Casanova (1934): A Bit Dusty, But Still Kind of Charming

Is this worth your time?

Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for 1930s European cinema. If you're looking for modern pacing or tight storytelling, you'll probably hate this. It moves like a tortoise in a velvet coat. But for the history nerds? It’s a fascinating relic.

I sat down to watch this expecting something a bit more, I don't know, daring. It is Casanova, after all. Instead, it feels more like a stage play that someone accidentally left the cameras rolling for.

Ivan Mozzhukhin is... well, he’s definitely trying. He carries this look of perpetual exhaustion that I wasn't quite sure was meant to be 'mysterious adventurer' or just 'I am tired of these long dialogue scenes.'

There is a sequence in Venice that lasts forever. I mean, they really lean into the scenery. It’s lovely to look at, sure, but it stops the plot dead in its tracks. I started folding laundry around the ten-minute mark and didn't really miss much.

The transition from the 1927 silent version to this talkie is awkward. It feels like the filmmakers were so excited about having people talk that they forgot to give them anything particularly interesting to say. Compared to a tighter flick like Taxi Spooks, this feels like it’s wearing a very heavy, itchy costume.

Odd little observations:

• The lighting in the Russian scenes is weirdly flat. It looks like they ran out of bulbs.
• There is a specific chair that shows up in three different locations. I started calling it the 'Casanova Special.'
• Suzy Delair manages to steal every single scene she is in, even when she's just standing in the background looking annoyed.

Sometimes the movie gets surprisingly funny, mostly by accident. There’s a moment in France where a group of extras seem to have completely forgotten they’re on camera. One guy in the back is just straight-up checking his watch. Or what looks like a watch. It's distracting, but in a fun way.

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not even really a 'good' movie by modern standards. But it’s got this weird, dusty energy that I kind of respect. It’s like finding an old postcard in a thrift store. You don't know who sent it, but you're glad it survived.

If you're tired of high-budget CGI junk, this might actually hit the spot. Just don't expect it to change your life. 🎭