MovieChat Forums > Casanova (2005) Discussion > Peter O'Toole-unsuitable

Peter O'Toole-unsuitable

posted 20 years ago by mariefrance977
23 replies | jump to latest

I don't know about anyone else, but me and my friend both agree that the young and old Casanova seem completely seperate in this. This could be due to them having casted different actors to play Casanova in different stages of his life, and I myself didn't enjoy the scenes with Peter O'Toole in it, re-telling the story. It seemed that as the old Casanova all his vigour and charm had gone, compared to the vivacious young man he used to be. Maybe this was done on purpose, to show how time changed Casanova, but the young one was charming, whereas the old one just looked like a pervy old man.

The French Are Glad To Die For Love

[–] Metallicar 20 years ago

I found Peter O'Toole to be completely charming in his role of Old Casanova. He was rather charmless at first, but I saw his vivaciousness gradually returning as he retold his story.

[–] Cartimandua 20 years ago

Men and women age and change. They don't necessarily regard life with the same daft optimism they had when young and healthy. In fact, that's rare. Imagine how you will feel as an old, ailing woman, looking back on what you won, what you lost, and what you constantly regret or delight in remembering. That is what O'Toole is showing us. He is the weary, cynical, wiser reverse side of Tennant's bright coin.

The charming young Casanova isn't entirely ignorant of the consequences of his actions, as you'll have already seen. The final episode draws both characterisations together to reveal the complete man.

[–] smauglet 20 years ago

I think Peter O'Toole is perfect as the older Casanova. He still has the charm and the arrogance, and he definately still has a twinkle in his eye.

Bear in mind that this version of Casanova is 30-40 years older than the character played by David Tennant, so of course he is different - he doesn't have the energy and enthusiasm of youth, and he has a jaded, cynical view of life which comes from age and experience.

[–] salomeuk 20 years ago

Personally I felt it was pretty near perfect casting...and the twinkle in the eye comment is so right!

I had no trouble at all allowing myself to accept Peter o'Toole's Casanova as a much older version of the young man as played by David Tennant.

www.darrenhayes.com

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] angry_kitten 19 years ago

I agree with first post. They both play very good casanovas, but i cant imagine that Peter O'Toole, very serious, is the future David Tennant, very cheeky!

[–] harris126 19 years ago

I can't help but wonder if those of you who feel Peter O'Toole was miscast have ever seen him as a younger man. I have always loved seeing him perform. To me, he kind of embodies Casanova. A few decades ago, he would have been the PERFECT choice to play the younger role. That said, I suppose that when I saw that he had been cast in the role of "Older Casanova" I was predisposed to like it.

If I try to be objective about the casting (and the two performances) however, I still think that everything is perfect. They physically match-up (as someone else already pointed out,) and more importantly, the two performances make a logical sense. Casanova has become a broken old man. He is world-weary and nearing death. The sparkle has *nearly* left his eye, and he is no longer the man he once was (a little like O'Toole himself.)

[–] rayden54 19 years ago

30-40 years older than when?

I thought it odd that 21 yr old Casanova looked exactly the same as 41+ yr old Casanova. 41 comes from his age added to his sons.

[–] spookypurple7 18 years ago

The 40-something Casanova isn't quite as buoyant and twinkly as his younger self. It shows more in David Tennant's performance than in what the make-up department have done with him.

It wouldn't have been the same if he'd played Casanova at 70-odd. I know the aging make-up is getting better all the time, but it still just looks creepy if it's on someone whose face you recognise.

And I think Peter O'Toole was a wonderful choice. Perfect. Anyone whose familiar with his work (or indeed his reported reputation as a "hellraiser" in his younger days would almost think it was typecasting! It was also a good physical match (apart from the nose). It was just a little funny getting used to David Tennant with blue eyes!

[–] AdriCraw 18 years ago

David Tennant with blue eyes was stupid and unecessary, seeing as the real Casanova had brown eyes.He even says so in his memoirs, and other contemporaries of his also describe him as having brown eyes!They should have gotten Peter O'Toole to wear brown contacts--after all,that's what actors are for, playing something they're not necessarily also in real life.

[–] spookypurple7 18 years ago

Aha, but... one of the things that Peter O'Toole is famous for are those blue eyes.

It was certainly strange seeing David Tennant with blue contacts. His Puppy-dog brown eyes are far bonnier.

[–] AdriCraw 18 years ago

Yes but Peter O'Toole remains an ACTOR, and that's precisely what an actor does--if necessary, even change his appearance to suit the role.It doesn't matter if he's famous for his blue eyes--if they cast him as Casanova, he's supposed to play bloody Casanova, not Peter-O'Toole-who's-famous-for-his-blue-eyes-playing-Casanova. Laurence Olivier wasn't exactly black, was he?I would say he was famous for being...er, well, a white actor, wouldn't you say? But he made himself black to play Othello. Not that I think that's very cool--boot-polish jobs on white actors to play black characters are thankfully out of fashion, today.But still, it's just to illustrate a point, ie that even the greatest and best known of acting legends will submit to transforming their real appearance to better play a role, if it's necessary. Actor = lending your body, voice and impersonating skills to temporarily becoming something you're not. It doesn't mean bending the character you're asked to play to suit your appearance and celebrity persona. However, I'm sure it wasn't O'Toole himself who decided to play Casanova with blue eyes, and I'm sure he would have graciously submitted to wearing brown contacts if they'd asked him to. But they didn't,because accuracy wasn't exactly this mini-series' forte. The fact Casanova had blue eyes was the least of its problems, really...

[–] spookypurple7 18 years ago

Yep. Plus the real Casanova wasn't much of a looker, either.

BTW, do you act?

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] AdriCraw 18 years ago

Hi, I posted a reply but decided to delete it, as it was rather too long and probably boring to other people here.So, I PMed you instead! 'Fraid you're gonna have to bear the brunt of my droning on and on about Casanova, spookypurple7!

[–] Flippitygibbit 17 years ago

To illustrate your point about using make-up to age an actor, watch the end of the Heath Ledger Casanova film - it tries the same trick of an older 'Casanova' (though there's a twist to the tale) looking back and writing his memoirs, but it fails - and the effect is repulsive! It looks like Casanova has some horrendous skin condition that is slowly eating him alive! David Tennant plays a nuanced Casanova, who is charismatic and not just pretty, and Peter O' Toole perfectly develops the character as an older man.

"Tony, if you talk that rubbish, I shall be forced to punch your head" - Lord Tony's Wife, Orczy

[–] brimc38 18 years ago

Peter O'Toole was perfect for this part and the reason I decided to watch this show. He is still one of our greatest actors and it is always a treat for me to see him in a new production.

[–] beckx 18 years ago

someone said they cant see how old casanova would be so serious when young casanova was so cheeky.

let me try and shed some light on this. Jack wanted to succeed in life and he got through it on his wit. Very few people saw the real Casanova, tourtured child that he was because it was hidden behind the cheek. When people get old they often lose that spark and their mask slips. Take my Grandpa, he was the cheekiest so and so, it's why my nana fell for him, but he'd lost that charm and cheek beofre he died. People grow old and world weary and in Casanova's case, sick of being ignored and ridiculed. He lost the love of his life to another man and that destroyed him. I think that's why he's so serious and angry at the world in the beginning, he's a charmer and a story teller with no one to charm or tell stories too. He knows death is nipping at his heels and he never got to see the only person he'd ever truly loved. How could he grow old being anything but tired and serious?

[–] spookypurple7 18 years ago

I just wanted to say how beautifully you put that across!

[–] AdriCraw 18 years ago

In real life,Casanova also grew bitter and disillusioned in old age because he regretted never finding the literary success and fame he so ardently wished to achieve.I mean, this was a guy who had translated the Iliad, written history books and a science fiction novel, besides tons of other stuff that just boggles the mind!I think this mini-series ought to have stressed how cultured Casanova,was besides his being a cheeky and charming womaniser.His own contemporaries, including Voltaire, Rousseau, Frederich the Great,etc actually respected him for being very learned and talented a lot more than the mini-series would suggest.He also fell deeply in love with other women besides Henriette, though she was indeed the love of his life.

Probably this mini-series does Casanova more justice than any other film adaptations of his life, though (at least as far as I know!I could be wrong).

[–] rodfan124 17 years ago

I too, watched this just to see O'Toole in a new role. I thought he was perfect for the part, and I actually enjoyed his scenes the best. I was pleasantly surprised by this movie and happy to add it to my O'Toole collection.

[–] mazlowe 18 years ago

>>I don't know about anyone else, but me and my friend both agree that the young and old Casanova seem completely seperate in this.

I must agree with the OP on the separateness of the performances. O'Toole is a wonderful actor and Tennant is loads of fun; both did well, but their styles are so completely different that I would never think of casting them to play the young and old version of the same character. O'Toole has (and always did have) a natural elegance that Tennant lacks, and I sense that Tennant is one of those lucky fellows who will still come across as boyish even at 60. Of course, I don't think either was trying at all to emulate the other, a la Ewan McGregor doing a very successful impersonation of Alec Guinness as Obi-wan in the last 3 Star Wars movies. It might have added something if they had, but I give Davies points for having 2 actors instead of just aging the younger. Age makeup always looks awful.