This version of Casanova is delightful in many ways. The cast is outstanding, especially Tennant as younger Casanova and O'Toole as the older Casanova (who is narrating the story to a young woman years later). The sets and costumes are lavish and romantic and the script is witty and funny. Tennant makes the most of moments such as "You love your wife, I love your wife, we're on the same side!" and also plays the romantic plot with his true love, Henriette, very well. Henriette is outstanding, as are Rocco (his friend and servant) and Bellino (who is almost a castrato, almost a man, and almost Casanova's wife).
Where the film goes wrong is in the later scenes. Casanova never seems to learn anything or to grow at all: by the end, I almost couldn't care less what he did or where he went. Also, by celebrating the idea of his "shocking" lifestyle, the script wants us to like him, and he isn't all that likable. This was most clear when it came to Casanova's affair with his daughter (yes, it was him and not his son who slept with Leonella. They had a child together and were an item, on and off, for quite a while). In wanting us to see him as a romantic ideal who "shocked" the old fogies, the film avoids any real shocking behavior.
In the end, this is a delightful romp that becomes tiresome because it never seems to understand what it wants to do: romp, celebrate, love or shock. Enjoyable but not much else.
Where the film goes wrong is in the later scenes. Casanova never seems to learn anything or to grow at all: by the end, I almost couldn't care less what he did or where he went. Also, by celebrating the idea of his "shocking" lifestyle, the script wants us to like him, and he isn't all that likable. This was most clear when it came to Casanova's affair with his daughter (yes, it was him and not his son who slept with Leonella. They had a child together and were an item, on and off, for quite a while). In wanting us to see him as a romantic ideal who "shocked" the old fogies, the film avoids any real shocking behavior.
In the end, this is a delightful romp that becomes tiresome because it never seems to understand what it wants to do: romp, celebrate, love or shock. Enjoyable but not much else.