I decided to watch this movie after reading Leonard Maltin's "151 Best Movies You've Never Seen". However, despite the film's inclusion on his list, I was not very impressed. Much of it is probably because I was a history teacher...and the film is rife with anachronisms. The problem is that the writer inserted 21st century sensibilities into a story set in the 18th century....which might make folks today feel good but which simply is bad history.The story finds a feisty woman (WHY are they always so feisty in these stories??) who doesn't want to marry a man her family is picked out for her...even though that WAS how rich folks married back in the day. Marriage contracts were meant to solidify fortunes....and yet this woman complains about not having any choice. Back then the choices were simple...marry who your family picked out for you or spend your life in a convent. She also was big into screaming about inequality...more a late 19th early 20th century sort of beef. As for Casanova, he's portrayed as a highly enlightened man...whereas the real Casanova was hardly this enlightened (read up on him sometime...he was into sex with children and slaves, among other things). And, it's everyone else around these two who are essentially idiots. Add to that a terrible scene involving a miniature balloon that would make physics teachers angry and you've got a film which pays very little attention to the realities of life in 18th century Venice. About the only nice thing I can say about this out of time film is the look of Venice...it is lovely and the director and camera person both did very well in this sense. Otherwise, a dull and silly story with little to recommend it.

I just watched Casanova for the first time for probably over 7 years when I last saw it when I was around 14 years old. I loved it then and I even love it much more now!I have always been a BIG Heath Ledger fan but this is just so much more then a brilliant cast, it has a great script, setting, music and humor and I loved every second of it!!And I must give a big shout-out to Jeremy Irons who play the notorious bishop Pucci which he gives a very serious but funny take on, love it!! The only downside is the less good greenscreen effekts that occur in a few shots in the third act. But other then that the films takes place in it entirely in Venedig.A much watch!!

One of the most beautifully made 18th century productions I have ever seen set in the most stunning city in the world. Costume was exquisite and so much attention to detail in every corner of the film. A fantastic cast of actors who were all excellent. I was not expecting a historical documentary about Casanova, but what I did get was the most beautifully historically accurate film with regards to location and costume. Sadly however the film was utterly spoilt for me, especially towards the end, with the most dreadful slapstick comedy which really detracted from the quality of this production. This film very nearly got switched off 10 minutes before the end. Such a waste of a fantastic opportunity. So near and yet so far.

Obviously, the opinions about this film varied tremendously (see the other comments), but I loved this film. Hallstrom's deft touch and an assemblage of fantastic actors plying their crafts with such refinement and delicacy makes this film a pleasing farce set in an enchanting Venice. The period music was just fine and the beautiful buildings took me back to the artistic sensibilities of the age. I love how the script addressed the mores of the times, with special tweaks at the religious institutions and the gender standards, not to mention the proprieties of relationships and sexual behavior. Special kudos to Oliver Platt, whose character is larger than life--figuratively and corporeally.