Bogdan Ionescu For me, Casanova is a good movie. It is very well played, I could name David Tennant, Peter O'Toole, Laura Fraser and Rupert Penry-Jones, to name only the top four but all the actors are very good on their parts and the idea behind the plot is special.The idea is about the love of your life lost despite your will as a result of an unfortunate fate, love that you never forget and that you keep it inside you wherever you go. Casanova got imprisoned due to fake charges brought against him by the wealthy and powerful Grimani, love blinded and lost his lover Henriette in favor of the latter. Casanova escaped only to became an outcast. He will never see again the town of Venice in his life.Maybe Casanova is not a model of a good man as it is presented in the movie although he is a good man indeed. He did a lot of crazy things, he had an odd life but he is absolved because of his burden of the lost love for Henriette carried everywhere with him. We can suppose that a good part of his crazy acts are done in order to forget, to keep his mind and his heart busy. Casanova never gives up the hope to meet again Henriette, who also never stop loving him, to be sometime again with her. Although the destiny doesn't help him to regain her helps him in his very last moments to die happily with the thought that Henriette was going to him and with her name on his lips.Maybe the actual Casanova was not the idealist person from the film and maybe the movie doesn't observe rigorously the historical facts but the result is more than enchanting. Like in the Dumas's novels the result is far away better than the reality. The last but not the least I would like to note the music of the movie which is beautiful and fits perfectly the plot. Their dance from the final is memorable.

Sweet_Ophelia Russell T. Davies's "Casanova" is a biopic of the real-life ladies-man from 17th century Venice, the infamous Giacomo Casanova. The 2-part series uses the real Giacomo Casanova's biography "The story of my life" as frame-work. The story is told by Casanova himself (Peter O'Toole), at the age of 73 when he was employed as a librarian for a wealthy nobleman. The aged Casanova tells his story to the curious servant-girl Edith (Rose Byrne) whose father told her tales of Casanova and all his adventures. David Tennant of 'Doctor Who' fame plays the young Casanova, and Shaun Parkes his loyal side-kick, Rocco. By 1750 the real Casanova had worked as a clergyman, secretary, soldier, spy, and violinist and bedded some 122 women. Davies's series touches on Casanova's talents, but at the heart of the old cad's story is his love for the one woman he could never have; Henriette (Laura Fraser), who was engaged to a nobleman in Venice when she and Casanova first meet, and then the two were torn apart when Casanova was imprisoned in 1775. After his famous escape in 1756, the story follows Casanova, Rocco and one of Casanova's many bastard children as they travel around Europe looking for legal pardon while meeting the greatest men and women of the day.Russell T. Davies is fast making a name for himself; having written for cult television shows like "Queer as Folk" and the current series of "Doctor Who", "Casanova" is another triumph for Davies. The writing is fresh and witty, and extremely well delivered by the irrevocably charming David Tennant, who passes well for the infamous 17th century cad. The best part of the series is the costumes and sets – absolutely over the top and fabulously colorful outfits with modern twists coupled with dazzling, spectacularly lavish sets. It really is a welcome eye-ful."Casanova" is an absolutely wonderful 2-part series written by the up and coming Russell T. Davies and starring one of Scotland's best new commodities, David Tennant. Definitely worth a watch.

tigerbaby_1984-1 I cannot express how wonderful this drama is. I watched it when it was first on BBC 1, and then watched the re-run on BBC 3...i have now just bought the DVD and can watch it over and over again. This dramatic comedy was fantastically written by Russel.T.Davies (Doctor Who) and wonderfully produced and directed. The acting too is superb (and i'm not just saying that because i'm a HUGE David Tennant fan either!). Peter O'Toole as the older Casanova deserves the Oscar he never received, for this role alone! Such emotion, such tension, such comedy, such tragedy...a true British masterpiece. Which brings me on to my favourite subject...David Tennant...could a better Casanova have been cast?? He has the character traits of the legendary Casanova down to a tee, and injects that quick wit and hilarious comic timing like he was born for the role (although check him out as the Doctor!) 11/10 *BIG thumbs up*

kbelyea After watching bits of "Queer As Folk", a season of the new "Doctor Who", the "Doctor Who" Christmas special (also listening to the accompanying commentary) and the three parts of "Casanova", I think I've figured out what it is that frustrates me about Russell T. Davies's writing: its inconsistency. If it was merely mediocre, I'd simply dismiss it as such--but it's not.His stories do have characters, scenes, and story arcs that are absolutely wonderful; his attention to detail can be minute; his dialogue can be scintillating in its irreverence and vivacity and his plot development can display astonishing originality. But these moments of brilliance are offset by under-developed secondary characters, unconvincing gaps in the plot, frankly ridiculous surprise twists, huge leaps of logic, jarringly crass jokes, lines intended merely to shock and unexplained dialogue non sequiturs. When I watch his work, I find my reactions alternating between, "Wow, this is great!" and "WTF?"As for "Casanova" specifically: on balance, I love it. It's funny, engaging, exciting, romantic, sexy, and devastatingly sad at the end. It portrays a compellingly sympathetic Casanova and makes me curious about the real historic figure. While I personally already enjoy a lot of "costume dramas", I applaud this production's efforts to bring a younger and hipper audience to the genre. The acting is fine across the board and the leads (David Tennant and Peter O'Toole especially) are excellent. The innovative direction is effective. Since I knew beforehand not to expect historical accuracy, most of the anachronisms didn't bother me.My chief complaint aside from the Russell T. Davies stuff mentioned above is probably with the music, the quality of which, like the writing, varied widely in my opinion. Some of it was fantastic, to be sure, but a significant amount was irritating and intrusive. And, call it a personal pet peeve if you will, but I really really dislike the sound of synthesized strings and brass. If it's a choice between what are obviously synthesizers and minimal or no instrumental accompaniment, I almost always prefer the latter.