Casanova— Steed in the Stable

Overview

Italian adventurer and libertine Giovanni Jacopo Casanova lived from 1725 to 1798, but in this six-part series Dennis Potter attempted to find a contemporary relevance through his central themes of sex and religion. He commented that Casanova "was concerned with religious and sexual freedom, and these are the things we have to address ourselves to now." Casanova was imprisoned in Venice in 1755, and Potter used that event as a central device, constantly inter-cutting to contrast Casanova's amorous escapades, radiant, joyful and brightly lit, with his oppressive solitary confinement in the gloom of a half-darkened cell.

Drama

Current EpisodeSeason 1 • Episode 1Aired: 1971-11-1630 min

1. Steed in the Stable

Venetian morality guardians burst into the apartments of notorious libertine Giovanni Jacopo Casanova. He is indicted for atheism, possession of indecent literature, and fornication – the last a hard charge to shake off, as he happens to be in bed with an equally indecent woman. As his friend Senator Bragadin tries to intercede on his behalf, the imprisoned Casanova is tormented both by wicked jailer Lorenzo and by memories of his lost love, the innocent country girl Cristina, whom he betrayed.