cast here and they all perform well. Of course fans of the classics might well recognize that the plot was lifted from The Three Musketeers.

But can you imagine the havoc that three Bob Hopes would have caused Venice?