Fellini’s Casanova (1976) explores the life and times of history’s infamous lover, whose isolation from the people and places around him is emphasized through an ever-wearying cycle of large set pieces followed by moments of solitude, rendering Casanova’s place in the world devoid of meaning and connection.

The film opens at the Venetian Carnevale, where all the community is taking part in a lively celebration complete with fireworks, costumes, and revelry. Reminiscent of the city-wide festivities of Fellini’s prior film Amarcord, it all culminates with a grand finale: a massive statue of the goddess Venus is brought out of the water. She proves to be too heavy though, sinking back into the depths, and the party disperses.

From there, the grotesquely presented Casanova, who towers over the other characters, with extreme hairline and pointed nose, sets off on escapades across Europe, including Paris, London, and Germany. His reputation as a great lover precedes him, setting him apart within the salons and parties he attends, as a constant outsider in any space. From his striking appearance, to the role expected of him and accepted by him, he stands out from the masses.

The closest to an equal he encounters is a giantess he sees in London. She is another towering figure, over seven feet tall, who roams through a dark, misty landscape, wrapped in a shroud like a ghost. In the taverns and carnivals, she becomes an object of spectacle, like Casanova, as men line up to arm-wrestle her to try their luck against her god-given strength and prowess. Her gloomy demeanor is a resignation of the sad, lonely fate she’s accepted, while Casanova unflinchingly makes the most of his abilities.

The drifting aimlessness of Casanova, moving from place to place without creating meaningful ties anywhere, is conveyed structurally through each chapter and location. Most new settings start with a larger gathering, a bustling ensemble of characters, before transitioning to Casanova and a lover, or Casanova alone, before moving on to the next locale. There are no relationships developed or friendships made; it’s an ongoing cycle of loneliness and movement, never resulting in meaningful connection.

In the film’s final moments, Casanova, now an old man, thinks back to Venice and that statue of Venus, trapped within the ice. He imagines himself back there, seeing a vision of his past lovers turning away from him, and only a mechanical woman, a literal robot, will have him.

Even being rooted in history, of course a Fellini film contains many of his signature touches, both narrative (a womanizing man, a circus and its performers) and stylistic (grotesquerie and surreality). The atmosphere set is often haunting, evoked through contemplative flute and bell melodies from Nino Rota’s score plus the impossible sound of wind within interior spaces.

While certainly visually compelling and thematically interesting, the disconnect between the main subject and anything – whether the people in his life, or the global locations he inhabits – makes this a tricky film to grab a hold of. In the hands of maestro Fellini, any feeling the audience has, even lack of feeling, is no doubt intentional, but at over two and a half hours it’s quite a lengthy void. As Casanova himself is left only with the mechanical woman, the technical crafts are on full display, with another memorable Rota score and Academy Award-winning costumes by Danilo Donati, but there is lacking a heart, leaving only precision.