Why I Liked... Casanova's Big Night (1954)

(Dir: Norman Z. McLeod Starring: Bob Hope, Joan Fontaine, Audrey Dalton, Vincent Price)

Bob Hope is damned charming.

Playing as a tailor’s lowly apprentice, Pippo Popolino (Hope) dreams of the day when Francesca (Fontaine) will give him the light of day (solely reserved for Casanova, of course). That day comes much too soon however, when the actual Casanova (Price) decides to skip town to avoid paying his debts, trading in his expensive suits for a horse, and Pippo’s help in his escape.


Goodbye, Casanova.

There’s a mission for Casanova, however-seduction, naturally-with a high grossing reward, so Pippo ends up playing the part, trying to convince the world of his sexual prowess, of which there is supposedly not much.

Not a happy Pippo.

However, that’s where the film is wrong. Bob Hope, no matter how large his forehead, no matter how long his nose, will always be able to charm the pants off of any woman. While Vincent Price has the voice to melt away a nun’s resolve, Bob Hope has that...well, he’s Bob Hope.

Eau de Hope, I suppose.

From the moment he starts serenading the women of Venice with ‘Tic-A-Tic-A-Tic’, he loses all credibility at being the bumbling, wielder of sex-kryptonite the film would like us to believe. There’s no process of Pippo at least trying to seduce a woman, his lack of confidence hindering him. Instead, he pretty much puts on a flamboyant suit, calls himself Casanova, and sweeps the women off their feet.

Now based on that description it almost sounds as if nothing amusing can come of Casanova’s Big Night, but that’s where you’re wrong (yes, you). Instead of having the film turn into a story about growth as a human being, and a newfound expression of confidence enriching his life experiences, it turns into cross-dressing gender-swapping adventure where a single kiss can make the difference between two warring Italian provinces.

Sounds a bit far-fetched, but then again so is the idea of Bob Hope being from Italy. It’s jarring at first, but the fact that he doesn’t even bother trying an accent slowly grows on you. And even though the rest of the cast either didn’t get the memo, or just couldn’t be bothered themselves, well...I guess it all just adds to the shallow pools of water passing as the canals of Venice.

Those aren't sleeve ruffles-those are the women's underwear he's caught so far.

But all can be easily forgotten and forgiven when Bob Hope is involved. His wit and charm and warmth allows us to be sucked in and to just enjoy the crazy ride he takes us on-whether it’s hiding in a haystack, escaping one prison cell only to emerge in another, or dressing in drag and trying to pass ‘farffel farffel pippick’ as a foreign language, it’s just something to enjoy.