Casanova (TV Mini Series)

Golden Apples (1971)

Frank Finlay: Casanova

Quotes 

• Casanova : Let the hard oak bring forth golden apples. Let narcissus bloom on the alder, and drops of rich amber sweat from tamarisk bark. Let the screech-owl outsing the swan, the craggy mountains shout for joy to the stars, the rocks burst into song. Let poison lurk no more in the weed, and perfumes of Assyria breathe from every hedge. The waving corn will flood the plains with gold, and the grape, hanging clusters of rubies on the neglected thorn. Ah, if the last days of my life could only be prolonged to see the whole of Creation rejoice in the age that is yet to come.

• Feldkirchner : Herr Casanova!

  Casanova : Dear God...

  Feldkirchner : Your conduct in this castle has gone beyond all possible tolerance!

  Casanova : Oh get out, you stiff old fool. Go on, leave the room.

  Feldkirchner : Your conduct with the cook has been brought to my attention.

  Casanova : What?

  Feldkirchner : I am reliably informed that you put your hand up her skirts. I shall inform the count.

  Casanova : She is an old, smelly, black-toothed big fat sow of a woman...

  Feldkirchner : I know you!

  Casanova : ...and German into the bargain.

• Lorenzo : For a small commission...

  Casanova : Yes...

  Lorenzo : ...I could arrange for you to borrow some books from somebody who is also here, if you'd lend him some of yours in return. Eh? For a small charge, very small charge.

  Casanova : Thief!

  Lorenzo : [makes to go] 

  Casanova : What sort of books?

  Lorenzo : Learned books, signore. Blasphemous. Corrupt. You're not the only one with brains here, y'know.

  Casanova : I have never presumed for a single moment that, under any civil or religious order yet contrived or invented by man, it has ever been the case that those cast in the dungeons are not considerably more civilised and intelligent than those who put them in such filthy places. Go chew some mulberries, Lorenzo.

• Feldkirchner : A German librarian would not throw the books all over the floor!

  Casanova : That is so, Herr Feldkirchner. Although the books might be upside-down or ludicrously out-of-sequence, they would be neat.