Casanova '70 (1965)

What makes it different from others?

It is a performances centric movie

A lot of fun.

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Getting close to 1,500 reviews,I started to decide what film to view that stars the ravishingly beautiful Michelle Mercier. While looking for info on Mario Bava's Danger Diabolik,I found out that Giallo queen (and Diabolik star) Marisa Mell appeared in Mercier movie! Which led to me counting the 70 Casanova's.The plot:Caught staging a fake break-in after telling his girlfriend he had to go to a NATO meeting, Il maggiore Andrea Rossi-Colombotti is told by his girlfriend Noelle that he is impotent,and only way he can get excited is by staging fake events where his life is at risk. Going to a therapist, Colombotti uncovers his Casanova lust for danger. Trying to hold back,Colombotti finds the eyes of new ladies too tough to resist. View on the film:Opening with animated credits, co-writer/(with Agenore Incrocci/Furio Scarpelli/ Tonino Guerra/Giorgio Salvioni and Suso Cecchi D'Amico) director Mario Monicelli & cinematographer Aldo Tonti give this "70" Casanova gallons of 60's chic,with each of Colombotti's brief encounters taking place against a plush 60's backdrop of bright primary colours giving the movie a fluffy atmosphere. Displaying some skin of his leading ladies, Monicelli gives the tales a friendly, cheeky mood,as extended sight-gags bounce around with cartoon sound effects.Whilst not an "official" anthology title,the writers stray very close to the format,from the mix of each meeting/story Colombotti has with a woman varying from 15 minutes,to in one case under two minutes,and Colombotti's attempts to runaway becoming increasingly peculiar. Leaving no time to give the characters the smallest hint of depth over 110 minutes, the writers make everyone so fleeting that the situation-led jokes dry up before they hit their punchlines,due to their being minimal relationships built with their Casanova.Unintentionally sending Colombotti on his adventures, Michèle Mercier gives a glamorous performance as Noelle,which stands out thanks to Mercier giving Noelle an awareness of Colombotti's games. Linking each "story" Marcello Mastroianni rids the grating aspects of Colombotti's "troubles" with layers of charm that entices the ladies and the viewer,as Casanova gets to 70.

Mario Monicelli's Casanova '70 is an utterly pretentious farce.But this farce is executed with such an innovative storyline, and such great acting by Marcello Mastroianni, and a production that exudes style and class at every turn, that this farce is transformed in an very effective piece of cinematic storytelling, The ultimate coup de theatre in this rather convoluted, and improbable tale is the court scene, where the Major's whole amorous history is put "on trial", replete with a witness list that includes not only all of his sympathetic former love interests, but his psychiatrist too, who is all too happy to tell the court about his patient's rather peculiar, and hilarious "sexual hang up".The cinematography is really good too, as it scans across the widely divergent settings that make this film so interesting to view.Mastroianni, in his very effective comic portrayal shows us yet another aspect of the great breadth of his acting abilities that qualifies him as one of the all time greats.

It's an excellent comedy, with multiple moments of laughter, 2 of the most beautiful women in the world at that moment, and a fantastic appearance from Mastroianni.The plot is simple, yet effective enough to develop feelings for "Andrea", in his continuous search of sexual pleasure under danger.The production is in rather good shape, despite being 50-years old film. I just have some small complains about the sound, sometimes is a bit off.It's really a shame this film isn't more well-known. Really recommended!

One-joke premise (Mastroianni can't get aroused sexually unless there is the element of danger involved - that's literally ALL the story is about) is slickly carried out, with location filming around Europe, a jaunty music score, and a parade of luscious 1960s beauties (there is a certain mystique about women on film during that decade that has yet to be recaptured, and probably never will), but the film is too long and not terribly funny, or sexy for that matter. Yet it does feel very "60s", so fans of that cinematic decade will probably enjoy it more than the general population. Warning to Margaret Lee followers: don't be fooled by her being on the Region 2 DVD cover, her role is under a minute long! ** out of 4.