Every year, the third Sunday of June is dedicated to celebrating fathers. While Mother’s Day merchandise is sentimental and emotional, focused on gratitude and love, Father’s Day merchandise often centers around little besides beer and barbecuing. As an antidote, this Father’s Day, here’s a film that shows a man who is dedicated to the true duty of fatherhood, protecting his child: “Casanova Brown.”
A Family Story
Casanova Brown, a professor of literature descended from the famous Italian lover but who goes by Cas, is engaged to wealthy young Madge Ferris. A mysterious letter from a Chicago maternity ward sends Cas into a tailspin the day before his wedding.He confides in his future father-in-law (Morgan), a lovable scoundrel who is fonder of Cas than of his own relatives. In New York nine months earlier, Cas met, fell in love with and married Isabelle Drury (Wright). After their impulsive wedding, Cas went to Isabelle’s familial mansion to meet her parents. Her mother (Patricia Collinge), a dedicated astrologist, takes one look at Cas’s horoscope and declares their union disastrous, and her father (Edmund Breon) will go along with anything his wife says. When hiding a lit cigarette in his coat pocket after learning that the Drurys disapprove of smoking, he starts a fire which burns the whole house down in a few minutes! He is thrown off the property and out of Isabelle’s life.
In returning to Chicago, Cas finds out that Isabelle has delivered a baby girl. He is horrified to learn that she is putting the baby up for adoption, but he can’t stop her because their marriage has been annulled. He sneaks his daughter out of the hospital and determines to care for her himself—until he is found out.
Paternal Duty
This is a story about a man who cherishes his paternal duty. Cas Brown didn’t plan on being a father yet; he had put the painful memory of his short marriage out of his thoughts, and he was going to marry another woman he had known for years. However, once he suspects that he may be a father, he rushes to his former wife’s side. He instantly falls in love with his baby when he sees her, proudly claiming his paternity.When Cas learns that his baby is being put up for adoption, he dresses up like a doctor, complete with hospital gown, surgical mask, and gloves, so he can carry her out of the ward without attracting notice. Then, he hides out at a hotel, where he enlists the aid of a chambermaid and doorman to take care of the baby. Although Cas’s methods may seem extreme, he thinks he has no other choice, knowing he will never gain custody of his daughter in court.
A Father’s Story
This movie isn’t easily categorized, since it contains elements of many genres. It seems most like a comedy; there are many funny scenes, yet the themes addressed in the plot are quite serious. There is a love story, but romantic scenes make up only a small portion of the runtime. The majority of its second half is dedicated to a father’s care for his infant daughter, so it’s truly a family film.“Casanova Brown” is a funny name for a movie. The detail that the title character is descended from the famous lover seems like a random detail, but it’s an important point. Casanova was a libertine who lustfully pursued countless women, quickly forgetting them afterward and giving no thought to the offspring he left in his wake. In contrast, Cas cares deeply about his wife and child and longs to be reunited with them.
“Casanova Brown” is a great movie for Father’s Day or any other time of year you want to watch a charming movie about a traditional, loving father.
