Giacomo Casanova: Childhood and Adolescence Giacomo Casanova: Childhood and Adolescence Infanzia, vocazione e prime esperienze di Giacomo Casanova, veneziano (literally "Childhood, Vocation, and First Experience of Giacomo Casanova, Venetian", internationally released as Giacomo Casanova: Childhood and Adolescence and "Casanova: His Youthful Years") is a 1969 Italian comedy film directed by Luigi Comencini. It tells of the youth named Casanova, who, after an unhappy childhood and early ecclesiastical activity in Venice, became an abbot and abandoned his vocation for the love of a countess. Despite the plot, more than a portrait of Casanova, the film wants to be a vivid fresco of the Venetian society of
Giacomo Casanova but could not sustain it. He ran the business poorly, borrowed heavily trying to save it, and spent much of his wealth on constant liaisons with his female workers who were his "harem". For his debts, Casanova was imprisoned again, this time at For-l'Évêque, but was liberated four days afterwards, upon the insistence of the Marquise d'Urfé. Unfortunately, though he was released, his patron de Bernis was dismissed by Louis XV at that time and Casanova's enemies closed in on him. He sold the rest of his belongings and secured another mission to Holland to distance himself from his troubles.