Historys most renowned ladies man finally meets his match in this historical omance laced with comedy and adventure. In Venice in 1753, Giacomo Casanova (Heath Ledger) is a notorious playboy whose way with women goes too far when hes caught leaving the bedroom of a novice nun, and Dalfonso (Ken Stott), one of the leading prosecutors of the Inquisition, puts him on trial. The Doge (Tim McInnerny), Venices political point man, is a friend of Casanovas and pulls strings to get him off the hook and allow him to stay in the city, but under one condition -- he must take a wife and remain faithful to her. Casanova sets his sights on Victoria (Natalie Dormer), a lovely young maiden who is obviously taken with the handsome ladykiller, but hes not the only one who wants her hand. Giovanni Bruni (Charlie Cox) is a young man who is very much in love with Victoria, and in order to move him out of the picture, Casanova challenges him to a duel. However, when Casanova is bested in swords in the challenge, he discovers hes actually been parrying with Giovannis sister, Francesca (Sienna Miller). As Casanova gets to know Francesca, he discovers shes a gifted writer and a bright and independent woman as well as a good hand with a sword, and he comes to the realization that shes the woman he wants to take to the altar. However, Francesca has already been promised to the vain and chubby Papprizzio (Oliver Platt), a man shes never met, and she doesnt seem at all interested in the notorious Casanova. Casanova also stars Lena Olin, Jeremy Irons, and Omid Djalili. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide