Federico Fellini was never likely to turn the story of Casanova into a standard period drama and the resulting film – sprawling over 155 interminable minutes – is quite unique in its heavily stylised visual form and its strange and deliberately un-erotic tone.
Fellini’s own dislike of the character means that Donald Sutherland is required to play the legendary lover as a ludicrous figure who only becomes sympathetic at the end when he attains a measure of self-realisation and is allowed to go off into the mists of history with a mechanical doll.
It was a trying experience for Sutherland, who had to wear extensive makeup and shave his head, but his performance, for all the grotesquerie, is ultimately very moving.
Giacomo Casanova
Donald Sutherland Henriette
Tina Aumont Mme D’Urfe
Cicely Browne Mme Charpillon
Carmen Scarpitta Marcolina
Clara Algranti Giselda
Daniela Gatti Sister Maddalena
Margareth Clementi Isabella
Olimpia Carlisi Silvana
Silvana Fusacchia Barberina
Chesty Morgan Mechanical doll
Adele Angela Lojodice Giantess
Sandy Allen Anna-Maria
Clarissa Mary Rol Dubois
Daniel Emilfork Pope
Luigi Zerbinati Prince of Brando
Hans van den Hoek Duke of Würtemberg
Dudley Sutton Lord Talou
John Karlsen Faulkircher
Reggie Nalder
Director
Frederico Fellini
Video
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