Fellini's Casanova is played by
Donald Sutherland. The film takes great pains to debunk the myth of the Great Lover by presenting him as an ordinary human being swept up in extraordinary circumstances. This Casanova breezes through his various political and amorous adventures with an air of bored detachment, allowing the audience to "fill in the blanks" regarding motivations and emotions. Though the film's plotline hop-scotches all over Europe, Fellini lensed the picture entirely within the lavish confines of Rome's Cinecitta Studios.
Danilo Donati won an Oscar for costume design, while
Nino Rota (of
Godfather fame) should have won for his musical score. A sumptuous visual treat, Fellini's Casanova is something of a chocolate Easter Bunny: delicious going down, but hollow on the inside. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide