Product Description

Set in 18th century Italy, CASANOVA’S BIG NIGHT tells the story of a tailor, played by Bob Hope, who impersonates the swashbuckling lover Casanova in order to win the affection of an attractive widow.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37865 in DVD
• Brand: Paramount
• Released on: 2005-09-06
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 86 minutes

Amazon.com
Bob "Orson Welles" Hope is at the top of his game in this 1954 Technicolor laugh-fest co-starring Joan Fontaine and Basil Rathbone. Hope plays Pippo Popolino, Casanova's tailor, who finds himself standing in for the great lover after the real Casanova (played by Vincent Price) leaves town to avoid paying his debts. Enlisted by an overzealous mother-in-law to test the true love of her daughter-in-law-to-be, Hope must capture the prized petticoat and help avert a civil war to boot. Years before he wore out his welcome in countless TV specials, Hope is a marvel here, perfecting his neurotic and vain coward persona while enganging in some pretty inspired slapstick. It's easy to forget that in 1954 this was pretty edgy stuff. It's no wonder a young Woody Allen idolized him. --Kristian St. Clair

Customer Reviews

"Farfel, farfel, pipick"
A Hope comedy classic, ranking right up there with "Ghost Breakers". Bob's performance as Pipo Poppolino, "a miserable tailor's miserable apprentice", is almost flawless, and the supporting cast (Vicent Price as Casanova, the great Basil Rathbone as Luccio, Joan Fountain as the Widow Bruni, Hugh Marlow as the brother of the bride, Arnold Moss as the evil Doge of Venice, and brief appearances by Lon Chaney, Jr., John Carradine and Raymond Burr), is excellent. Hope is at his bumbling, cowardly best as the commoner impersonating Casanova, until he finds the courage to overcome the Doge and turn the tables on the devious Luccio. The sword fight scene and the finale (with Hope in hilarious drag) are side-splitters.

Classic Bob Hope Comedy romp
In this Bob Hope comedy classic, he portrays a lowly tailors aprentice who gets a chance to impersonate the worlds greatest lover, Casanova. Hope plays Peepo, who toils away in his masters tailor shop and dreams of romance with the lovely grocery lady across the street played by Joan Fontaine. When the real Casanova skips town in order to escape his creditors, Peepo is pressed into service by Fontaine and the others to pretend to be the famous swordsman and lover when a Countess offers $10,000 ducets to test the fidelity of her future daughter in law. Peepo throws himself into the role and is soon entering Venice in grand style singing the song "Tic a Tic A tic a" and enthralling every woman within earshot, (including one who dives fully clothed into the canal to swim out to his gondola), everyone thinking that he is indeed the famous Casanova. However Peepo soon discovers the downside of being a notorious lover as several outraged husbands, brothers, and boyfreinds come looking for him swords in hand, looking to avenge the dishonor of their womenfolk. At first Peepo wants only to fullfill his part of the deal (Obtaining an embroidered peticoat in order to prove he "Seduced" the girl he was supposed to), and obtain his money, he soon is helping to save her from the plottings of the Doge who seeks to use both her and Casanova to touch off a war.
This movie is a classic costume comedy from the days when movies didn't need four letter words and potty humor to get a laugh. Hope is in top form as he capers about the screen from one narrow escape to another, all the time mugging for the camera. I highly reccomend it for all Hope fans.

Casanovas Big Night 1954
Its bedlam in the boudoir when Bob Hope (1903-2003) sets his comedic sights on 18-th century Italy . Hope plays Pippo Popolino , a lowly tailor who is suddenly drafted to tempororarily impersonate the great and passionate lover Casanova (an unbilled Vincent Prince 1911-1993) .Pippo thinks he has the masquerade all sewn up -totally unaware that , due to the real Casanovas shaky financial situation , he is now locked into the role by the Romancers scheming , greedy creditors ! . Along the way , our great lover manages to woo some lovely ladies ( Joan Fontaine 1917 - ) and Audrey Dalton (1934- ) -when hes not dodging spontaneous swordsplay or bumling his way through the finer points of royal etiquette . Basil Rathbone (1892-1967) Hugh Marlowe (1911-1982) , Arnold Moss (1910-1989) and John Carradine (1906-1988) are among the stellar cast in this lavishly costumed comedy romp . Laughts guarantee ! Superb transfer in H-D Quality