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Knave of hearts
Even the greatest stud has an occasional night when he coasts on his laurels. (I have—haven't you?) But a whole movie? Casanova has been a subject for comedy before. Even Bob Hope did Casanova's Big Night, not one of his finest hour-and-a-halfs. Lasse Hallstrom's Casanova casts the great lover in a convoluted romantic comedy plot and employs a mish-mash of comic styles, from slapstick to political satire, most of which fall flat. It might have gotten by on sheer energy if someone had bothered to wake the star, but Heath Ledger trudges through the movie as if he's saving his energy for sex, and we see precious little of that. At 26, the Australian actor has taken on the bloated, constipated look that strikes some actors (e.g., Tom Hanks, Dennis Quaid) in their forties. Promising in A Knight's Tale, which had the rollicking spirit Casanova strives for, and a dramatic role in Monster's Ball, Ledger made some bad script choices (The Order, The Four Feathers) as well as bad acting choices before redeeming himself with Brokeback Mountain. His Casanova is as buttoned-down as his Ennis in Brokeback, but he shouldn't be. In Venice in 1753 Giacomo Casanova (Ledger) is up to his old tricks, but not for long. After he ravages an entire convent, when a soldier of the Inquisition tells one of the nuns, "Eternal damnation for one night with Casanova," she replies, "Seems fair." But Venice is getting too hot for Casanova (and maybe he's running out of desirable women). The Doge (Tim McInnerny), who has been his protector, says he'll have to expel Casanova from the city unless he finds a good woman and settles down. He sets his sights on a beautiful virgin, Victoria Donato (Natalie Dormer), and negotiates with her father (Stephen Greif) for her hand. An equally virginal neighbor, Giovanni Bruni (Charlie Cox) has been mooning over Victoria for years. This works to Casanova's advantage when he wants to get out of his contract because he realizes he's attracted to someone else. That would be Giovanni's sister, Francesca (Sienna Miller), whom he first sees when she infiltrates a university (in drag) to preach her feminist philosophy, which she also publishes, using a former servant, Bernardo Guardi (Phil Davis), as a front. "His" books are considered heresy by the Church, which sends Bishop Pucci (Jeremy Irons), "the Pope's most feared inquisitor," to get the city under control. "Heresy is whatever I say it is," the Bishop declares, in case anyone needs a definition. Francesca has had a marriage arranged for her by her widowed mother, Andrea (Lena Olin). When her unseen fiancé, Paprizzio (Oliver Platt) arrives in Venice he's waylaid by Casanova and his servant, Lupo (Omid Djalili), proving a fool and his fiancée are soon parted. Casanova presents himself as Paprizzio to Francesca and escorts her to the Carnival Ball. There's a lot of impersonation going on in this movie. Bishop Pucci, who has the best lines ("We are the Catholic Church. We can do anything"), is never anyone but himself. Representing the Vatican, a red state in a blue world, he has his hands full trying to stamp out heresy wherever he perceives it. "Fornication on a massive scale leads to confusion," he says. (At least that's what I think he said.) (Where was I...?) With all the romantic and legal pursuits going on, Casanova should be a sexy, madcap romp; but as the year's mildest R-rated film it's far too tasteful, and Ledger is a stick. It's worth noting that Casanova has the ability to pass on his name to someone else. In the 21st century he'd be selling franchises. Steve Warren is a local actor and film reviewer. His reviews can also be seen weekly in the Sunday Paper. |
Casanova
Directed by: Lasse Hallström 
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(2½ out of 4)